Study of Heavy Metal Fractionation in the Lami Municipal Disposal Facility, Fiji

This work reports the first screening study of the bioavailability of heavy metals such as copper, zinc, lead and nickel in the Lami municipal disposal facility, Suva, Fiji where virtually uncontrolled dumping had been carried out for over fifty years. The soil samples from three parts of the facility were collected and the potential for mobility into the surrounding marine environment was assessed according to international guidelines. The results showed high levels of Pb in Site A (109.0 mg kg-1) and that Zn was the predominant metal across Sites B and C with 550.7 mg kg-1 and 206.8 mg kg-1, respectively. Ni was present in the least amount with the highest value 8.7 mg kg-1. In addition, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations exceeded commonly used eco-toxicity threshold values. Moreover, there were indications that considerable leaching of the studied heavy metals may have been occurring for long periods of time at the sites. Overall, this study showed that even in areas with little industrialization, lack of adequate waste management controls could result in unusually high levels of heavy metals contamination of the soil. The results raise concerns about the wellbeing of the communities living adjacent to the Lami municipal disposal facility that depend on the adjacent marine environment for their subsistence

First screening study of metal content in soil from a mixed waste receptacle

We report the first screening study for the metals copper, zinc, lead, nickel and cadmium in the Lami municipal disposal facility, in Suva, Fiji where virtually uncontrolled dumping has been carried out for over fifty years. Soil from three parts of the facility having had different degrees of usage was analysed for a range of heavy metals, and evaluated according to international guidelines. The results show copper (100-220 mg kg-1), lead (200-500 mg kg-1) and zinc (220-350 mg kg-1) concentrations exceeded commonly used eco-toxicity threshold values (copper, 160 mg kg-1; lead, 210 mg kg-1; and zinc, 220 mg kg-1). Moreover, there were indications that considerable leaching may have been occurring for long periods of time at the site. Overall, this study shows that even in areas with little industrialization, lack of adequate waste management controls can result in unusually high levels of contamination. The results raise concerns about the wellbeing of the communities living adjacent to the facility that depend on the adjacent marine environment for subsistence