Bioreactivity of leachate from municipal solid waste landfills — assessment of toxicity

With the UK producing 400 million tonnes of waste each year, the problem of waste disposal is recognised as one of the most serious environmental problems facing the nation. Of this, over 35 million tonnes is municipal waste, largely derived from households, but also includes some commercial and industrial waste. There are strong national and international concerns about the possible adverse health effects of living in the vicinity of municipal waste landfills. An understanding of the ranges of toxicity of landfill emissions is crucial to determine the degree of concern we should have about the potential effects they could have upon nearby populations and the surrounding environment. Leachates from three different types of landfills have been collected and screened for their potential to induce toxicity. Bioreactivity was measured by a plasmid DNA scission assay (PSA), and 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescin fluorescence (DCFH). The results indicate that leachates cause damage to plasmid DNA in a dose-dependent manner and that toxicity varies between different types of landfills as well as within individual waste sites. Overall, the data implies that the complex chemistry involved in leachate formation has yet to be delineated in terms of the toxicological response.