Dioxins Leaching Prediction in Selected Soils Series through Breakthrough Curves Model

This study investigated the possibility of selected dioxins leaching and causes of groundwater contamination. For this purpose, soil samples were taken from the KP districts of Peshawar, Charsadda, and Swabi. Soil desorption analysis was used to assess the sorption capacity of these particular soil series. Breakthrough Curve (BTC) plots were used to describe the transportation of solutes. The distribution coefficient (Kd), retardation factor, and dispersivity are used to determine the Kd values during sorption and desorption. Dioxin transportation was expected to occur at two different velocities: steady or preferential flow (50 cm day -1) and normal velocity (20 cm day -1). Regarding Dibenzo-p-Dioxin (DD), the K values for three series were found to be in ascending order: Charsadda > Peshawar > Sultanpur series; however, the order for 2 Chloro-p-Dioxin (2Cl-DD) was determined to be Charsadda > Sultanpur > Peshawar. Comparing the results with those from other studies, the total sorption was observed to be low. In contrast to high seepage velocity, BTC graphs took comparatively longer to reach the point of saturation under the usual velocity for both of the selected Dioxins (DD and 2Cl-DD). The investigation found that the chosen dioxins significantly leached and had low sorption.