CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND RESEARCH DESIGN

Introduction
Land evaluation is an applied classification system that assesses the
capacity of the soil for its optimal use that is, to derive maximum benefits with
minimum degradation. This can be defined, according to Van Diepen et al.
(1991), as "any method to explain or predict the use potential of land.
Soil characterization data are a key piece of the picture of how an
ecosystem works. ts properties also tells whether the soil has the potential to
store enough water to keep plants growing through a drought, to withstand a
flood, and to provide the right combinations of chemicals to plants so that they
will grow properly. The chemical and physical properties of soils that is being
measure in the GLOBE Soil Characterization protocols also tell us specific
information about how well the soil will perform as a filter of wastes, as a home to
organisms, as a location for buildings, and in other important uses (zolda, 2010).
n the local setting, ever in the history of the Philippines has the issue of
solid waste management come to a crisis with the same intensity of attention,
passion and debate as now. With the Philippines having a population close to 1/3
of the United States of America, the increasing ecological awareness about the
dangers posed by pollutants from these toxic tombs have caused a lot of concern
(SimbulanJr, 1996).The government has tried to solve this problem by scouting
for state-of-the-art technologies, and have considered the construction of the

state-of-the-art sanitary landfills as one of its cornerstone in waste management.

Due to pressure from environmental groups, it has added as its policy the
promise to construct ecology redemption centers within Metro Manila to promote
recycling and composting.
n 1975, the area surrounding the landfill was not yet occupied by the
Kagay-anons because of its distance from the city proper. However, from 1975-
1980, people began to spread out in the city, that about 100 families who are
scavengers settled in the surround area of the landfill. t was also within these
years when Cagayan de Oro landfill became one of the only four cities in the
Philippines which were granted by the RCDC as having an appropriate
Controlled Dumpsite. n 2000 onwards, Barangay Carmen began to be an
industrialized area. People began to construct subdivisions, schools, and other
establishments near the dumpsite which, as a consequence, the stench of landfill
became a pressing issue for them.
The toxicity test on landfills is a study that will help our government to
assess the environment. According to the general provisions of the Philippine
Republic Act No. 9003, Sec. 14 on Comprehensive Solid Waste Management, a
department, in coordination with the DOH and other concerned agencies, shall
within six (6) months after the affectivity of this Act, prepare a National Solid
Waste Management Status Report which shall be used as a basis in formulating
the National Solid Waste Management Framework provided in Section 15 of this
Act. The concerned agencies shall submit to the Department relevant data
necessary for the completion of the said report within three (3) months following
3

the effectivity of this Act. The said report shall include, but shall not be limited to
the varying regional geologic, hydrologic, climatic, and other factors vital in the
implementation of solid waste practices to ensure the reasonable protection of
the quality of surface and groundwater from leachate contamination; the quality
of surface waters from surface run-off contamination; and ambient air quality.
Population density, distribution and projected growth; The political, economic,
organizational, financial and management problems affecting comprehensive
solid waste management; Systems and techniques of waste reduction, re-use
and recycling; Available markets for recyclable materials; Estimated cost of
collecting, storing, transporting, marketing and disposal of wastes and recyclable
materials; and Pertinent qualitative and quantitative information concerning the
extent of solid waste management problems and solid waste management
activities undertaken by local government units and waste operators. Provided
that the Department, in consultation with concerned agencies, shall review,
update and publish a National Solid Waste Management Status Report every two
(2) years or as the need arises.
For a long time, until the introduction of plastics and mass production of
disposable consumer goods, our wastes were mostly biodegradable. As
synthetic chemicals were gradually introduced and mass-produced, toxic
dumpsites began to crop up. When dumpsites caused groundwater
contamination and spontaneous combustion polluted the air, landfills were
designed. The old landfills merely consisted of dumping mixed wastes into a big
hole in the ground, with bottom clay lining, and covering the wastes with soil.
4

These too caused problems of leakage, both surface run-offs and underground
leaks into the water table. Sanitary landfills were later designed by using high-
density plastic bottom linings which were also found to leak because the various
toxic wastes collectively as leachates are corrosive too.
n the light of the importance of ecological assessment and soil toxicity, it
is important to study environments particularly communities living in the vicinities
of landfills. This research will evaluate the level of toxicity concentration in certain
area and its ecological risk assessment. The researchers will determine the toxic
effect of mercury found in landfill from a certain population and on the specific
location using laboratory test methods. This study will also be able to help the
people how to take precautions regarding the hazardous effect of a certain
substance, especially to those who live near the landfill and outside the boundary
of landfill.


CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Soils are composed of microenvironments, each with their own redox
gradient, and interacting physico-chemical and biological process. These
processes are known to influence soil toxicity through their effect on microbial
degradation, chemical absorption, solubility and availability, and partitioning
coefficients (Stenersen 1979, Bouwman and Reinecke 1987, nglesfield 1984).
Ecological risk assessment estimates likelihood that adverse ecological effects
5

may occur or are occurring as a result of exposure to one or more stressors

(EPA 1992a, DENR).
Physical and chemical changes influence on contaminant bioavailability
and toxicity in soil. Physical and chemical parameters can markedly affect the
bioavailability of contaminants to soil dwelling or other exposed organisms. The
less the bioavailability of a toxicant, the less its toxic effect on an organism. The
partitioning of metals to soil may reduce their availability for mobilization and
uptake by microbes, plants, and animals. Metals may become toxic to soil
dwelling organisms when significant levels of free metal ions (e.g., Pb2+, Zn 2+,
Cd2+) dissolved in soil pore water are available for uptake by microbes or plants.
Numerous physical and chemical factors, including soil pH, organic matter, and
chemical form of the element in the environment affect the potential for metal
ionization and availability. n addition, animals also can be exposed to soil-bound
contaminants by ingestion (Allen, 2002). Factors including particle size, pH of the
digestive tract, and chemical form can markedly affect the degree to which a
contaminant is bioavailable. Toxicity tests are a useful means to assess the
bioavailability of chemicals in soil (DTSC, 2000).
All contaminants possess measurable physical and chemical properties
that remain constant and do not vary under the same test conditions. When
contamination of ambient soils is suspected, soil samples can be collected in the
field and brought into the laboratory for testing. The subsequent soil toxicity test
functions to assess the potential site hazard. Toxicity evaluations of field
collected soils can be performed on: 1) soils collected from a potentially
6

contaminated site, 2) soils collected from a reference site, 3) site soils spiked
with compounds of concern, 4) reference soils spiked with compounds, 5) site
soils diluted with artificial soil, and 6) site soils diluted with reference soils.
Maintaining the integrity of soils during collection, transport and laboratory testing
is extremely difficult (Bouch, 1988)
Toxicity tests provide information on the concentration causing a
significant effect or detectable response in of the exposed population of test
organisms. The tests are considered ecologically significant and legally
defensible, simple and cost effective. The contaminants, concentrations, soil, test
species and test conditions chosen should reflect the purpose of the test and the
use of the results. Depending upon the study needs and design, toxicity tests
may be conducted over the environmentally relevant range of anticipated soil
samples (Environmental Protection Agency. 1992a. Framework for Ecological
Risk Assessment).
As a representation of conceptual framework of this study, a schematic
diagram is shown. The independent variables are soils collected from the
different areas of Zayas landfill, to undergo from different chemical test analysis
and toxicity test. The dependent Variables are percentage concentration of heavy
metals and toxicity level using earthworm as an indicator


Independent VariabIe Dependent VariabIe
7

Figure1. Schematic Diagram Showing the InterpIay Between the
Independent and Dependent VariabIes of the Study


STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The main objective of this study is to determine the percentage of
mercury. Specifically this study sought to answer the following questions:
1) What is the percentage of mercury content in the landfill compare with the
standard?
2) s there a significant difference of the content among the three sampling
sites?
3) s there a significant correlation between the mercury content and the
sampling?

HYPOTHESIS
The following null hypothesis will be tested in this study.

SampIe site


Site 1 10 m from the edge


Site 2 15 m from the edge


Site 3 20 m from the edge



MetaI Concentration



O Percentage mercury
content ( ppm)

8

1) There is no significant difference of the content among the three sampling

sites?
2) There is no significant correlation between the mercury content and the
sampling?


Significance of the Study
Soil toxicity tests can be important tools for decision makers, whether in
approving registration requests or in assessing contaminated sites and remedial
action plans. The study will help determine some harmful chemicals present in
the soil samples. Soil toxicity test can also be used for long term monitoring
programs or to assess the success of clean-up projects.
The findings of this study will be beneficial to the following groups:
The Community. This study will help the community to be aware of the
possible effects brought about by the landfill. t is beneficial to the people living
near a dumpsite or a landfill. This study will give information to the citizen living in
the landfill for them to be aware for the harmful effect of some heavy metals that
might be dangerous to their health. this study do not only focus on individual
aspect but also as a whole, the whole community of Cagayan de Oro for them to
be inform about the risk of some heavy metals and for them to take some
precautionary measures.
EnvironmentaIist. Environmentalist broadly supports the goals of
the environmental movement, a political and ethical movement that seeks to
9

improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to
environmentally harmful human activities. This study will help them to be aware
for the possible harmful effect of toxic soil and the risk factor that the individual
and the community can get from it. Also, it will give information about the soil
toxicity and take an action to lessen the harmful effect that might cause an illness
to the people living near and within the landfill area. This study seek to give an
information to the people in Cagayan de Oro about the hazardous effect of
heavy metals to their health and also to those public officials to take an action
with regards to the possible problem and also to the environmentalist to come up
with an idea to solve problem with regards to soil toxicity. Soil toxicity tests can
be important tools for decision makers, whether in approving registration
requests or in assessing contaminated sites and remedial action plans.
Urban PIanners. Urban planners in the public role often assist the public
and serve as valued technical advisors in the community's political environment.
They are the one who assist government from possible problem or risk within the
landfill in case off large-scale planning of communal and development such as
transportation, regional and city public facilities, environmental, transportation,
housing and community planning. The urban planner also help the government to
take an action with regards to the problem of soil toxicity in landfill such as
informing the people living in the landfill to take a precautionary measure and let
them know that it is not safe to live within the area of landfill because of toxicities
side effect to human health as well as the environment. The study will help
determine some harmful chemicals present in the soil samples. Soil toxicity test
10

can also be used for long term monitoring programs or to assess the success of
clean-up projects.

Scope and DeIimitation of the Study
This study will focus only at Zayas Landfill to test the percentage of
mercury content present in the soil and its toxicity level. Zayas Landfill which is
located at upper Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. This study starts in the month of
April. The samples will be taken from this site and will be brought in the DOST
region X laboratory for the analysis. Soil toxicity will also be done in chemistry
laboratory room.

Definition of Terms
ArsenicaIs.This term is an Anarsenic-containing compound (egarsanilic
acid, arsenates, arsenitesarsphenamine)
BioavaiIabiIity.This refers to the physicochemical access that a toxicant
has to the biological processes of an organism
Carcinogen.This term is any substance that is an agent directly involved
in causing cancer.
Contaminants.This refers to a pollution is the introduction of
contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or
discomfort to the ecosystem Pollution can take the form of chemical substances
Pollutants, the elements of pollution, can be foreign substances or energies, or
11

naturally occurring; when naturally occurring, they are considered contaminants

when they exceed natural levels.
HeaIth Hazards.This refers toan exposure to any toxic materials such as
landfill gases, foul odor and harmful chemicals within the landfill area.
Land evaIuation.This refers to as the process of prediction of land
performance when the land is used for specified purposes.
LandfiIIs.This refers toa site for the disposal of waste materials by burial
and is the oldest form of waste treatment. Landfills have been the most common
methods of organized waste disposal and remain so in many places around the
world.
Leachate.This refers to a liquid that has dissolved or entrained
environmentally harmful substances which may then enter the environment. t is
most commonly used in the context of land-filling of putrescible or industrial
waste.
Toxins.This refers toa poisons produced by your body's own processes,
or those occurring in nature, or obtained from manmade sources. Manmade
sources come from pesticides in your food, gas given off by your new carpet,
chemicals in your water, that new car smell, toxic minerals used by industry and
tons of other sources including prescription drugs and chemotherapy. 6,000 new
chemicals get added each week to the chemical pile up. Environmental
intolerance is a big issue.
Status.This refers to a general term for the situation of the landfill which
includes the toxicity of the area.
1

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Design
The experimental research design will be used in this study, this method is
deemed appropriate for this study since the intention of the researchers is to
collect the data of a soil sample to examine and compare it with the other soil
samples to determine the degree of ecological effects. An experimental design
establishes existing conditions and relationships between two or more variables
of observable conditions.

Research setting
The Soil Toxicity Test on Heavy Metal Concentration will be conducted in
DOST Region X, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City. The Earthworm Reproductive
Test will be conducted in Physics Laboratory, Liceo de Cagayan University,
Cagayan de Oro City during the month of May to August, 2011.Soil samples for
both test will be taken from the different areas in Zayas Landfill, Cagayan de Oro
City, a site of waste disposal area that have different waste concentration.

SampIing Procedure
Soil samples will be taken from the different areas of the landfill, Soil A
from northern area, Soil B from central area, Soil C from southern area and Soil
D from outside range. The collection of the samples is done by batch and the
sample will be done in three times.
13

Data CoIIection Method
As soon as this study will be approved, the researchers will begin the
collection of soils that will be brought to DOST Region X Laboratory for the
elemental analysis and begin the procedure of toxicity testing using earthworms.
Detail for the elemental analysis is found in the appendix.This test is based on
the understanding that soil organisms (earthworms) play a critical role in soil
health by breaking down and transforming organic matter. nterference in these
biochemical processes could adversely affect nutrient cycling and soil fertility.
This assay measures the effect of chemicals present in a landfill soils using 10
earthworms in each soil sample under laboratory conditions favorable to
organisms metabolism. Soils are incubated in the dark at room temperature for
up to 60 days. n this test, adult earthworms of the species
EiseniafetidafetidaorE. Fetidaandreiare exposed to different soil samples. During
the first 30 days, adult growth, mortality and other toxic effect endpoints are
recorded. During the second 30 days, the adults are removed from the samples
and the number of offspring counted in the soil. The reproductive outputs of
worms exposed to the test substance are compared to reproductive output of
controls in order to determine the no observed effect concentration.

Data AnaIysis Procedure
The analysis and interpretation of the research data will be facilitated
using the following statistical test.
14

A two sample t-test will be employed to determine the presence of heavy

metals.
An analysis of variance ( ANOVA) will be used to compare % heavy
metals and earthworm toxicity test.
A Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) will used to determine the
correlation of % heavy metals and earthworm toxicity test.




CHAPTER 2
REVIEW RELATED LITERATURE

The following reviews which show significant learning to the study, they
are grouped into the following headings: Local Literature, Foreign Literature,
Local Studies, Foreign Studies.

LocaI Literature
The age-old problems of social injustice in Philippine society have been
compounded by environmental factors, which further add up to the deterioration
of the general health and living conditions of the least protected within the
populace. Among common pollutants from dumpsites and landfills are persistent
organic pollutants such as organochlorine compounds including dioxins, as well
15

as heavy metals which pose various adverse health effects, including skin,
respiratory, cardio-vascular, neuro-muscular, central nervous, reproductive and
mutagenic effects n the local setting, there is no known dioxin data available
because of the large amount of expense involved in monitoring this substance.
Despite the banning of incinerators and incineration by the Clean Air Act of 1998,
it has been common practice by communities and even factories to illegally burn
their mixed trash all over the Philippines (Simbulan Jr, 1996).

n 1990, the Philippine government closed the infamous landfill, which
once held 2 million tons of trash. Low-cost government housing sprung up on the
site in the following years, and residents were given some community-based
employment, because of unemployment they were force to work in the landfill
and engage there self to work by collecting garbage's and sell for their living,
ignoring the fact for the possible effect of toxic pollution (Lo, 2010). Populations
are exposed to lead chiefly via paints, cans, plumbing fixtures, and leaded
gasoline. The intensity of these exposures, while recently decreased by
regulatory actions, remains high in some segments of the population because of
the deterioration of lead paint used in the past and the entrainment of lead from
paint and vehicle exhaust into soil and house dust Many other environmental
sources of exposure exist, such as leafy vegetables grown in lead-contaminated
soil, improperly glazed ceramics, lead crystal, and certain herbal folk remedies.
Many industries, such as battery manufacturing, demolition, painting and paint
16

removal, and ceramics, continue to pose a significant risk of lead exposure to

workers and surrounding communities.

Foreign Literature
During the 1980s, solid waste management issues emerged in the United
States due to the increasing amounts of solid waste generated, shrinking landfill
capacity, rising disposal costs, and strong opposition to the siting of new solid
waste facilities. The garbage that is managed by local governments is known as
municipal solid waste (MSW). Specifically, MSW is waste generated by
commercial and household sources that is collected and either recycled,
incinerated, or disposed of in MSW landfills. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) separates MSW into several categories, including containers and
packaging, yard wastes, durable goods, and nondurable goods.
http://www.pollutionissues.com/Re-Sy/Solid-Waste.html
The U.S. has 3,091 active landfills and over 10,000 old municipal landfills,
according to the Environmental Protection Agency. However, in the "good old
days," every town (and many businesses and factories) had its own dump.
According to the 1997 U.S. Census, there are 39,044 general purpose local
governments in the United States - 3,043 county governments and 36,001 sub
country general purpose governments (towns & townships). One suspects that
there are many more old and abandoned commercial, private, and municipal
dumps than the 10,000 estimated by the EPA.
17

http://inIormthepublic.org/Iiles/LANDFILLS.htm
Disposal of solid and liquid wastes has reached serious proportions and
require reliable and appropriate disposal management strategy. The wastes
elimination capacity of the environment is not infinite and nature herself
continuously bring them back in various hazardous and toxic forms and
elements, including disease carrying virus and bacteria. Solid wastes dumped on
landfills and open dumpsites are sources of acidification, nitrates and coliform
bacteria that contaminate groundwater sources. Exposure to smoke and fumes
from burning wastes in dumpsites increases the risks of developing poor health.
http://www.doh.gov.ph/hsra/survey/Healthenvi.pdI
Due to environmental and safety concerns, burning garbage by civilians
has been outlawed by most municipalities and can only be performed by landfill
managers or people who have obtained permits from the municipality. The
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act is a U.S. federal law that is designed
to protect the public from harm caused by waste disposal. The EPA runs a
Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP), a voluntary assistance program
that helps to reduce methane emissions from IandfiIIs by encouraging the
recovery and use of landfill gas as an energy resource.

http://www.epa.gov/lmop/overview.htm

LocaI Studies

18

Here in the Philippines, the Department Of Science and Technology

(DOST) recommend that the earthworm toxicity test endpoints are considered as
a standard assessment endpoints in ecological risk assessment, there are
advantages of considering this test endpoints as lines-of-evidence in the
assessment of soil toxicity. Recently, (Broos et al., 2005) compared the
toxicological sensitivity of a variety of earthworm ecology and bioassays. The
authors concluded that symbiotic nitrogen fixation by soil organisms was a useful
endpoint (i.e., both robust and toxicologically sensitive) for assessing the toxicity
of metals to soil-dwelling organisms. Earthworm toxicity tests have the advantage
of being of short duration and cost-effective. They often require minimal
resources in terms of personnel training, reagents and equipment. n addition,
they can assess a wide range of environmental conditions and chemical effects
through varying study design, laboratory conditions and endpoint assessment.
The large number of effect endpoints is of particular interest for their assistance
in elucidating not only the adverse effects on earthworm health but also on the
potential mechanism of effect. n general, endpoints are designed to assess
microbial community populations and activities through measuring biomass,
populations, activities and diversity ([OECD] Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development, 2000).
Heavy metals such as Lead, Arsenic, Cadmium and Mercury account for soil
toxicity their toxic effects may harm humans especially when they are mixed in
the soil component. Lead has been mined and used in industry and in household
19

products for centuries. The dangers of lead toxicity, the clinical manifestations of
which are known as plumbism, have been known since ancient times.
http://www.manbir-online.com/diseases/lead.htm.


Foreign Studies
nternational studies conducted some studies on toxicity level on landfills. A
retrospective follow-up study was conducted in 1990 to assess the short-term
health impacts of an industrial waste landfill. The site, located since 1979 in a
French town of 6,000 inhabitants (about 100 m from the nearest houses)
released volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air and provoked intense
health concern in the community. The landfill was subsequently closed in 1988.
Subjects were 694 inhabitants residing in three different parts of town. ndividual
exposure was estimated, using a dispersion model of volatile air pollutants and
accommodated the daily activity patterns of each individual within the area under
investigation. Surrogate morbidity data were derived from measurement of the
consumption of drugs prescribed for specific therapeutic categories over a 3-y
period (18 mos before and 18 mos after the site was closed). Although
differences were not statistically significant, the most exposed subjects had been
prescribed more drugs for diseases possibly linked to emissions from the site
before it closed than the least exposed individuals. There was a suggestion of a
slight trend in the consumption of drugs for ear, nose, and throat and pulmonary
ailments with individual exposure levels. These results, and the review of
0

toxicological data for some of the VOCs released by the dump, support the
decision to close the site.


Metal pollution may disturb soil ecosystems by affecting the structure of
soilinvertebrate populations. Successful protection of communities demands
knowledge of the ecophysiology of metals in invertebrates and their
susceptibility to metal intoxication (Dallinger and Rainbow, 1993; Hopkin,
1989). The potential hazards of environmental pollutants to soil invertebrates
have been assessed in recent years by the use of the 'earthworm acute
toxicity test' (OECD, 1984; EEC, 1985). This 14-day LCs0 test using the
earthworm Eisenia fetida has been important for risk assessment and
regulation of new and existing chemicals (Becker et al., 1992).The end point
of the earthworm acute and reproductive toxicity testis mortality. However,
mortality is unlikely to be either the most sensitive or ecologically relevant
parameter for predicting effects on field populations. Reproductive and/or
growth disturbances are far more likely to mediate population effects
(Moriarty, 1983). Reproduction is likely to be of particular important in
ecotoxicological assessment because of its influence on population dynamics
(Joosse & Verhoef, 1983; Kooijman & Metz, 1984; Denneman & Straalen,
1991).


1

Malecki, M. R., Neuhauser E. F. & Loehr, R. C. (1982). The

effects of metals on the growth and reproduction of Eisenia
Joetida (Oligochaete, Lumbricidae). Pedobiologia, 24, 129-37.
Neuhauser, E. G., Malecki, M. R. & Loehr, R. C. (1984).
Growth and reproduction of the earthworm Eisenia Joetida
after exposure to sublethal concentrations of metals.
Pedobiologia, 27, 89 -97.


















PRESENTATION, DISCUSSION, AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS


What is the percentage of mercury content in the IandfiII compare with the
standard?

Table 1 shows mercury content in each corresponding sites. The first site is 10m
from the edge of the garbage area down the hill, 15m is the second site and the
third is 20m. n the first sampling, it appeared that site 1 which contains 0.164
ppm was the greatest among the three samples. This is an indicative of the high
mercury content in the site. The second and the third site was <0.001ppm
showing a minimum content of mercury. As the sample gathering became
deeper from 2
nd
sampling to 4
th
sampling, the mercury content were all <0.001
ppm and average show that site 1 was 0.042 ppm. This implies that the
concentrations of the mercury stay from the surface to 1 foot below of this site
where families have been residing for a long period of time. The standard
deviation of site 1 was 0.007 while for site 2 and 3 were all zero. This means that
results show its consistency in terms of mercury content. n other words, there is
no significant difference in terms the site distance.

The World Health Organization has placed the level at which risk begins at 50
ppm of mercury in hair for most people. The WHO then applied a safety factor of
10 ppm, estimating that a level of 5 ppm or less is safe for even the most
vulnerable populations. http://www.drcranton.com/mercury.htm According to
Cranton (2010), Clinical manifestations vary with the degree and length of
exposure. About 25 to 50 g of mercury vapor per cubic meter and 40 g of
Table 1. Mercury Content from different sites

Mercury Content ( ppm )


3

Sample
site

1
st

sampling
2
nd

sampling
3
rd

sampling
4
th

sampling
average Standard
Deviation

1
st
site
(10 m)

0.164

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

0.042

0.0077

2
nd
site
(15 m)

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

0

3
rd
site
(20 m)

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

<0.001

0

methyl mercury per liter of blood are associated with an increased risk of prenatal
damage to the developing central nervous system. The half-life of ethyl mercury
in blood is about 20 days in adults, but may be as short as 7 days in infants.
http://www.drcranton.com/mercury/clinical_toxicology_of_mercury.htm

He added that occupational limit of mercury in random urine is < 5 g/g, in urine
of exposed workers is < 35 g/g, Whole blood is < 8.0 g/L, for exposed workers
< 15.0 g/L, Hair is <15 g/g (g/g = ppm)
http://www.drcranton.com/mercury/Mercurytestresults.htmFor drinking water, the
maximum contaminant level goals (MCLG) for mercury is 0.002 mg/L or 2 ppb.
EPA has set this level of protection based on the best available science to
prevent potential health problems.
http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/basicinIormation/mercury.cIm
These data results are very small compared with the standard which indicates
that this specific area of the landfill is safe for mercury content. This could have
been brought about by factors such as the distance of the dumping site and the
people residing the area. The flowing of garbage juice could not reach the
4

household area since it is being situated in a hilly area. Another possibility was
the concentrations of heavy metals in leachate vary over a wide range depending
on a number of factors including waste composition, landfill age, and moisture
availability.

Is there a significant difference of the content among the three sampIing
sites?

The data in Table 2 shows the result of One Way Anova on mercury content from
different sites of the landfill. The analysis yielded a computed F-Ratio of 1.00,
which is lesser than the critical F value of 4.26, which leads to the acceptance of
the null hypothesis. Therefore there is no significant difference of the mercury
content among the three sampling sites. One of the possibilities was this landfill

Table 2. Summary table on One Way Anova on mercury content from different
sites of the landfill

Sources Adjusted DI Adjusted omputed ritical

oI SumoI Mean F-Ratio 'alue
'ariation Squares Scores

etween 4.48-03.141-031.000 4.6

rror 1.997-09.141-03

%otal .4355-011

5

is receiving more on domestic and commercial wastes but not on industrial

waste. There is a presence of mercury in this landfill but with in its standard
range from 32 ppm to 200 ppm. Some of this content are in the form of a
gaseous mercury which is a methyl mercury due to the action of bacteria, others
they burn it and some flow through the water during the rainy seasons. These
findings agree with the findings of Steve E. Lindberg as cited by Raloff J. ( 2001).
He said that Although even mercury in its elemental form is toxic, its most
poisonous embodiment is methyl mercury, the result of a chemical modification
by bacteria. The finding of such a process in landfills underscores the importance
of ensuring that mercury doesn't enter the municipal-waste stream.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1200/is_1_160/ai_76929761/
n other words mercury in the landfill are being distributed into the air through the
actions of bacteria, burning, into the water. This finding was being supported by
the study of MassDep http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/stypes/hgch4.htm that soil mercury
concentrations at all stations were either at or (most frequently) below detection
limits of 0.1 mg/kg. Mercury concentrations in all water, aquatic sediment,
vegetation and milk samples were at or below respective detection limits of 0.001
mg/L, 0.10 mg/kg, 0.01 mg/kg, and 0.001 mg/L.



6

Is there a significant correIation between the mercury content and the
sampIing?

Table 3 show a summary of correlation between mercury content and the
distance of the site sampling. Only the first sampling revealed a negative
correlation which is 0.866. This is an indicative that mercury content is
correlated with the distance. The 2
nd
to 4
th
sampling shows zero correlation,
which means that distance did not correlate the mercury content. This indicates
further that the concentration of the mercury is the same in all sampling sites.

TabIe 3. Summary tabIe of correIation between mercury
content and site distance

Mercury Content ( ppm )


Sample site


1
st

sampling

2
nd

sampling

3
rd

sampling

4
th

sampling

1
st
site
(10 m)

0.164

0.001

0.001

0.001

2
nd
site
(15 m)

0.001

0.001

0.001

0.001

3
rd
site
(20 m)

0.001

0.001

0.001

0.001

CorreIation


.866







7

n figure 1revealed that there was a negative correlation between the mercury
content and the distance. As the distance increases from the edge of the landfill,
concentration decrease in the 2
nd
site and the same in the 3
rd
. The 2
nd
and the
3
rd
site did not show any correlation. This means that the mercury concentration
remains constant to be equal to 0.001 ppm.




















Figure 1. A correlation graph of mercury content







SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION, AND RECCOMMENDATION


Summary of findings

0
002
004
006
008
01
012
014
016
018
1 2 3 4
1sL SlLe
2nd SlLe
3rd SlLe
8

The objective of the research was to find mercury content of the landfill as
expressed in parts per million (ppm). This study used APHA-AWWA 3112 cold
vapor atomic spectrometry. Three samples were utilized in this study.

The data results are very small compared with the standard which indicates that
the specific area of the landfill is safe for mercury content.

Analysis of variance ( ANOVA) was employed for testing the null hypotheses. t
revealed that there was no significant difference of the mercury content among
the three sampling sites.

Pearson product moment correlation (PPMC) was also utilized to determine the
relationship between mercury content and the distance of the sampling site. t
showed that was a negative correlation on the first sampling, but in the 2
nd
to 4
th

sampling revealed a zero correlation.


Conclusions
Based on the results, the following conclusions are generated:
All of the samples exhibited mercury content lower than the standards and failed
to show statistically significant correlation. This could have been brought about
by factors such as the kind of waste receives in the landfill. Only domestics and
commercial waste are usually dump into the site and no industrial waste. An
9

average standard mercury content of the landfill are being modified through the
action of bacteria in the form methyl mercury- a gaseous mercury, others went to
the water during rainy seasons, and some burn it by scavenger.

Recommendation
Based on the data gathering, the following recommendations are made:

Study that compare mercury content of air, soil, and water as one of the
considerations for local government to put strategic location of the dumping site.

Study on other metallic elements. Considering its toxicity concentration,
corrosiveness, and impact to environment.

Possibility of recovering metallic elements that can be used again for another
purpose.