Distribution of Heavy Metals in Soil of the Temporary Municipal Solid Waste Landfills in the City of Botosani, Romania

In this study, the potential of soil contamination with heavy metals was evaluated, respectively Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn, in the area of the temporary municipal solid waste landfill located in the city of Botosani, Romania. The presence of heavy metals in the investigated area decreased in the sequence (mg/kg): Mn (860) > Zn (93.6) > Ni (48.9) > Cu (30.2) > Pb (20.1) > Cd (0.76), registering a slight increase in the southern part of the deposit as a result of the direction of rainwater flow. The concentrations of heavy metals in the soil in the vicinity of the temporary municipal waste landfill were similar to background levels for agricultural soils in Romania. The quantification of heavy metals in the soil did not show exceedances of the reference concentrations and no environmental pollution with heavy metals was identified.