Severe Multi-Contaminant River Pollution from an Unlined Municipal Landfill in Semi-Arid Northwest Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Department of Occupational Health, Faculty of Health, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran
Abstract
Unlined municipal landfills in semi-arid regions pose significant risks to adjacent rivers through leachate migration. This study quantifies downstream pollution from a >20-year-old landfill in Northwest Iran, assessing impacts on a 15-km perennial river segment. Water and sediment samples were analyzed across upstream, near-field, and far-field zones. Near-field water exhibited severe hypoxia (DO 3.2 mg/L), high organic loading (COD 98.6 mg/L), and elevated ammonium (NH₄⁺-N 14.7 mg/L), exceeding Iranian standards by up to 73.5× for ammonium. Heavy metals such as Pb (68.4 µg/L) and Cd (5.9 µg/L) surpassed WHO limits, while sediments showed moderate to heavy contamination (Igeo 2.4–2.8). Organic micropollutants, including DEHP and naphthalene, presented high ecological risks. Principal component analysis confirmed leachate as the dominant pollution source, and exponential decay models indicated 80–90% attenuation within 5 km downstream, although sediments retained legacy contaminants. The results define a 3-km high-risk buffer and underscore the need for urgent mitigation measures including liner installation, leachate collection, and riparian protection to safeguard water quality and aquatic ecosystems in semi-arid regions.

Graphical Abstract

Severe Multi-Contaminant River Pollution from an Unlined Municipal Landfill in Semi-Arid Northwest Iran

Highlights

·       Unlined landfill creates a 3-km high-risk pollution buffer downstream.

·       Lead in water exceeds Iran's standard by nearly sevenfold near the landfill.

·       Phthalates, especially DEHP, pose a very high ecological risk (RQ >16).

·       Leachate causes severe hypoxia and ammonium toxicity within 2 km.

·       Sediments act as a long-term sink for heavy metals and organic pollutants.

Keywords
Subjects

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Volume 1, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 35-42

  • Receive Date 09 November 2025
  • Revise Date 09 December 2025
  • Accept Date 10 December 2025
  • First Publish Date 10 December 2025
  • Publish Date 01 January 2026