Advanced oxidation as a pretreatment of industrial landfill leachate

Biological treatment (aerobic and anaerobic) to industrial landfill leachate is limited by the presence of toxic contaminants (e.g., heavy metals) and recalcitrant (biopersistent) organics (e.g., polyphenols, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.,), hindering viable conditions for biomass proliferation in biological reactors, with difficulties in meeting concentration limits imposed by applied regulations. Fenton’s oxidation by the use of Fe2+-H2O2-H+ mixture may be used as a pre-treatment of industrial landfill leachate for preliminary abatement of the organic load and to improve biodegradability (BOD/COD>0.4) to favour biological oxidation in conventional wastewater treatment plants. Leachate from Grottaglie (S.E. Italy) industrial landfill (pH 8.6; COD=11.000 mg l-1; BOD5=2.400 mg l-1; NH4-N=2.900 mg l-1; conductivity=60.000 μS cm-1) was laboratory tested in different operative conditions, i.e., initial pH, Fe2+/H2O2 ratio, concentrations and reaction time. The oxidation reaction was monitored by equilibrium pH and residual COD and BOD5 concentrations. Operative conditions were obtained to pH 3, Fe2+=700 mg l-1, H2O2=9,900 mg l-1 (H2O2/Fe2+ratio~13w/w), reaction time=2h. Following the oxidation reaction, solution pH was neutralized by the addition of Ca(OH)2 or NaOH (120 meq l-1) for further abatement of target parameters by precipitation/sorption. Preliminary technical/economical evaluation of possible process schemes is also given in the paper.