Assessment of Soil and Groundwater Contamination Due to E-Waste Disposal Using Geospatial Technique

Abstract

Disposal of electronic wastes (e-waste) is a serious environmental issue with dumping of waste causing a major environmental threat in fast developing urban areas. This paper examines the degree of soil and groundwater pollution due to disposal of e-waste, where geospatial methods of mapping monitoring and analysing the dispersion of pollutants in the area of pollution has been used. The Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 reported that the global e-waste in 2019 was more than 53.6 million metric tons but only 17.4% of this was formally collected and recycled. The rests are usually scattered in landfills or in informal disposal sites and releases the harmful heavy metals like the lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and arsenic (As) into the environment. This study targets individual sites of e-waste disposal in [Insert Study Area], and combines satellite-based imagery, GIS mapping, and geochemical sampling in the field in order to determine the pattern of contamination. The results indicate that there is spatial association between disposal density and the levels of metal concentration in the soil and groundwater samples. By means of remote sensing, contamination measurement becomes more precise and scalable. The research also supports the increasing demand of non-invasive data-driven environmental monitoring systems and can offer policy makers and environmental protection agencies viable suggestion to minimize the risk posed by improperly managed e-wastes disposals.