Research on Real-Time Groundwater Quality Monitoring System Using Sensors around Livestock Burial Sites

This study aimed to establish an economical and rapid response system for carcass leachate leakage using a real-time groundwater monitoring system with sensors. In this work, four parameters, namely electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N), and ammonia nitrogen (NH₄-N), were monitored. Three actual livestock burial sites were selected as pilot areas and monitored for three years, from 2019 to 2021, using these four parameters. As a result of sensor quality control, the accuracy and precision range of the four parameters were found to be acceptable, within 75~125% and ±25%, respectively. When compared to the laboratory measurement value, the field measurement value recorded by the sensors was 1.1 times higher for EC, 1.6 times higher for Cl, and 2.5 times higher for NO₃-N. The correlation analysis between the lab measurement and sensor measurement results showed that the EC had the highest correlation coefficient of 0.3837. Additionally, the factor extraction results showed that the EC showed a relatively significant correlation compared to the other parameters. In summary, based on the results of this study, EC may be considered a key sensor parameter for evaluating leachate leakage from groundwater near disposal sites.