Aterro sanitário é uma forma de destinação final de resíduos sólidos que gera lixiviado durante e após sua operação. O lixiviado é um líquido de elevada carga orgânica e poder poluidor. A presente pesquisa objetivou estudar a remoção da matéria orgânica presente em lixiviado de aterro sanitário bruto ou pré-tratado por air-stripping por meio de processos oxidativos avançados. Avaliou-se a influência do pré-tratamento na eficiência da remoção de matéria orgânica, a possibilidade do uso do conceito de número médio de oxidação do carbono como indicativo de oxidação e a ocorrência de processos sinérgicos na remoção dos parâmetros DQO, COT e cor proveniente da aplicação combinada de oxidantes. Os tratamentos propostos foram: ozônio apenas, ozônio/peróxido de hidrogênio e peróxido de hidrogênio/radiação ultravioleta. As doses de ozônio variaram entre 0,5 e 6 g/L. As doses de peróxido de hidrogênio variaram entre 0,2 e 7,2 g/L. Os tempos de contato de radiação ultravioleta variaram entre 40 e 200 minutos. O pré-tratamento por air-stripping, que visava à remoção de amônia, reduzia carga orgânica e a cor do lixiviado. A eficiência de remoção da DQO e COT foi baixa para todos os tratamentos propostos, alcançando valor máximo de 44%. As baixas eficiências podem ser decorrentes das interferências causadas por alcalinidade, nitrogênio amoniacal e sólidos fixos. O tratamento baseado em ozônio apenas apresentou as maiores eficiências de remoção de matéria orgânica. A remoção de cor foi elevada em todos os tratamentos, e os melhores resultados foram no tratamento baseado em ozônio/peróxido de hidrogênio. O pré-tratamento não alterou significativamente a oxidação da matéria orgânica. O conceito de número médio de oxidação do carbono não foi adequado para a indicação do processo oxidativo. A limitação do uso desse conceito está relacionada, provavelmente, à presença de DQO referente a substâncias inorgânicas, compostos nitrogenados e clorados. O efeito sinérgico do uso combinado de oxidantes não é dominante para a remoção da DQO e COT, e é em se tratando da remoção de cor. / Sanitary landfills are a method for solid waste disposal that generates leachate when operating and after their closure. Leachate is a pollutant liquid with a high concentration of organic constituents. The aim of this study was the application of advanced oxidative processes for organic matter removal from raw and pre-treated leachate by air-stripping. This research evaluated the influence of pre-treatment on the organic matter removal efficiency; the possibility of using the concept of mean oxidation number of carbon, as indicative of organic matter oxidation; and the occurrence of synergic processes in the removal of COD, TOC and color, when combined oxidants were used. The proposed treatments were ozone only, ozone/hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet radiation. Ozone concentrations varied from 0.5 to 6 g/L. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations varied from 0.2 to 7.2 g/L. Ultraviolet radiation contact time were between 40 and 200 minutes. Air-stripping pre-treatment, which aimed ammonia removal, caused organic and color reduction. The removal efficiency of COD and TOC was low for all treatments, reaching a maximum of 44%. The low efficiencies may result from interference caused by alkalinity, ammonia nitrogen and fixed solids. When ozone only was used, the highest organic matter removal efficiencies were achieved. Color removal was high for all the systems, and the best option for its removal was ozone/hydrogen peroxide system. The pre-treatment did not improve significantly the organic matter oxidation. The concept of mean oxidation number of carbon was not appropriate as indicator of oxidation process. The limitation of this concept is probably related to the presence of the inorganic COD, nitrogen and chlorine compounds. The synergic effect of combined oxidants was only dominant for color removal, which was not observed for COD and TOC removal.

A destilação do percolado gerado em aterros sanitários se apresenta como importante tratamento alternativo local, movida pelo calor de combustão do biogás produzido no próprio aterro durante seu período ativo. Utiliza com vantagem a diferença entre as propriedades de volatilização dos compostos que o caracterizam. O destilado transparente resultante, contendo água, compostos nitrogenados e outras espécies residuais, atendidas as premissas da Resolução CONAMA 430 (RC430), poderá ser descarregado em corpos d\'água ou então inserido em novos ciclos produtivos, reduzindo custos e gerando receita. O concentrado, pequena fração do volume inicial contendo grande quantidade original de contaminantes, poderá também ser tratado localmente. Avaliou-se em laboratório destilados obtidos a partir de percolados provenientes de dois aterros classe IIA, SEMASA e Bandeirantes, localizados na Grande São Paulo, em dois processos de destilação: um utilizando Coluna de Pratos (CP) e outro utilizando Evaporador com Película Descendente a Vácuo (EPDV). Remoções dos Sólidos Totais (ST) maiores que 99% foram observados em ambos os processos, produzindo destilados com valores máximos de Cor e Turbidez iguais a zero uH e 1,5 NTU respectivamente. Os quatro grupos básicos que o definem: (1) Matéria Dissolvida, avaliada através da Demanda Química de Oxigênio (DQO), do Carbono Orgânico Total (COT) e a Demanda Bioquímica de Oxigênio (DBO) apresentaram valores de remoção maiores que 90%, 98% e 90% respectivamente. (2) Macrocomponentes Inorgânicos: aproximadamente 50% do nitrogênio amoniacal original foram transferidos ao destilado. Valores residuais, muito menores que os Valores Máximos Permitidos (VMP) estabelecidos pela RC430 foram encontrados nos testes de detecção para fósforo e ânions, assim como para os (3) Metais analisados em ICP-ES; (4) e os Componentes Xenobióticos revelados em ensaio de GC-MS. Ao final de cada ciclo de destilação, grande parte da massa de contaminantes original foi concentrada em aproximadamente 1% do volume original na destilação em coluna de pratos e 6,5% no sistema EPDV. O processo de destilação confirmou eficiência e eficácia através das altas taxas de remoção de contaminantes. Porém, após os experimentos, concluiu-se que, para se descarregar o destilado em corpos d\'água há necessidade de ações corretivas em 15% de parâmetros não conformes determinados pela RC430. / Landfill leachate distillation is an important local, alternative treatment process. It is powered by a large amount of heat generated by the combustion of biogas, produced during the active period of the landfill. The difference between the volatilization properties of the compounds is an excellent process benefit. If it meets the premises of CONAMA Resolution 430 (RC430), the resulting transparent distillate containing water, nitrogen compounds and other residual species, can be discharged into water bodies or inserted into new production cycles, reducing costs and generating revenue. The concentrate, a small fraction of the initial volume containing a large amount of contaminants, may also be treated locally. Two different distillation processes were performed in laboratory with leachates from two class-IIA landfills, SEMASA and Bandeirantes, located in São Paulo City: one using Plate or Tray Column (PC) and the other using a Vacuum Falling Film Evaporator (VFFE). Total Solids (TS) removals greater than 99% were observed in both processes producing distillates with maximum Color and Turbidity values of zero uH and 1.5 NTU respectively. The four basic contaminant groups: (1) Dissolved Matter, evaluated through Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), showed removal values higher than 90%, 98% and 90% respectively . (2) Inorganic macrocomponents: approximately 50% of the original ammoniacal nitrogen was transferred to the distillate. Residual values much smaller than the RC430 Maximum Allowed Values, were found in phosphorus and anions tests as well as (3) Metals analyzed by ICP-ES and (4) Xenobiotic components revealed by GC-MS assay. At the end of each distillation cycle, most of the original contaminant was concentrated in a volume approximately 1% of the original volume when processed by plate column distillation and 6.5% by the VFFE system. The distillation process efficiency and effectiveness were addressed by the high landfills leachate contaminants removal rates. In order to discharge the distillate into water bodies, corrective actions are required due 15% RC430 non-compliant parameters.

O chorume é um líquido produzido na decomposição dos resíduos sólidos e apresenta riscos ambientais, devido à variedade de substancias poluentes presentes na matriz. O chorume in natura utilizado neste trabalho foi proveniente do aterro sanitário de Cachoeira Paulista - SP, sendo caracterizado com elevadas concentrações de COT (1233,33 mgL-1), DQO (3565,0 mgL-1) e DBO5/DQO = 0,099. Diante da baixa biodegradabilidade do chorume (DBO5/DQO < 0,2), utilizou-se a ozonização catalítica, em presença de ferro, em sistema contínuo, como uma alternativa para viabilizar o tratamento deste efluente. Diversas configurações de reatores foram avaliadas, sendo utilizados, inicialmente, reatores contínuos rudimentares (PVC). As avaliações reacionais e operacionais dos protótipos possibilitaram a elaboração de um reator construído com bases conceituais de engenharia, confeccionado em vidro borosilicato, e em dois módulos: o corpo do reator com duas entradas, sendo uma de alimentação, localizada acima, e a outra de introdução de ozônio, que foi feita por meio de um difusor de vidro sinterizado na base do reator. O segundo módulo foi feito para garantir que a espuma formada durante a reação fosse eliminada pela quebra da tensão através de ar comprimido, retornando-a, sob a forma líquida, ao sistema. As avaliações iniciais da ozonização catalítica do chorume in natura, para a verificação da potencialidade deste tratamento, foram realizadas sem o uso de um planejamento experimental, sendo o melhor resultado obtido na ordem de 72,64 % para a redução de COT. Após a seleção do reator de ozonização para o processo contínuo e a escolha do íon ferroso como catalisador, foi elaborado um planejamento fatorial fracionado (24-1) para avaliação das variáveis (potência, vazão de saída do reator, concentração de Fe2+, pH), no qual, o melhor resultado para a redução de COT foi de 59,38%. Este desempenho inferior para a redução de COT pode ser atribuído à substituição do gás de oxigênio puro por ar comprimido, reduzindo a vazão mássica de ozônio disponível para o tratamento. Entretanto, este processo pode ser viabilizado no tratamento prévio do chorume, pois a ozonização proporcionou uma elevada redução de DQO na ordem de 82,3 % e um aumento de 74,4% na biodegradabilidade (DBO5/DQO = 0,389) do chorume, podendo torná-lo potencialmente tratável por processos convencionais. / Leachate is a liquid produced in the decomposition of solid waste and presents environmental risks due to the variety of polluting substances existing in the matrix. The in natura leachate used in this work was from the landfill of the city Cachoeira Paulista in the state of São Paulo, which was characterized with high concentrations of TOC (1233.33 mgL-1) COD (3565.0 mg.L-1) and BOD5/COD = 0.099. Due to the low biodegradability of leachate (BOD5/COD < 0.2), the catalytic ozonation in the presence of iron in a continuous system was used as a viable alternative for the treatment of this effluent. Several configurations of reactors were evaluated, and, initially, rudimentary continuous reactors (PVC) were used. The reactional and operational evaluations of the prototypes enabled the creation of a reactor built on conceptual foundations of engineering, that was made of borosilicate glass, and in two modules: the body of the reactor with two entries, one for feeding, located above, and the other one for ozone introduction, made through a sintered glass diffuser at the bottom of the reactor. The second module was made to ensure that the foam formed during the reaction is eliminated by breaking the tension via compressed air, returning it, in liquid form, to the system. Initial assessments of the catalytic ozonation of the in natura leachate, to verify the potential of this treatment, were performed without the use of an experimental design, and the best result obtained was to reduce TOC on about 72.64 %. After selecting the ozonation reactor for continuous process and choosing ferrous ion as catalyst, a fractional factorial design (24-1) was prepared to evaluation the selected variables (potency, output flow of reactor, Fe2+ concentration, pH) in which the best result for the TOC reduction was 59.38%. This inferior performance for the TOC reduction can be associated to the replacement of pure oxygen gas by compressed air, reducing the ozone mass flow available to the treatment. However, this process can be made possible in the pretreatment of leachate, because the ozonation provided a high reduction of COD on about 82.3% and an increase of 74.4% on the biodegradability (BOD5/COD = 0.389) of leachate, and that can make it potentially treatable by conventional methods.

A decomposição dos resíduos sólidos dispostos em aterro sanitário produz um líquido denominado chorume, o qual apresenta altos teores de poluentes. A caracterização do chorume do aterro sanitário de Cachoeira Paulista-SP, conforme os parâmetros de descarte, comprovam a presença de contaminantes tais como DQO (3596 mg L-1), COT (1773 mg L-1), nitrogênio amoniacal (1496 mg L-1), nitrogênio orgânico (49 mg L-1) e fenol (162 mg L-1). Após aprovada a Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos, a legislação aumenta a fiscalização e o controle da disposição e destinação adequada de resíduos sólidos urbanos e, desta forma, a sociedade moderna passou a necessitar de processos capazes de tratar tal lixiviado. As indústrias metalúrgicas, ao executarem técnicas de proteção de superfícies metálicas, produzem um rejeito industrial denominado de borra de fosfato. Nesta perspectiva, este trabalho visou o reuso deste rejeito devido à presença de metais de transição (catalisador na ozonização catalítica) e de fosfato (reagente de precipitação de amônia) para o processo de degradação do chorume. O objetivo desse reagente residual é proporcionar uma redução no custo do processo de tratamento, aplicar uma destinação para tal rejeito e ainda, talvez, reduzir a toxicidade do chorume para o devido descarte ou pré-tratamento. O experimento com 60 minutos, pH 2,5, 90 g L-1 de borra in natura e 3 L de chorume obteve redução de 15,41% de DQO. O mesmo experimento, exceto o fosfato, usando reagentes de sulfato de ferro, zinco e manganês obteve 57,5% de DQO. Isso comprovou o efeito negativo do íon fosfato, pelo sequestro de radical hidroxila, na ozonização catalítica em média de 40% na redução de DQO. Uma metodologia foi desenvolvida para separar o fosfato dos demais íons metálicos, através de dois processos (ácido sulfúrico e ácido clorídrico) para obter dois produtos (borra em pó com a presença dos metais de interesse e solução alcalina concentrada de fosfato). A ozonização catalítica da borra em pó foi avaliada em planejamento fatorial 23 com ponto central, cuja maior degradação foi em 90 minutos e pH 4, quando realizada com borra em pó sulfúrica (4,2 g L-1) obteve uma redução média de 59,09% COT (R$ 0,101 por litro) e com borra em pó clorídrica (4,75 g L-1) de 65,52% COT (R$ 0,100 por litro). Nestes tratados, um fatorial 22 com ponto central, foi usado na avaliação de precipitação da estruvita, o qual comprovou-se que a remoção de amônia é melhor em pH 12, diferente da literatura (pH 9,5), e quando executadas com prévio tratamento físico-químico (remoção dos catalisadores da ozonização), devido a menor interação no meio reacional. Nestas condições, com solução alcalina de fosfato (sulfúrica) em 20 minutos obteve redução de 96,74% de N-NH3 (R$ 0,365 por litro) e com solução alcalina de fosfato (clorídrica) em 10 minutos uma redução de 94,71% de N-NH3 (R$ 0,305 por litro). Isso demonstra o uso potencial desse rejeito no tratamento de chorume, ao tratar dois passivos ambientais e minimizar impactos ambientais antropogênicos, além da possível aplicação produção de fertilizante. / The decomposition of solid waste present in landfill produces the landfill leachate, which has high levels of pollutants. The characterization of the landfill leachate from Cachoeira Paulista - SP, according the discard parameters, proves the presence of contaminants due to high level of COD (3596 mg L-1), TOC (1773 mg L-1), ammonia nitrogen (1496 mg L-1), organic nitrogen (49 mg L-1) and phenol (162 mg L-1). After National Solid Waste Policy approval, the legislation increases the supervision and control of the proper disposal of solid waste, so the modern society began to require processes able to treat such leachate. Metallurgical industries do the metal surfaces protection techniques and produce an industrial waste of phosphate sludge. In this perspective, the aim of this study comprehends the reuse of metallurgical waste due to the presence of transition metals (catalyzer in ozonation) and phosphate (ammonia precipitation reagent) for the degradation process. The objective of this residual reagent is induce a reduction in the cost of the treatment process, apply a proper disposal for metallurgical waste and, perhaps, reduce the toxicity of landfill leachate to discard or pre-treatment. The experiment with 60 minutes, pH 2.5, 90 g L-1 sludge waste in natura and 3 L of landfill leachate obtained 15.41% reduction in COD. The same experiment, except the phosphate, using iron, zinc and manganese sulfate reagents reached 57.5% of the COD. This proved the negative effect of phosphate ion, the scavenger of hydroxyl radical in the catalytic ozonation around 40% reduction of COD. A method had been developed to separate phosphate from other metal ions, through two processes (hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid) to obtain two products (phosphate sludge powder with metals of interest and phosphate concentrated alkaline solution). The catalytic ozonation of sludge powder was evaluated in 23 factorial design with central point, and the better degradation was obtained in 90 minutes and pH 4, when performed with sludge powder sulfuric (4.2 g L-1) had an average reduction of 59.09% TOC (R$ 0,101 per liter) and with sludge powder hydrochloric (4.75 g L-1) 65.52% TOC (R$ 0,100 per liter). In landfill leachate treated, a 22 factorial design with center point was used in the precipitation evaluation of struvite, which proved that the ammonia removal is better at pH 12, different from the literature (pH 9.5), and when performed after to physico-chemical treatment (removal of catalyzer of ozonation) due to the less interaction in the reaction. In these adjust conditions, with phosphate alkaline solution (sulfuric) was obtained in 20 minutes 96.74% of reduction of N-NH3 (R$ 0,365 per liter) and phosphate alkaline solution (hydrochloric) in 10 minutes a decrease of 94.71% N-NH3 (R$ 0,305 per liter). This result demonstrates the potential use of this waste in the treatment of landfill leachate, treat two contaminants and minimize anthropogenic environmental impacts, as well as possible application of struvite on fertilizer production.

Agriculture is one of the main sources of phosphorous and nitrogen (P and N) contributing to cultural eutrophication of freshwater lakes and estuaries. In cold regions, the effects of agricultural management practices used to mitigate the runoff loss of these nutrients remain uncertain. In particular, the use of forage crops and minimum tillage, have not reduced some forms of P and N in runoff to streams, in part, as a result of freeze-thaw induced losses of mobile P and N from forages and crop residues. The purpose of this research is to improve the current understanding of the controls on P and N loss from Canadian Prairie fields to ultimately aid in the development and evaluation of beneficial agricultural management practices that perform predictably in cold regions. This study aims to provide new insights into the effects of cold regions hydrological processes on runoff quality through the development and application of a novel inductive - deductive modelling approach. Runoff flowpaths resulting from the three infiltration regimes identified for frozen soils (Granger et al., 1984) are hypothesized to impact the chemistry of field scale meltwater runoff by varying meltwater interaction with agricultural soils and vegetation. Hydrochemistry data from six intensively monitored minimum tillage and forage cropped fields in South Tobacco Creek, Manitoba were used to develop a nutrient model to integrate with a physics-based hydrological modelling platform that can represent the frozen soil infiltration regimes, in addition to other important cold region hydrological processes. The inductive development of a nutrient model, integrated with a deductive physics-based hydrological platform, enabled the modelling of meltwater flowpaths and freeze-thaw induced losses from vegetation. Further testing of the developed model and field experimentation are required to test the hypothesis that runoff generated over a basal ice layer eliminates the transfer of soil nutrients to runoff. Comparison of predicted and observed field scale runoff concentrations and masses suggest that this method of inductive-deductive model development has potential to predict the performance of agricultural management practices in cold regions.

Calcite stalactites ranging in length from several inches to a foot long are found forming on the southeastern slag pile at the former Gadsden Steel Mill of the Gulf States Steel Corporation. Analyses of samples collected per EISOPQAM guidelines include the following: petrographic, conductivity, pH, XRD, XRF, TDS, and major cations and anions. Preliminary field pH and conductivity measurements indicate that waters near the slag pile have a pH ranging from 11-12 and a conductivity ranging from 1115-6300 μS/ cm. Titration data indicate that the maximum pH value is 12.5. These calcite stalactites and stream coatings result from the dissolution of the steelmaking slag by rainfall. These alkaline waters precipitate calcite when they are in contact with atmospheric CO2. Improper management of slag products can lead to aesthetically impacted environments and ecosystems. Several studies and this study show that steel slag could be used to sequester atmospheric CO2.

In Lithuania the amount of waste generation is increasing every year. According to national strategy, all wastes should be disposed in new regional landfills. Landfills pollutes environment with leachate and landfill gas and odours. Landfill gas consists of odorous compounds and one of them is hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Hydrogen sulphide is highly toxic and affects the nervous system with low threshold. As the landfill gas and leachate generation was word widely investigated before this work, it is not necessary to provide new researches on them. The measurements of H2S generation were provided in Jerubaiciai landfill. For the measurements was used “site-on” measurement method, measurements were provided with equipment GD/MG 7, in 51 measurement points and 2 monitoring wells, during different seasons of the year. Results of the measurement shows, that amount of H2S varies in different areas of landfill and during different seasons. The results of dispersion modeling achieved with dispersion model AERMOD, provided under calm weather conditions and under wind dominated in that session winter speed and direction, during different seasons of the year shows, that H2S spreads from landfill in longest distances from landfill’s section during summer (almost in distance equal to 2.5 km the H2S concentration is higher then Highest Allowable Concentration ). In autumn and spring this distance is equal to 1.5 km, and in winter – 800 m. / Susidarančių komunalinių atliekų kiekis Lietuvoje kiekvienais metais didėja. Pagal nacionalinę strategiją, visos komunalinės atliekos Turi būti deponuojamos regioniniuose sąvartynuose, kurie teršia aplinka filtratu iš sąvartyno išsiskiriančiomis dujomis bei kvapais, kurių veina iš sudedamųjų dalių yra sieros vandenilis (H2S). H2S matavimai buvo atlikti Jerubaičių sąvartyne. Iš sąvartyno išsiskiriantis H2S kiekis buvo tiriamas jo išsiskyrimo vietoje, t.y. sąvartyno teritorijoje. Šis matavimo metodas buvo pasirinktas remiantis tuo, kad iš sąvartyno išsiskiriančios taršos dydis ir poveikis priklauso nuo daugelio aplinkos faktorių. Matavimai, naudojant prietaisą GD/MG 7, buvo atlikti 59 matavimo taškuose ir 2 monitoringo šuliniuose, skirtingais metų laikai. Gauti tyrimų rezultatai parodė, kad šios medžiagos kiekis yra skirtingas įvairiose sąvartyno zonose bei įvairiais metų laikais. Norint ištirti H2S sklaidą buvo atliktas skaitmeninis dispersijos modeliavimas naudojant programą AERMOD. Jo metu vienu atveju buvo pasirinktos stabilios meteorologinės sąlygos, o kitu pasirinkti dominuojančios konkrečiu metų laiku vėjo kryptys ir greičiai. Modeliavimo rezultatai parodė, kad vasarą H2S didžiausia leistina koncentracija pasiekiama tik maždaug 2,5 kilometrų, rudenį ir pavasarį 1,5 kilometrų, o žiemą - už 800 metrų atstumu nuo sąvartyno teritorijos.

A literature review of municipal solid waste landfill design was conducted to provide the knowledge base for development of an environmental decision support system (Landfill Advisor). Landfill Advisor integrates the current knowledge of barrier systems into a software program to assist in landfill design. The choices available for each liner component (e.g., drainage layer, geomembrane liner, compacted clay liner, geosynthetic clay liner) and their suitability for different situations (e.g., final cover, base liner, lagoon liner) are presented. Landfill Advisor covers both the design and related operational issues for municipal solid waste landfills, with consideration given to the interactions between components, operating conditions, and the natural environment with a view to maximization of long-term system performance. Unique to Landfill Advisor, the service life of each engineered component is estimated based on results from the latest research. Original research is also presented on the risk of geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) desiccation in low stress applications such as solar ponds. Numerical modelling was undertaken using a thermo-hydro-mechanical model with parameters that were developed and verified by comparison to previously reported laboratory data. A parametric study was performed to establish recommendations for future investigation. The water retention curve of the GCL was found to have a significant effect on the conditions that are expected to cause desiccation. The temperature coefficient of the water retention curve was also found to have a significant effect, yet this parameter is not well defined. Poisson’s ratio was found to affect the risk of desiccation in proportion to the applied stress. As reported by previous researchers, the initial degree of saturation of a GCL was found to be important to desiccation; however, the effect is diminished at low applied stress. / Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2012-09-28 18:52:20.106

Landfill leachate treatment in South Africa is still in its early stages; research has been conducted but primarily at pilot scale level. Current legislation in South Africa does not prohibit the discharge of landfill leachate into the sewer line, despite the high risk of methane explosions and corrosion of the sewer pipes. Thus, to date, the off site channelling of landfill leachate into the sewer lines for further dilution in municipal wastewater treatment plants is the most common practice. Due to the development of stricter environmental regulations, the design of sustainable landfills is leading to the 'treatment at source' concept. Increasing public pressure is also forcing new landfills to be situated in remote areas where there is no avaliable sewer line to discharge into and 'treatment at source' will be required. Due to these developments, coupled with the lack of full scale leachate treatment experience in South Africa, Durban Solid Waste (The waste service unit of the Durban metropolitan), in an attempt to develop the knowledge and practical experience required for leachate treatment, undertook a research project to investigate the use of nitrification/denitrification pilot scale sequencing batch reactors (SBR) to treat leachate from the Bisasar Road and Mariannhill Landfills. The successful completion of the trials proved that the full removal of nitrogen compounds could be easily achieved, under South African climatic conditions, in a single sludge SBR system. The system was found to be simple to operate and required low maintenance. However, the final effluent required further treatment before it could meet the general discharge standards into natural watercourses. Being South Africa, a 'low gross income' country, it became necessary to consider an appropriate, cost effective and technically feasible 'polishing' treatment system. It was decided that a pilot scale treatment trial, using vegetated submerged bed constructed wetlands, be undertaken to assess the applicability and feasibility of such a passive system for the 'polishing' of the effluent from the pilot scale sequencing batch reactors. The wetland systems were found to be affected by many interrelating climatic factors. The trials concluded that the wetlands could not achieve the required discharge standards, in terms of concentration. However, it also showed that the effluent organics posed no oxygen demand or toxic threat to a receiving environment. The trials showed the ability of the wetlands to behave as mass removal systems, which could achieve the required mass removal efficiency in terms of mass output per day. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Co-disposal with refuse in a controlled landfill is the cheapest option for the disposal of hazardous waste and, if carefully controlled, can be an effective treatment option. In this present study a high-strength phenolic wastewater and activated sewage sludge were co-disposed with refuse. The effectiveness of phenol catabolism at two organic loading rates (500mgt1 and 1000mgtl) was assessed in the presence of various co-disposal strategies. Leachate recycle at the lower phenol organic loading rate was found to facilitate the greatest rate of phenol catabolism. Despite the effective removal of phenol, however, leachate recycle promoted the production of high concentrations of ammoniacal-N and hydrogen sulphide. At the higher phenol organic loading rate, recirculation was ineffective in reducing the residual phenol concentration due to inhibition of the phenol-catabolisers. Microcosms operated with single elution and batch co-disposal strategies at both phenol organic loading rates resulted in serious detrimental effects on the refuse fermentation and subsequent leachate quality. A high-strength leachate obtained from a closed co-disposal site was characterised to determine its chemical composition and was assessed for its susceptibility to biological treatment. If carefully controlled, co-disposal sites should produce leachates which differ little in quality to those produced by municipal waste sites. The exceptionally high specific conductivity of the leachate used in this present study was, however, uncharacteristic of a leachate from a municipal waste site. The leachate required dilution to 25 % (v/v) before responding to aerobic biological treatment due to the presence of bactericidal/bacteriostatic components. Anaerobic treatment was ineffective even at a final dilution of 10% (v/v) of the original due to the inhibition of methanogenesis caused indirectly by the high concentration of sulphate in the leachate. Following phosphate addition, aerobic biological treatment effected a significant reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) but did not reduce the ammoniacal-N concentration. Scaling and precipitation occurred following addition of the phosphate, and although these did not affect the biological process they can cause operational problems in full-scale leachate treatment plants. Ion exchange, with soil, and lime treatment, were, therefore, considered for their ability to reduce the inorganic content of the leachate prior to biological treatment. However, these particular pretreatments were unsuitable due to their ineffectiveness to reduce calcium, the main inorganic element involved in scaling, to an acceptable concentration. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1996.