COD removal from sanitary landfill leachate through chemical oxidation

What is it about?

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of persulfate and hydrogen peroxide oxidation processes, as well as a Combined persulfate/hydrogen peroxide oxidation process, in removing COD from partially treated leachate obtained from an engineered landfill in Brunei Darussalam, under various experimental conditions, using a technique called chemical oxidation. The performance of these treatments in removing COD was investigated. The results of the treatments processes shows that in the oxidation of persulfate stand-alone oxidation the efficiency of COD reaches 80.6% at a pH of 5.0 and dosage of 3.0M while the use of hydrogen peroxide reaches 80.4% at a pH of 8.0 and dosage of 5.0 M and Finally the use of a combined persulfate/hydrogen peroxide results in 83.5% COD removal at pH of 6.0 and dosage of 4M each .

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Photo by Collab Media on Unsplash

Photo by Collab Media on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Due to the high complexity and recalcitrant composition of leachate, sanitary landfill constitutes a major source of pollution. Discharging it into the environment has a great consequence on the life of aquatic organisms, ground water and soil infertility. Leachates can have an effect termed "mutagenic effect" on the transcription and replication of DNA in humans, which in extreme cases can lead to cell death, thereby impacting our ecological balance. Leachates can contaminate water sources both on the surfaces and underground due to dissipation of leachates through the soil leading to further destruction of Flora and Fauna and the surrounding ecosystem . Due their recalcitrant nature there is a big challenge treating them using conventional methods.