Heavy Metal Contamination and Physicochemical Properties of Soils in Municipal Solid Waste Dumpsite, Hurghada, Red Sea, Egypt

A field study was conducted to assess soil quality at a municipal solid waste dumpsite in Hurghada, which includes the old dumpsite and new dumpsite. These dumpsites were filled with the following wastes: paints, plastic, electric, metal, textile, wood, food, cosmetic, packing, machinery, agricultural, chemical, and automotive remains. Soil samples were randomly collected from the two waste dumpsites and two dry drainage patterns, located away from the waste dumpsites, at a depth of 50cm. The soil physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, total organic matter, and TDS in addition to grain size distribution were determined. Aso, an assessment of heavy metal pollutants was conducted using contamination factor ratios (CF), and geoaccumulation index (Igeo) methods. 





This study revealed that the heavy metals in soil followed the order of Fe>Al> Ba> Zn>Pb> Cu> Co> Cr>Ni>Cd. The distribution pattern of heavy metals in both drainage pattern samples exhibited decreasing concentrations of these metals than those found in the nearby two dumpsites. The heavy metals concentrations of soils in municipal solid waste dumpsite exceed the background value of soils from the earth's crust except for Fe and Al. The characteristics study of soil samples from the dumpsites showed that the solid waste dump had changed the soil characteristics, which were higher limits at certain places only. Contaminations in soil samples were classified using geoaccumulation index and contamination factor to make sure that heavy metal pollution levels of soils collected from dumpsites are greater than those from drainage pattern samples.