Abstract
Soil heavy metal pollution is the driving force to various health problems as well as reprehensible soil quality. Landfill leachates are one of the focal sources of soil and underground water pollution. A total number of 120 soil samples were taken from three different soil horizons and tested for heavy metal content, and their physical and chemical properties were measured. Approximately, 1,500m(3) of leachates were released into the main local stream and pour to an area of 800ha used for agriculture practices and olive cultivation. The designated area is located in the municipality of Thermi, Prefecture of Thessaloniki, Greece. Total extractable concentrations of seven different heavy metals were detected using atomic absorption spectroscopy (AS, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Ni)and were elucidated to be slightly above the average of the universal allowable concentrations. Inverse distance weighting interpolator was implemented, and weighted linear combination was used to assess the overall pollution risk. Different multivariate analyses were implemented to point out the relationship between the experimented heavy metals. The risk of having soil heavy metal pollution at Tagarades is incontestable; nevertheless, the underground water of Tagarades in the meantime is not under jeopardy but the underground water pollution threat constantly exists.