ABSTRACT This innovative waste management strategy examines a triad mixture of laterite soil (LS), peat soil (PS), and rice husk (RH) for managing heavy metal migration in landfill daily covers. Heavy metal contamination in groundwater presents significant environmental challenges in Malaysia, highlighting the need for effective remediation. The research evaluates the LS–PS–RH mixture's ability to mitigate leachate generation and reduce metal contamination. Laboratory assessments, including surface physical morphology and adsorption tests, were performed to determine the mixture's effectiveness. Using Central Composite Design (CCD) for optimization, optimal conditions for maximum heavy metal removal at an initial concentration of 5.76 mg/L were identified. Validation experiments confirmed the model's predictions, with error ranges of 0.54%–4.74%. Although Ni removal showed a slightly higher error at 6.75%, the model remains valid. The 50LS:40PS:10RH mixture demonstrates promise as a sustainable solution for landfill daily covers, effectively controlling heavy metal migration and ensuring environmental protection.
Mohamad et al. (Fri,) studied this question.