Toxicity Distribution In Soil And Ground Water In A Illegal Dumpsite - Case Study

Disposal of industrial waste on to land or into water bodies or into the subsurface geological strata leads to pollution of soil and water sources. Industrial waste of toxicity level of 25 was reported to be illegally buried into land. From the geological investigations it is learnt that the soil at the dump site is a weathered rock and highly permeable. The depth of the illegal dump pits and soil formation was assessed by electrical test method. Systematic samplings of waste and water samples were done and the samples were analyzed for characterization. Toxicity factor through bio-assay test was established.  Preliminary survey indicated that ground water pollution at the site is due to unscientific disposal of industrial waste. The crop cultivation in this area was found to be affected due to pollution of ground water source. Volume of the waste buried in the ground was calculated and found to be 291cubic meters. The depth of filling assessed by geological investigation adopting electrical resistivity method is found to be 3 meters. The water sample analysis indicates that the water shows objectionable odor but the other parameters analyzed are within the limits of drinking water standards. After detailed investigation the waste disposed into the ground removed and transferred to engineered landfill facility for final disposal.