Determination of Solid Waste Components and Characteristics in Landfills of Astaneh Ashrafieh City, and Soil Qualitative and Biological status

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Environment, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

2 2. Department of Environment, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Ra.C., Islamic Azad University, Rasht, Iran

4 Young Researchers and Elite Club, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran.

10.30466/asr.2026.56079.1881

Abstract

The maintenance and storage of municipal solid waste in unengineered and unsanitary landfills represents a significant risk to the performance, health, and quality of the soil. Unfortunately, we also face the problem of open, unhygienic and man-made landfills near cities and forest areas in the northern cities of Iran. The purpose of this study was to investigate the soil quality (depth of 0-30 and 30-60 cm) of landfill in Astaneh Ashrafiyeh city and determine the waste components of this landfill. The results of the studies showed that the pH of the soil downstream of the Azadsara drainage area was high and it was classified as a highly alkaline soil. The effect of waste disposal on soil electrical conductivity was observed at all landfills and in some cases downstream (3.16 dS/m) (dept of 0-30 cm), which was unsuitable for growing sensitive crops. Total sodium and potassium concentration were also higher than the upstream control at most discharge locations, and this effect was visible up to 50 and 100 meters downstream in some cases. It was also found that the largest component of urban and rural waste comprises perishable components (61.57-69.51 percent), followed by agricultural and garden waste, rubber, plastic and cardboard. Furthermore, the comparison of the amounts of these components in summer and fall showed that the ratio of these components to total waste was higher in summer. This is probably due to the tourist nature of the area and the high use of disposable containers and cans by tourists and residents. In addition, the empirical formula of the solid waste of the city was obtained as C33H57O18N2S, and its calorific value was calculated as 20012.42 Kj/Kg that indicates waste can be used as a fuel source in waste-to-energy conversion processes such as incineration or gasification, provided that proper preprocessing and necessary controls to reduce pollutants are implemented.

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References

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Applied Soil Research
Volume 13, Issue 4 - Serial Number 4
February 2026
Pages 21-35

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History

  • Receive Date: 25 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 18 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 31 January 2026

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