Redox Processes in Groundwater Impacted by Landfill Leachate

Groundwater downgradient from Trandum municipallandfill was investigated in summer 1996, with a viewto assessing the distribution of redox-sensitivespecies. The water table at Trandum is 10–26 metersbelow the surface. Monitoring well filters have beeninstalled at depths of up to 15 m below water table,covering an area of 400 m by 200 m. Groundwaterinfluenced by the landfill seems to be confined tothis area. Pristine groundwater has a chemicalsignature indicative of calcite and pyrite weathering.Groundwater influenced by leachate from the landfillexhibits an excess of alkalinity relative to calcium,which is likely to be derived from degradation oforganic matter in the landfill. Groundwaterimmediately below and downstream of the landfillcontains elevated concentrations of Fe and Mn, largelymobilized under reducing conditions from the aquifermatrix and reflected in depleted HNO₃-extractable Feand Mn in sediment samples from the same area.Groundwater samples allow the tentative identificationof redox zones based on oxidized and reduced forms ofFe, Mn, N and S. A methanogenic zone is notobserved.