Electrochemical oxidation post-treatment of landfill leachates treated with membrane bioreactor

Chemosphere. 2009 Apr;75(2):256-60. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.12.013. Epub 2009 Jan 19.

Abstract

Integration of membrane bioreactor (MBR) with electrochemical process was investigated as treatment of stabilized landfill leachates, collected from Djebel Chekir (Tunisia). Results showed that at optimum conditions for the membrane and with organic loading rates of 1.9 and 2.7g COD L(-1)d(-1), MBR treated effluent is still colouring and contains high COD and ammonia concentrations. In order to reduce these high pollutant concentrations, electrochemical oxidation process using Ti/Pt, graphite and PbO(2) electrodes, was tested as effluent post-treatment. Ti/Pt electrodes showed the best performance. COD, ammonia and colours removals were affected by the current density (J) and treatment time (t). At optimal operational conditions (t=1h, J=4Adm(-2)), the final COD and total kjeldahl nitrogen concentrations (TKN) were 1000 and 86mgL(-1), respectively. The final treated wastewater COD, TKN, colours, pH meet the discharge standards in the sewer. The combination of MBR treatment process with electrochemical oxidation can be a technical suitable solution for stabilized landfill leachates treatment with an efficient reduction of different parameters, essentially COD (85%), TKN (94%), and colour(436) (99%).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bioreactors*
  • Electrochemistry / methods*
  • Electrodes
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Tunisia
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / metabolism*

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical