Geochemical markers are a valuable tool in identifying of coal- and oil-derived con-tamination in fires at illegal landfills. They can survive combustion with their distributions mostly unchanged, allowing them to be used to identify the source of pollutants and charac-terize any fossil fuels present in the combusted material. The tested samples of burnt solid waste contained markers that may indicate the presence of petroleum waste, fossil fuels, oils, greases, and coal dust in the area affected by the illegal landfill fire. The analysis of pentacyclic triterpanes (hopanes and moretanes) seems to be the most useful diagnostic method for indicating the presence of organic fossil fuels in the tested waste samples. However, combining them with the detection of steranes and n-alkanes broadens the scope for interpreting the test results.
PhD Wojciech Rykała, together with Prof. Monika Fabiańska and Prof. Dominika Dąbrowska, conducts interdisciplinary research at the intersection of hydrogeology and organic chemistry regarding fires at illegal landfills and their potential impact on the soil and water environment. Additionally, research is also carried out on the thermal transformation of solid waste in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
The results of geochemical marker tests obtained at the illegal landfill in Sosnowiec allowed for the identification of potential solid waste burnt in the above-mentioned site the site of an ecological disaster. To date, no studies have been conducted using tracers to identify burnt solid waste in illegal landfills. Additionally, the research determined the impact of the fire on the soil and water environment and its potential negative effects on the health of residents of nearby cities.
Reference:
Rykała, W., Fabiańska, M.J., Dąbrowska, D., Sołtysiak, M., 2024. Geochemical markers in the detection and identification of fossil fuels in waste material from an illegal landfill fire. Applied Geochemistry. 176, 106214. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2024.106214.
Note author:
Wojciech Rykała
