Spatial analysis of leachate penetration at Lemna dumpsite, Calabar: Implications for sustainable waste management in Cross River State

E I Igelle; P O Phil-Eze; O O Akim; H I Kanu; I C Ekowk; J W Atsa; P A Ojugbo; J S Okputu; Kamal Abdelrahman; S E Ekwok; P Andráš; Ahmed M Eldosouky

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30097

Spatial analysis of leachate penetration at Lemna dumpsite, Calabar: Implications for sustainable waste management in Cross River State

Heliyon. 2024 Apr 26;10(9):e30097. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30097. eCollection 2024 May 15.

Authors

E I Igelle¹, P O Phil-Eze², O O Akim³, H I Kanu⁴, I C Ekowk⁵, J W Atsa¹, P A Ojugbo¹, J S Okputu¹, Kamal Abdelrahman⁶, S E Ekwok⁷, P Andráš⁸, Ahmed M Eldosouky⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Resource Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Nigeria.
² Department of Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Nigeria, Postal Code, 410002, Nsukka, Nigeria.
³ Environmental Sciences, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Gambia, POBox, 3530, Brikama, Serekunda, Gambia.
⁴ Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Nigeria.
⁵ Department of Geography and Environmental Science, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, PMB 1115State, Nigeria.
⁶ Department of Geology and Geophysics, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Applied Geophysics Programme, Department of Physics, University of Calabar, Calabar, PMB 1115, Cross River -State, Nigeria.
⁸ Faculty of Natural Sciences, Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica, Tajovského 40, 974 01, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia.
⁹ Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, Suez University. P.O. Box: 43221, Suez, Egypt.

Abstract

This study rigorously investigated the spatial analysis of leachate penetration at Lemna dumpsite, located in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria. Purposeful soil sampling, performed at specific intervals (5 m, 25 m, and 50 m) along the Electrical Resistivity profile line within the dumpsite, was augmented by water sample collection from five boreholes near Lemna dumpsite. Utilizing Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Vertical Electric Sounding (VES) survey techniques, resistivity data were systematically gathered to comprehensively analyze the Leachate Penetration in the Lemna dumpsite. Laboratory analysis of soil and borehole water quality focused on Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylene (BTEX), with paired sample t-tests applied for statistical scrutiny. Analyzing the ERT and VES data employed sophisticated techniques embedded in Resistivity Two Dimension Invasion software and Advanced Geosciences Incorporation Earth Imager software. Substantial disparities (p < 0.05) emerged in the paired sample t-tests for BTEX in soil compared to National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency (NESREA) limits. Similarly, BTEX in borehole water displayed significant differences (p < 0.05) when compared to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, raising alarming concerns about the safety and portability of groundwater in the area. The examination of dumpsite leachate penetration revealed a resistivity anomaly of 8.01 Ωm and an inverse depth of 12.4 m, underscoring profound environmental implications and necessitating immediate remediation efforts. Additionally, Vulnerability and Aquifer Protective Capacity Index (VES) results, with a rating of <0.1, indicated severely compromised aquifer protective capacity, emphasizing the vulnerability of groundwater resources to further contamination. Our study advocates for strategic management, remediation, and monitoring measures to prevent contamination and safeguard water quality in the region.

Keywords: Borehole water; Leachate penetration; Lemna dumpsite; Soil; Spatial analysis.