PROSPECTIVE ON LANDFILLS IMPACT ON SOIL CHARACTERISTIC AND GROUNDWATER QUALITY - CASE STUDY, RABIGH CITY IN WESTERN REGION OF SAUDI ARABIA.

Landfills are used in Saudi Arabia to dispose industrial and domestic wastes. The absence of effective management leads to pollution of the groundwater sources. This research focuses on the impact of landfills on soil and groundwater pollutions in Rabigh city in Saudi Arabia. The analysis involved 14 groundwater and 17 soil samples. The permissible limits were based on Saudi General Authority for Meteorology and Environmental Protection (GAMEP) while the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) standards for the soil. The cations exceeding the standard were Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2 + while the anions were SO42-, Cl-, HCO3-, and NO3-respectively. Total dissolve solids (TDS) distribution indicated high salinity near landfills. Two hydrogeochemical type facies were identified NaCl and CaCl2. The highest concentrations of heavy metals, As, Cu, Co, Cr, Mn, Al, and Fe, were estimated as 0.059, 0.261, 0.640, 2.96, 3.30, 4.75, and 1170 mg/l respectively. They were below the permissible limits. The pH of the soil ranged from 7 to 9.6 suggesting strongly alkaline soil, due to the occurrence of Sodium Carbonate or Sodium Bicarbonate. The distribution of soil pH indicates the highest value is far upstream landfills. The Chromium and Nickel in the soil exceeds the permitted limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]