Assessing microbial soil community dynamics in a municipal solid waste landfill: Impacts of waste type and disposal timing

Abstract

This study investigates microbial community structures in landfill soils, focusing on fungal and bacterial compositions in aged (closed), active (operating), and leachate leakage zones, compared to a pristine zone. Molecular approaches revealed that bacterial phyla were most abundant in active landfill soil, particularly Actinobacteria (0.63-fold), Firmicutes (0.17-fold), and α-Proteobacteria (0.13-fold), while Nitrospira, Acidobacteria, and Chloroflexi were minimal. The results indicate a correlation between bacterial groups and landfill zone age. Additionally, the type of buried waste, including medical and municipal solid waste, significantly affected fungal diversity and abundance in surface soil layers.