Combined treatment of landfill leachate and septic tank sludge using geobag: laboratory and field study

ABSTRACT

This paper presents the performance results of two combined landfill leachate and sewage sludge treatment systems. In the laboratory scale, a small geobag was followed by a trickling filter. In the real scale, the performance of a geobag treatment unit followed by stabilization and wetland lagoons was investigated. In both studies, a 4:1 volumetric ratio (pit sludge: leachate) was employed and flocculant was added to the mixture prior to feeding in the geobag. The field unit removals were higher than those obtained in the laboratory for the following parameters: dissolved organic carbon and suspended solids, whose removals were greater than 50 and 95%, respectively. Ammonium nitrogen was removed at higher percentages in the lab-scale unit (68%). The performance of both treatment units regarding toxicity to Aliivibriofischeri, Daphnia simillis and Danio rerio organisms was also investigated.

Keywords:
geobag; landfill leachate; septic tank sludge; biofilter; wetland