Title: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in leachates from municipal landfills

Authors: Marzenna R. Dudzinska, Jacek Czerwinski

Addresses: Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, 40B Nadbystrzycka Str., 20-618 Lublin, Poland. ' Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, 40B Nadbystrzycka Str., 20-618 Lublin, Poland

Abstract: The leachates from six municipal waste landfills, located in South-eastern Poland, were studied for the presence of major, Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) – PAHs, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs)/Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans (PCDFs), Polychlorinated Dibenzothiophenes (PCDTs) and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The measured concentrations varied with respect to the particular compound and landfill, but POPs were present at measurable levels in the leachates from all the examined landfills. The highest concentrations were found in the leachate from the landfill collecting waste from the capital of the province. In the leachates from younger landfills, the concentrations of lower halogenated compounds were higher than those of higher substituted congeners. Lower condensed PAHs showed higher concentrations in samples from all the examined sites.

Keywords: municipal waste landfills; landfill leachates; POPs; persistent organic pollutants; PAHs; polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PCDDs; PCDFs; PCDTs; PBDEs; Poland.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEE.2011.041352

International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2011 Vol.3 No.3/4, pp.253 - 268

Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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