The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks

Abstract Landfilling is a common method for managing solid waste, but it generates leachate, a highly contaminated liquid that can threaten groundwater, surface water, and soil health. This study examines how raw and treated landfill leachate affects the survival and reproduction of Folsomia candida...

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Main Authors: Dorota Szydełko, Aleksandra Wdowczyk, Iwona Gruss
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07799-5
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author Dorota Szydełko
Aleksandra Wdowczyk
Iwona Gruss
author_facet Dorota Szydełko
Aleksandra Wdowczyk
Iwona Gruss
author_sort Dorota Szydełko
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Landfilling is a common method for managing solid waste, but it generates leachate, a highly contaminated liquid that can threaten groundwater, surface water, and soil health. This study examines how raw and treated landfill leachate affects the survival and reproduction of Folsomia candida, a soil-dwelling Collembola species. Leachate treatment was conducted using Vegetation-activated sludge process with different fill materials (zeolite, biochar) and plant variations. The study also explored the relationship between leachate toxicity and its chemical properties to determine key contaminants influencing F. candida. The results showed that both raw and treated leachate reduced Collembola reproduction, with most treatments exhibiting toxicity levels similar to untreated leachate. The number of juveniles decreased by 49.8% with the biochar–plant system and by 64.9% with biochar. The number of adults decreased by 24.4% from day 7 to day 42. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that iron (Fe) was strongly associated with increased mortality, while total dissolved solids (TDS) and organic nitrogen (ON) were positively linked to juvenile abundance. Although the treatment systems removed some contaminants, they were not fully effective, leaving residual pollutants that could pose environmental risks. These findings highlight the need for improved treatment methods to minimize leachate toxicity and protect soil ecosystems.
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spelling doaj-art-3458be57dc0744a1aaebddcd8710b0442025-08-20T03:38:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111310.1038/s41598-025-07799-5The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risksDorota Szydełko0Aleksandra Wdowczyk1Iwona Gruss2Department of Plant Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life SciencesDepartment of Environmental Protection and Development, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life SciencesDepartment of Plant Protection, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life SciencesAbstract Landfilling is a common method for managing solid waste, but it generates leachate, a highly contaminated liquid that can threaten groundwater, surface water, and soil health. This study examines how raw and treated landfill leachate affects the survival and reproduction of Folsomia candida, a soil-dwelling Collembola species. Leachate treatment was conducted using Vegetation-activated sludge process with different fill materials (zeolite, biochar) and plant variations. The study also explored the relationship between leachate toxicity and its chemical properties to determine key contaminants influencing F. candida. The results showed that both raw and treated leachate reduced Collembola reproduction, with most treatments exhibiting toxicity levels similar to untreated leachate. The number of juveniles decreased by 49.8% with the biochar–plant system and by 64.9% with biochar. The number of adults decreased by 24.4% from day 7 to day 42. Redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that iron (Fe) was strongly associated with increased mortality, while total dissolved solids (TDS) and organic nitrogen (ON) were positively linked to juvenile abundance. Although the treatment systems removed some contaminants, they were not fully effective, leaving residual pollutants that could pose environmental risks. These findings highlight the need for improved treatment methods to minimize leachate toxicity and protect soil ecosystems.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07799-5
spellingShingle Dorota Szydełko
Aleksandra Wdowczyk
Iwona Gruss
The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
Scientific Reports
title The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
title_full The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
title_fullStr The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
title_full_unstemmed The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
title_short The effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of Folsomia candida, with a focus on soil contamination risks
title_sort effect of landfill leachate treatment on ecotoxicological properties of folsomia candida with a focus on soil contamination risks
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07799-5
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