Avaliação dos níveis de metais pesados em efluente líquido percolado do aterro sanitário de Paranavaí, Estado do Paraná, Brasil

Abstract

Percolated liquid may contain several chemical substances with toxic characteristics, among them heavy metals from industrial sources, agricultural activities, laboratories, hospitals and residences. Metal contamination presents a wide array of toxicities, such as neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic, teratogenic, carcinogenic or mutagenic effects. The objective of this work was to assess the levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in percolated liquid produced at the sanitary landfill in Paranavaí. The samples were collected from September of 2006 to July of 2007, at four distinct places of the treatment lake. An atomic absorption spectrophotometer with a burner was used to detect the metals. The results were compared with the maximum allowed values for metal concentration present in Resolution 397/2008 - Conama (BRAZIL, 2008). It was verified that the level of analyzed metals, except of Pb, are all within the limits allowed by the environmental legislation.