Determination of Heavy Metals content in Soil from Medical Waste Landfills and the Creation of Cement Capsules to Mitigate Pollution

Abstract

The objective of this study is to extract specific heavy metals (Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cr²⁺) from landfill soil and to ascertain their concentrations. Furthermore, the research involves the development of cement capsules designed to contain medical waste and to mitigate the leaching of heavy metals into the surrounding environment.

The findings indicate that the concentrations of these four heavy metals in the soil remained unchanged following the implementation of the capsules for medical waste storage. This outcome suggests that the capsules are effective in containing medical waste and preventing the leaching of heavy metals into adjacent soil.

This study contributes valuable awareness into the controlling of medical waste within public and private health facilities. The recent proliferation of clinics, health centers, and medical laboratories has significantly increased activities in this sector. Such expansion generates various toxic and organic wastes, which pose potential risks to the environment.