Coagulation-Flocculation and Air Stripping as a Pretreatment of Young Landfill Leachate

Abstract

Leachate from sanitary landfills is a strong wastewater in terms of organic matter and ammonia. Both biologi- cal and chemical processes can be used for organic matter but ammonia reduction by nitrification-denitrification often poses problems due to inhibition. In this study, leachate from solid waste landfill in Konya Municipal area was used and organic matter and color removal were examined by using different chemical matters (Alum, FeCl3, FeSO4) in the pH ad- justment with lime, NaOH and H2SO4. For ammonium removal, air stripping and its removal efficiency were investigated. For organic matter removal, the highest efficiencies were achieved as 44% by using 9 g/L alum at pH 11 adjusted with lime and as 45% by using 15 g/L FeCl3 concentration at pH 3. Color removal studies in coagulation experiments indicated that the highest color removal efficiencies could be obtained when pH was adjusted with lime. The lowest coagulant con- centration 1 g/L yielded the similar removal efficiencies as the concentration increased. In ammonium removal with air stripping, the optimum flow rate was 1 L/min and the optimum aeration time was 8 hours.