Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination in Controlled and Uncontrolled Landfill Soil, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the concentrations of heavy metals in landfill soils. The soils samples were collected in some selected landfill, at Ouagadougou. Determinations of heavy metal concentrations, calculation of contamination factor and pollution load index of heavy metal in landfill soil were undertaken. The atomic absorption spectrophotometer was used to determine the concentrations of heavy metals (Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, Hg and Pb) in the soils samples. The results showed that the average concentrations of chromium, lead and zinc determined in soils exceed the limits recommended by AFNOR NF U 44-04 and the recommended values proposed by CCME. This study showed that the soils from landfill sites were polluted by heavy metal.