Advanced Oxidation and Suspended Fiber Biofiltration for the Treatment of Landfill Leachate

Many of the landfills may contain xenobiotic compounds including monoaromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated hydrocarbons, which are well documented to have negative effects in the aquatic environment and are resistant to biodegradation. In this research, landfill leachate was treated by combined advanced oxidation and suspended fiber biofiltration. Advanced oxidation destructed xenobiotics in the landfill leachate and the following biofiltration decomposed the organic compounds. With advanced oxidation, ferrous iron in the landfill leachate was oxidized to iron oxide and coated the suspended fiber, which subsequently removed the phosphorous from the landfill leachate by adsorption. Through advanced oxidation, 76% of the organics was removed. In the following series of biofilters, organics were further removed with the effluent from the third stage biofilter meeting the discharge requirements. For iron removal, advanced oxidation only contributed to iron transformation and the following three stages of biofitration removed iron by 99%. Phosphorous was also effectively removed in this system through adsorption to the iron oxide-coated suspended fiber. This technology has potential markets for small landfills that serve low population areas and landfills that are at a distance from sewage treatment systems. It provides a sustainable and profitable solution for landfill managers to handle landfill leachate with high xenobiotic, organic, iron and phosphorous contents at the landfill sites.