Assessment of Heavy Metal Mobilization in Soils from Landfill Sites in Malaysia

Abstract

This paper focuses on the speciation of heavy metals from two non sanitary landfills of different status in Malaysia. Leachate contaminated soils from Bukit Beruntung (BB) and Taman Beringin(TB) landfills were analyzed using sequential extraction procedure. Eight metals namely Co, Cd, Cr, Pb, Ni, Zn, Mn and Cu were considered. Analytical determinations were performed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results show that in BB landfill, Zn, Mn and Pb were the highest concentration of metals observed in the mobile phase while only Cu and Cr concentration was predominant in the immobile phase. Co, Ni and Cd was not detected at all in BB. Similarly, in TB landfill, Mn, Zn and Pb were the highest concentration of metal observed in the mobile phase while Ni, Cu , Cr and Co were most predominant metals observed in the immobile phase. Only Cd was not detected in TB. The mobility of most metals were higher in TB compared to BB which shows that metals found in TB could pose a more serious threat to the environment. Further, this study also stressed the importance of proper investigation of ex landfill sites before any reclamation or redevelopment of the 246 ex-landfills (by the year 2020) proposed in the National Urban Policy, Malaysia