The Effect of Waste Separation Management on the Concentration of Heavy Metals and some Chemical Characteristics (Case study: Ardabil, Iran)

Background: This study investigated the effect of waste separation from the source on the chemical characteristics of wet waste in Ardabil city. Methods: A sample of wet waste material was collected from each district of the 3rd and 4th regions of Ardabil city in order to analyze of Cd, Pb, pH, EC, TDS, OC, K, Ntotale, and P values with standard methods. Results: The results showed that the average concentration of Pb was determined to be 102 mg/kg in area 3 and 125 mg/kg in area 4. Also, the average concentration of Cd in municipal waste compost samples was 3.139 mg/kg and 4.21 mg/kg in regions 3 and 4. The percentage of nitrogen (N) in both managed samples of regions 3 and 4 was 0.32% and 0.18%. The average percentage of phosphorus (P) in unseparated and separated urban waste compost of region 3 was 0.089% and 0.13%, respectively. In region 4, the average percentage of P in managed municipal waste compost was 0.24% and in unmanaged was 0.201%. The concentration of potassium (K) in separated urban waste compost in areas 3 and 4 was found to be 60.2 ppm and 39 ppm, respectively. Conclusion: According to the results, it can be said that the effect of management on the number of heavy metals in the waste was significant at the possible level of P 5%. Further, waste separation at the source systematically reduces the waste with heavy metals.