Abstract:
Open dumping of municipal solid waste (MSW) imposes severe environmental threats in which landfill leachate generation is considered as the predominant. This study aims on treating landfill leachate using a pilot scale biochar based barricade and wetland system. Biochar was derived from MSW of Karadiyana dumpsite, using the pyrolysis barrel method, providing approximately 500°C of pyrolysis temperature within 2 h of time duration. Characterization of biochar was done using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The wetland was constructed using a mixture of biochar and sand in 1:2 volume ratio, whereas the barricade was filled with 7.5 kg biochar and laterite. For additional removal, Canna indica was planted in the wetland. Leachate was diluted in a 1:1 ratio, allowing it to flow through the system at a rate of 10 ml/min. The analysis was continuously carried out for 7 days. The results showed 99.97, 83.95 and 92.73% removal for ammonium-N, phosphate and COD respectively. Thus, suggesting the potential upscaling of the system with further improvements through testing different ratios of biochar and leachate flow rates.
Citation:
K. Dabare, P. Wijekoon, A. Cooray, B. C. L. Athapattu and M. Vithanage, "Biochar-based Barricade and Wetland as an Integrated Landfill Leachate Treatment System," 2021 Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference (MERCon), 2021, pp. 632-636, doi: 10.1109/MERCon52712.2021.9525777.