Ground Water Quality Assessment Near Municipal Landfill And Characterization Of Leachate In Kaniqrizhala Area, Kurdistan Region Of Iraq

Abstract

The present study is to characterize the groundwater and leachate in the Kaniqrzhala landfill in Erbil City. Groundwater samples were collected from six wells and a leachate sample in order to evaluate the possible effect of leachate percolation into groundwater and assess the potential contamination. Several physicochemical parameters were analyzed to evaluate the groundwater and leachate characterizations, including (turbidity, pH, EC, total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, total alkalinity (TA), Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, PO₄³⁻, NH₃⁺, NO₃⁻, Na⁺, K⁺) and heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Fe, Pb, Cr, and Cd). In addition, the evaluation of the water quality index (WQI) and leachate pollution index (LPI) were determined. All groundwater samples were determined to be below the permitted limits set by WHO guidelines, excluding EC, TDS, PO₄³⁻, and NO₃⁻, showing moderately high concentrations and leachate sample concentrations above allowed limits. The WQI values ranged from 74.833 to 88.463, meaning that all groundwater samples were deemed "good" and fit for drinking and other uses. The LPI value is high (23.938), indicating a high contamination potential in the leachate. The results showed Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra, Tribulus terrestris, and Caper spinosa plant leaves have varying capacities to adsorb heavy metal ions from leachate.

Keywords

• ground water; water quality index; heavy metals; leachate pollution index; plant