Tracing solid waste leachate in groundwater using δ13 C from dissolved inorganic carbon

Tracers can be used to monitor emissions of leachate from landfills in order to detect hydrological pathways and to evaluate environmental pollution. We investigated the stable carbon isotope ratio (δ(13)C-Σ CO (2)) in dissolved inorganic carbon and tritium ((3)H) in water, in addition to the tracers of pollution commonly found in relatively high concentrations in leachate, such as chloride (Cl), organic matter (COD), nitrogen (total and NH(4)-N), iron (Fe), electrical conductivity (EC) and pH. The sampling was performed at seven landfills in the south-eastern part of Norway during a period of 5 years. The objective was to evaluate the potential for tracing leachate in the environment with emphasis on groundwater pollution. By measuring the δ(13)C-Σ CO (2) in leachates, groundwaters and surface waters, the influence of leachate can be identified. The value of δ(13)C-Σ CO (2) varied from-5.5 to 25.9 ‰ in leachate, from-25.4 to 14.7 ‰ in groundwater and from-19.7 to-13.1 ‰ in creeks. A comparison of the carbon isotope ratio with COD, EC and the concentrations of total and NH (4)-N, Cl and Fe showed that δ(13)C-Σ CO (2) is a good tracer for leachate due to higher sensitivity compared to other parameters. The mean concentrations of all the studied parameters were higher in the leachate samples; however, only the carbon isotope ratio showed significant differences between all the groups with strong and middle pollution and samples with low pollution, showing that it can be used as a convenient tracer for leachate in groundwater and surface water. The carbon isotope ratio showed strong correlation between nitrogen, EC and bicarbonate, but not with pH. Tritium was only sporadically found in measureable concentrations and is not considered as a suitable tracer at the sampled locations.