Abstract

The research demonstrates the theoretical impact of various parameters on contaminant migration through landfill liners, utilising POLLUTEv7 software. The study considers the impact of varying attenuation by adsorption and effective diffusion coefficients, on the mobility of contaminants through clay and geomembranes. The sensitivity of these parameters was tested in regards their impact on the maximum contaminant concentration in a receiving aquifer under a theoretical landfill scenario. This principally addresses the role of temperature in the diffusion of contaminants through the liners. In order to understand the parametric behaviour, a simple 1D landfill model was developed using the Pollute7 software, and the parameters were tested in the simulation. On the basis of the model analyses, it could be stated that clay distribution and diffusion coefficient measurably affect the most during the contaminant migration through the landfill liners, in particular for inorganics, whereas coefficients concerning geomembranes were found to have marginal or no impact on the aquifer concentration level in the present scenario. Furthermore, it was also found that temperature increases the diffusion process in landfills at a broader range, and hence proper attention is required to study the changes in temperature in landfills.

Keywords: Landfill; Clay liner; Geomembrane; Contaminant migration; Pollute7; Distribution coefficient; Diffusion coefficient; Aquifer concentration