Xenobiotic Organic Compounds in a Landfill Leachate

Landfilling is a predominant method of waste disposal in most of the countries. Amongst the disadvantages of landfills use is the generation of gas and leachate which can possibly lead to the contamination of groundwater. Thus, examining of hazardous constituents of leachate such as xenobiotic organic compounds (XOCs) is essential to contain any unwanted impacts on the environment. In this study, leachate samples were collected from Al Amirat un engineered landfill in Muscat in order to examine the presence of XOCs. The results have showed the presence of some kinds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), pesticides, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylene) and phthalates in low quantities. The concentrations of XOCs were only a small fraction of the total carbon content of leachate, but environmentally relevant leachate pollution levels were estimated to persist for decades to centuries. Thus, leachate should be collected regularly by means of newly constructed boreholes to avoid any risk to the environment. Such old un engineered landfills need to be well capped and rehabilitated to minimize their impacts on the environment.