Treatment of Leachate by Aged-Refuse-based Biofilter

Abstract

Refuse in landfills becomes stabilized or aged, as organic matter in the refuse gradually degrades and as the soluble inorganic substances dissolve during its long-term stabilization process. Within this paper, this process is referred to as mineralization and the resultant stabilized or essentially stabilized refuse is referred to as “aged refuse.” The aged refuse contains a wide spectrum and large quantity of microorganisms, which have a strong decomposition capability for refractory organic matter present in some wastewaters, such as leachate. In this study, aged refuse excavated from two to ten year old closed landfill compartments in Shanghai Refuse Landfill (SRL) was characterized in terms of particulate distribution by screening, and a biofilter consisting of ten year old aged refuse was then used for biofiltration of leachate sampled from the landfill. Typically, 400 kg of screened aged refuse with limiting diameter less than 15 mm was used as biofiltration materials in a round shaped biofilter with 80 cm inner diameter and 80 cm height. Leachate with initial chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and