Impact assessment of the Gajke and Brstje landfills on groundwater status using stable and radioactive isotopes

Waste disposal in landfills represents a severe threat to aquatic environments on the local, regional, and global levels. In Slovenia, there are 69 registered landfills where groundwater is regularly monitored. However, isotope techniques are not regularly employed. Therefore, we employed isotope analysis of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen in combination with total alkalinity to assess the impact of the selected landfill on groundwater and to evaluate the biogeochemical processes at work. The δ18O, δ2H, δ13CDIC, 3H activity and total alkalinity were determined in October 2020 at 12 sampling points from the surrounding area of the Gajke and Brstje landfills and leachate from the Gajke landfill. The δ18O (-9.24 ± 0.3 ‰) and δ2H (-64.9 ± 2.7 ‰) in groundwater indicate that the main water source consists in direct infiltration of precipitation, with no significant isotopic fractionation. Total alkalinity in the investigated area ranges from 5.45 to 73 mM and δ13CDIC from –14.9 to +6.1 ‰, respectively. Higher values of total alkalinity (up to 73 mM), δ13CDIC (up to +6.1 ‰), δ18O (-7.64 ‰) and 3H (209.8 TU) are detected in the leachate, indicating biogeochemical process related to CO2 reduction or methanogenesis. Methanogenesis could be present at locations GAP-10/13 (Brstje landfill) and G-2 (Gajke landfill) with δ13CDIC values ranging from –8.2 to –7.6 ‰ and with dissolved oxygen values around 0 % and elevated 3H values (from 16 to 18 TU). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of isotopic analysis as a valuable tool for monitoring landfills, revealing shifts in biogeochemical processes within the groundwater there.