Heavy metal concentrations in drainage sediments possibly affected by landfill leachate

Abstract

Leachate was observed outside the confines of the Stone County Landfill, Missouri. Ants Creek and South Ants Creek located in the vicinity of the landfill may have received leachate. Both streams drain into Table Rock Lake. Previous studies of other landfills in southwestern Missouri revealed the presence of enriched concentrations of some heavy metals in drainage sediments of streams affected by leachate. Sediments were collected from the same location sites along the two aforementioned streams in 1992 and 1995. The purpose of this research was to determine if the two streams were affected by leachate and if there was a change in metal content between 1992 and 1995. Samples were also collected in 1995 from a stream which acted as the control for the study. Two different sediment size fractions were used in the study. The concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ba, Ca, and Ag were determined in some geochemical phases of the finer grain size fraction while the same metals were determined from a nitric acid extraction in the larger grain size fraction. Atomic absorption techniques were used in the study. More than 4,200 metal concentration determinations were made in this study. The results indicated no enrichment of metal concentrations in the sediments of Ants Creek and South Ants Creek. Also there was no significant difference in the content of each metal in the sediments of Ants Creek compared to the same in South Ants Creek. This result was the same in samples representing both years. It was concluded that leachate from the landfill had no noticeable affects on sediments in both streams. Therefore it appeared that waters and sediments in Table Rock Lake were not enriched in these metals from landfill activity.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Geological Survey and the Missouri Water Center under the Grant/Cooperative Agreement.

The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Geological Survey or Missouri Water Center. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Geological Survey or Missouri Water Center.