Tsang Chin-kan. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-176). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vi / List of tables --- p.ix / List of figures --- p.x / List of plates --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Municipal solid waste generation and disposal --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Land filling --- p.3 / Chapter 1.3 --- Landfill sturcture --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Landfill envelope --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Landfill lining --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Leach ate collection and removal system --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Gas collection and control system --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.5 --- Final cover system --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4 --- Landfill leach ate generation and characterization --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Landfill stabilization and leachate characteristics --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4.1.1 --- Aerobic phase / Chapter 1.4.1.2 --- Acetogenic phase / Chapter 1.4.1.3 --- Methanogenic phase / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Leachtate characteristic and landfill age --- p.15 / Chapter 1.5 --- Toxicity of landfill leachate --- p.17 / Chapter 1.6 --- Leachate treatment --- p.18 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Land disposal --- p.19 / Chapter 1.6.1.1 --- Leachate recirculation / Chapter 1.6.1.2 --- Leachate irrigation / Chapter 1.7 --- Landfills in Hong Kong --- p.25 / Chapter 1.7.1 --- Landfill leachate generation in Hong Kong --- p.27 / Chapter 1.8 --- Selection of sampling sites --- p.29 / Chapter 1.9 --- Knowledge gaps --- p.33 / Chapter 1.10 --- Aims of thesis --- p.34 / Chapter 1.11 --- Project outlines --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Species selection for leachate irrigation / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Leachate collection --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Chemical analysis of leachate --- p.38 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Greenhouse pot experiment --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Plant harvesting and post harvest analysis --- p.43 / Chapter 2.2.4.1 --- Foliar N and P / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Statistical analysis and test endpoints --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Leachate composition --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Plant growth performance --- p.45 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Biomass production --- p.54 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Chlorophyll fluorescence --- p.54 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Tissue nutrient contents --- p.58 / Chapter 2.3.5.1 --- Foliar N / Chapter 2.3.5.2 --- Foliar P / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Effects on N-fixation --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.7 --- Factors affecting N-fixation regarding leachate irrigation --- p.63 / Chapter 2.3.7.1 --- Soil mineral N content / Chapter 2.3.7.2 --- Soil acidity / Chapter 2.3.7.3 --- Salinity / Chapter 2.3.7.4 --- Soil aeration / Chapter 2.3.8 --- Species selection --- p.67 / Chapter 2.4 --- Conclusions --- p.68 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Plant growth response of leachate irrigation on phosphorus-amended soil / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Leachate sampling and analysis --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Experimental setup --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Plant and soil sampling --- p.74 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Soil pH and electrical conductivity (EC) / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Soil N / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- Soil P / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Statistical analysis --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Leachate composition --- p.76 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Plant growth performance --- p.78 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Biomass --- p.83 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Tissue contents --- p.87 / Chapter 3.3.4.1 --- Foliar N / Chapter 3.3.4.2 --- Foliar P / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Soil --- p.91 / Chapter 3.3.5.1 --- pH and electrical conductivity / Chapter 3.3.5.2 --- Soil N / Chapter 3.3.5.3 --- Soil P / Chapter 3.3.5.4 --- Addition of lime and gypsum / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusions --- p.102 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Responses in plant growth and soil biology to prolonged landfill leachate irrigation / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.105 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.107 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Leachate sample and collection --- p.107 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Soil column design --- p.107 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Plant establishment --- p.107 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Leachate application --- p.108 / Chapter 4.2.5 --- Soil and plant analysis --- p.108 / Chapter 4.2.5.1 --- Soil texture / Chapter 4.2.5.2 --- SOM / Chapter 4.2.5.3 --- Soil chloride content / Chapter 4.2.6 --- Soil and plant analysis --- p.110 / Chapter 4.2.6.1 --- Dehydrogenase / Chapter 4.2.6.2 --- Phosphatase / Chapter 4.2.6.3 --- Urease / Chapter 4.2.6.4 --- Nitrification / Chapter 4.2.7 --- Percolate --- p.112 / Chapter 4.2.8 --- Statistical analysis --- p.112 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.113 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Leachate --- p.113 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Plants --- p.113 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Plant growth / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Tissue contents / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Soil --- p.121 / Chapter 4.3.3.1 --- Soil texture / Chapter 4.3.3.2 --- pH and EC / Chapter 4.3.3.3 --- Soil N / Chapter 4.3.3.4 --- Soil P / Chapter 4.3.3.5 --- Soil C1' / Chapter 4.3.3.6 --- SOM / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Soil enzyme and nitrification --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.4.1 --- Dehydrogenase / Chapter 4.3.4.2 --- Phosphatase / Chapter 4.3.4.3 --- Urease / Chapter 4.3.4.4 --- Nitrification / Chapter 4.3.4.5 --- Correlation analysis / Chapter 4.3.5 --- Percolate --- p.144 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- N balance --- p.150 / Chapter 4.3.7 --- N saturation --- p.153 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusions --- p.156 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- General conclusions / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary of findings --- p.158 / Chapter 5.2 --- General considerations regarding leachate irrigation --- p.161 / Chapter 5.3 --- Research prospects --- p.162 / References --- p.165