Data to clarify the landfill role in the case of groundwater quality degradation (Southern Italy)

Abstract

The data presented in this article are related to the research article described by “How can the role of leachate on nitrate concentration and groundwater quality be clarified? An approach for landfills in operation (Southern Italy)” (Cossu et al., 2018).The data set for this article contains chemical analyses of groundwater and leachate, isotope analysis of groundwater and leachate around a group of landfills located in the municipality of Conversano, close to Bari, the main town of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy).Groundwater samples were collected from eighteen wells.The hydrogeological and chemical study was used to define geochemical features, groundwater and leachate characteristics and to study their potential macroscopic mixing.The land use analysis highlighted quantity and type of used fertilizers permitting to compare these with groundwater in terms of isotopic signature.

Microbial, chemical, and isotopic monitoring integrated approach to assess potential leachate contamination of groundwater in a karstic aquifer (Apulia, Italy)

“…Chemical and isotopic compositions in groundwater and leachate followed standard procedures: (a) ion chromatography (IC) for anions (B − , F − , Br − , Cl − , SO 4 2− , NO 3 − , and NO 2 − ) and ammonium (NH 4 + ); (b) volumetric titration for HCO 3 − ; (c) ICP-OES spectrometry for K + , Na + , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ ; (d) Wavelength-Scanned Cavity Ring Down Spectroscopy technology for stable isotope values of δ 18 O and δ 2 H (the uncertainty of the measurements is ± 0.2 d ‰ for δ 18 O and ± 1 d ‰ for δ 2 H); (e) mass spectrometry IRMS with a Finnigan MAT250 for the isotopic ratio δ 13 C DIC (the uncertainty of the measurements is ± 0.2 δ ‰); (f) liquid scintillation counting (LSC) for 3 H level (the analytical precision for tritium was 0.5 TU, 1r criterion/analytical errors); (g) IRMS (Finnigan MAT 250) for δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − (the 1σ analytical precisions for δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − are ± 0.5‰ and ± 1‰, respectively). The isotopic content of δ 15 N-NO 3 − and δ 18 O-NO 3 − was determined also considering the main used commercial fertilizers, using the result of land use analysis (Cossu et al, 2018 ; Zuffianò et al, 2018 ).…”

“…The CLD includes five municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills, two of which are still operating (Zuffianò et al, 2018 ). The local groundwater flow is toward the Adriatic Sea (6 km away, north-northeast).…”

Natural Groundwater Background Levels of Nitrate and Landfill Effects (Apulia, Southern Italy)

“…Before sampling, each well was purged, and groundwater samples were collected using a flow cell, connected to the pumping system, and a multiparametric probe. Each groundwater sample was taken only after constant values of electrical conductivity (EC), pH, temperature (T), dissolved oxygen (DO) and redox potential (Eh) were established after purging (Zuffianò et al 2018). The descriptive statistic for physical-chemical parameters is shown in Table 4.1.…”