The pollutants distribution profiles and health risks of groundwater and soil around the waste landfills: A study of 12 waste landfills in Guangxi province, China

The waste landfill disposes of a large amount of urban garbage, and the harmful substances in the waste have serious impacts on the ecological environment of the landfill and its surroundings. To systematically investigate the pollution mechanisms and associated health risks posed by landfills, we conducted a comprehensive study in Guangxi Province, China by collecting water, soil, and leachate samples from 12 operational landfill sites. These samples were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to quantify concentrations of 18 priority pollutants, including heavy metals and nutrients. Geostatistical analysis revealed moderate spatial clustering of pollutants in soils and groundwater, with significant positive correlations observed between Mn, Cd, and Pb concentrations across leachate-soil-groundwater systems. Notably, as exhibited 2.3-fold higher carcinogenic risk values compared to Cd, while Zn demonstrated the highest non-carcinogenic hazard quotient among all studied pollutants. Contaminant transport pathways were evaluated through correlation models, revealing that Cu and Hg in leachate significantly influenced groundwater quality around landfills. These findings provide critical insights for implementing site-specific pollution control strategies and optimizing health risk management protocols in landfill-impacted regions.