Arsenic discharged from landfills, says Dartmouth research

A group of researchers at Dartmouth College have studied the concentrations of toxic metals at the former Coakley Landfill in North Hampton, N.H. They've found that while the level of iron and some other contaminants decreased, the level of arsenic slightly increased.

The researchers detail their calculations regarding the geochemical processes at this site over the last ten years in a paper published online on Nov. 23 by Environmental Science and Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society.

This research could shed light on how arsenic pollutes groundwater near landfills, especially in areas where the landfill's organic material mixes with naturally occurring iron oxides. This process also may explain the high level of arsenic in drinking water in Bangladesh and other areas of Southeast Asia. Read more