Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Investigation of landfill leachate pollution impact on shallow aquifers using numerical simulation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Arabian Journal of Geosciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of leached pollutants from solid waste landfills on shallow utilized aquifers within the State of Kuwait. The objectives of the work were achieved through developing a 3D-VMF Flex numerical flow and solute transport model. The results of the study of Kuwait show that the pollutants longitudinal dispersivity should be less than or equal to 420 m coupled with a ratio of horizontal transverse to longitudinal dispersivity equal to 0.1 and a vertical transverse dispersivity to longitudinal dispersivity ratio equal to 0.01. The novelty of this research is that the developed model was for the first time simulating concurrently the three processes that control the movement of pollutants in the porous media under landfills in Kuwait: advection, dispersion and adsorption. The dispersion and adsorption model parameters were calibrated against measured pollutants concentration in the field. This study shows that the adsorption process plays an important role in controlling the migrantion of heavy metals and inorganic pollutions into shallow aquifers. This study calibrates adsorption coefficient (kd) for conservative pollutants such as Cl to be 1 × 10–7 (mg/l)−1, for nitrogen compound such as NO3 to be 1.2 × 10–7 (mg/l)−1 and for heavy metals such as Pb and Cr to be 1 × 10–5 (mg/l)−1. It was also concluded that conservative pollutants take about one year to leach to the closets observational point (2.57 km). It took the conservative pollutant plume about 16.5 years (6000 days) to reach the furthest observation point, which is 5.26 km away. These conclusions combined draw a priority action-plan for interested parties to take into considerations future works for land and environmental rehabilitation strategies including natural underground water resources management.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Source: Al-Salem et al. (2020b) (reprinted with permission); Images courtesy of KISR-GIS Group

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Ahmad M (2012) Optimization of the assessment and rehabilitation of old landfills in Kuwait. PhD Thesis, Rostock University.

  • Al-Fares RA, Al-Jarallah RS (2011) Geo-environmental site characterization at a waste disposal site using traditional geotechnical in-situ techniques: the State of Kuwait. Kuwait J Sci Engrg 38:55

    Google Scholar 

  • Aliewi A, Al-Enezi H, Al-Maheimid I, Al-Kandari J, Al-Haddad A, Al-Qallaf H, Rashid T, Sadeqi D (2019) Sustainability of brackish groundwater utilization from the Eocene aquifer for oil exploration in Central Kuwait. Environ Dev Sustain 22(2020):4639–4653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00401-9.

  • Aliewi A, Al-Kandari J, Al-Khalid A, Bhandary H, Al-Qallaf H (2020a) Modelling the effect of high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) for the sustainable utilization of brackish groundwater from saline aquifers in Kuwait. Environ Dev Sustain. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-020-00670-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aliewi A, Al-Qallaf H, Rashid T, Al-Odwani A (2020b) Hydraulic evaluation of a dewatering scheme in shallow aquifers in Kuwait. Quart J Eng Geol Hydrogeol 53:125–136, 19 June 2019, https://doi.org/10.1144/qjegh2019-044.

  • Alloway BJ (2013) Sources of heavy metals and metalloids in soils. In: Alloway BJ (ed) Heavy metals in soils: trace metals and metalloids in soils and their bioavailability. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 11–50

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Muzaini S, Beg MU, Muslmani K (1995) Characterization of landfill leachates at a waste disposal site in Kuwait. Environ Int 21:399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Al-Nasser A, Al-Dhafeeri AT (2018) Multi-variable regression analysis for the solid waste generation in the state of Kuwait. Process Saf Environ Prot 119:172

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM (2019) Influential parameters on natural weathering under harsh climatic conditions of mechanically recycled plastic film specimens. J Environ Manage 23:355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Absi Halabi M, Aleisa E, Al-Bahar S, Al-Ghawas S, Al-Jarrallah R, Omar E, Alnakib D (2019b) The proposed role of KFAS in intervening on the solid waste issue in Kuwait, In Proc: 4th KISR/Italian Workshop on Waste Management Research. Kuwait City, Kuwait, 24th November, pp. 146-164

  • Al-Salem SM, Constantinou A, Leeke GA, Hafeez S, Safdar T, Karam HJ, Al-Qassimi M, Al-Dhafeeri AT, Manos G, Arena U (2019) A review of the valorisation and management of industrial spent catalyst waste in the context of sustainable practice: the case of the State of Kuwait in parallel to European Industry. Waste Manage Res 37:1127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Yang Y, Wang J, G.A., Leeke, (2020a) Pyro-oil and wax recovery from reclaimed plastic waste in a continuous auger pyrolysis reactor. Energies 13(8):2040

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Salem SM, Zeitoun R, Dutta A, Al-Nasser A, Al-Wadi MH, Al-Dhafeeri AT, Karam HJ, Asiri F, Biswas A (2020b) Baseline soil characterisation of active landfill sites for future restoration and development in the state of Kuwait. Int J Environ Sci Technol.

  • Al-Senafy M, Fadlelmawla A, Al-Fahad K, Al-Khalid A, Al-Yaqout A (2003) Evaluation of the potential impacts of selected municipal landfills on groundwater quality of Kuwait. Final report WM009C submitted to Kuwait Environment Public Authority. Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research.

  • Al-Senafy MN, Al-Fahad KG (2000) Petrography of calcretes and their effects on the hydrology of Kuwait Group Aquifer. Proceeding of the First International Conference on Geotechnical, Geo environmental Engineering and Management in Arid Lands 4–7 November 2000, Al-Ain, UAE. pp. 481–484.

  • Al-Senafy MN (2001) Geohydrology of fresh groundwater lenses in arid environment, Kuwait. In Proceedings of the Groundwater Quality conference 2001 in Sheffield, England pp. 167- 168.

  • Al-Yaqout A (1999) Minimum requirements for municipal solid waste landfill in the state of Kuwait. University of Florida, PhD Thesis.

  • Awasthi AK, Zeng X, Li J (2016) Environmental pollution of electronic waste recycling in India: a critical review. Environ Pollut 211:259

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baderna D, Caloni F, Benfenati E (2019) Investigating landfill leachate toxicity in vitro: a review of cell models and endpoints. Environ Int 122:21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhatnagar A, Ji M, Choi Y-H et al (2008) Removal of nitrate from water by adsorption onto zinc chloride treated activated carbon. Sep Sci Technol 43(4):886–907

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borashed, F. 2019. Personnel communication, Kuwait Municipality, Landfill Management Department, South Seventh Ring Road.

  • Christensen TH, Cossu R, Stegmann R (1989) Sanitary landfilling: process, technology and environmental impact. Academic Press Limited, London

  • Criscenti, L.J., 2004. Adsorption processes: at what spatial scale do need to understand them? Proceedings of the 11th International Symposium on Water-Rock Interaction, pp 909–915. WRI-11, 27 June-2 July, New York, USA.

  • Feng H, Chen Z, Wang X, Chen S, Crittenden J (2021) Electrochemical advanced oxidation for treating ultrafiltration effluent of a landfill leachate system: impacts of organics and inorganics and economic evaluation. Chem Eng J 413:127492

  • Przydatek G, Kanownik W (2019) Impact of small municipal solid waste landfill on groundwater quality. Environ Monit Assess 191:169

  • Gomes AI, Souza-Chaves BM, Park M, Silva TFCV, Boaventura RAR, Vilar VJP (2021) How does the pre-treatment of landfill leachate impact the performance of O3 and O3/UVC processes? Chemosphere 278:130389

  • Kalbus E, Oswald S, Wang W, Kolditz O, Engelhardt I, Al-Saud M, Rausch R (2011) Large-scale modelling of groundwater resources on the Arabian platform. Int J Water Resourc Arid Environ 1(1):38–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Kamaruddin MA, Yusoff MS, Aziz HA (2015) Sustainable treatment of landfill leachate. Appl Water Sci 5:113

  • Kapelewska J, Kotowska U, Karpińska J, Astel A, Zieliński P, Suchta J, Algrzym K (2019) Water pollution indicators and chemometric expertise for the assessment of the impact of municipal solid waste landfills on groundwater located in their area. Chem Eng J 359:790

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma W, Tai L, Qiao Z, Zhong L, Wang Z, Fu K, Chen G (2018) Contamination source apportionment and health risk assessment of heavy metals in soil around municipal solid waste incinerator: a case study in North China. Sci Total Environ 631:348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay A., Al-Awadi E., Oskui R., Hadi K., Al-Ruwaih F., Turner M., Akber A., 2004. Al-Ahmad M., 2012. Optimization of the assessment and rehabilitation of old landfills in Kuwait. PhD Thesis, Rostock University.

  • Mulligan CN, Yong RN, Gibbs BF (2001) Remediation technologies for metal-contaminated soils and groundwater: an evaluation. Eng Geol 60:193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naveen BP, Sumalatha J, Malik RK (2020) Numerical modelling of leachate transport into water bodies at a landfill site. J Environ Eng Sci 15(1):6–15

  • Nwaokorie KJ, Bareither CA, Mantell SC, Leclaire DJ (2018) The influence of moisture enhancement on landfill gas generation in a full-scale landfill. Waste Manage 79:647

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Przydatek G, Kanownik W (2019) Impact of small municipal solid waste landfill on groundwater quality. Environ Monit Assess 191:169

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi L, Chen H, Meng H, Cheng R, Dai J, Zheng X, Zhang Z (2021) How environmental policy impacts technology adoption: a case of landfill leachate. J Clean Prod 310:127484

  • Srinivasan R., “Advances in application of local adsorbent and its composites in removal of biological, organic, and inorganic contaminants from drinking water,” Advances in Adsorbent Science and Engineering, vol. 2011, Article ID 872531, 17 pages, 2011.

  • Tiwari MK, Bajpai S, Dewangan UK, Tamrakar RK (2015) Suitability of leaching test methods for fly ash and slag: a review. J Radiat Res Appl Sci 8:523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • USEPA, 1999. Understanding variation in partition coefficient (kd) values. EPA report # 402-R-99–004A. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Washington, DC 20460.

  • Wittsiepe J, Feldt T, Till H, Burchard G, Wilhelm M, Fobil JN (2017) Pilot study on the internal exposure to heavy metals of informal-level electronic waste workers in Agbogbloshie, Accra. Ghana Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:3097

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Y, Wang Y, Wang J et al (2016) Nitrate removal from water by new polymeric adsorbent modified with amino and quaternary ammonium groups: batch and column adsorption study. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng 66:191

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ya X, Xiangshan X, Lu D, Changxin N, Yuqiang L, Qifei H (2018) Long-term dynamics of leachate production, leakage from hazardous waste landfill sites and the impact on groundwater quality and human health. Waste Manage 82:156

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng, C., Wang, P., 1999. A modular three-dimensional multispecies transport model for simulation of advection, dispersion and chemical reactions of contaminants in groundwater systems. University of Alabama. Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Washington, DC 20314–1000. Monitored by U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Waterways Experiment Station Vicksburg, Mississippi 39187–6199.

  • Zhong H, Tian Y, Yang Q, Brusseau ML, Yang L, Zeng G (2017) Degradation of landfill leachate compounds by persulfate for groundwater remediation. Chem Eng J 307:399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ziad M.A., 2014. An experimental investigation of landfill leachate impact on surrounding soil. PhD Thesis, Cardiff University.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) namely the Water Research Centre and the Environment & Life Sciences Research Centre for their continuous support towards this work and encouragement.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Water Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait

    Amjad Aliewi, Khaled Hadi, Harish Bhandary, Habib Al-Qallaf & Tareq Rashed

  2. Science & Technology Sector, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait

    Ahmed Abdulhadi

  3. Enviorment & Life Sciences Research Centre, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.O. Box 24885, 13109, Safat, Kuwait

    Sultan Majed Al-Salem

Authors
  1. Amjad Aliewi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Khaled Hadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Harish Bhandary
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Habib Al-Qallaf
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tareq Rashed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Ahmed Abdulhadi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sultan Majed Al-Salem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sultan Majed Al-Salem.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Amjad Kallel

Novelty statement

The work describes an important issue on an international front, where we have simulated the pollution plume of aquifers underlying solid waste landfill sites, using field data from our research group. The objectives of the work were achieved through developing a 3D-VMF Flex numerical flow and solute transport model, which was calibrated against measured heads and pollutants concentrations in the field. This study determines the adsorption coefficient (kd) for conservative pollutants such as chlorine (Cl) to be 1 × 10–7 (mg/l)−1, for nitrogen-based compound such as nitric oxide (NO3) to be 1.2 × 10–7 (mg/l)−1 and for heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and chromium (Cr) to be 1 × 10–5 (mg/l)−1.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PPT 913 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Aliewi, A., Hadi, K., Bhandary, H. et al. Investigation of landfill leachate pollution impact on shallow aquifers using numerical simulation. Arab J Geosci 14, 2158 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08536-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08536-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation