Landfill Leachate Attenuation by Clay Soil

ABSTRACT The attenuation of various contaminant species present in landfill leachate solutions is studied both in-situ, at an actual landfill site, and in the laboratory using soil columns. The experimental and theoretical results of this study have demonstrated that natural clay soil can be used to adequately contain the different contaminants, especially the heavy metals. Also, it has been found that the clay itself can release potential contaminants under permeation of leachate solution. The importance of understanding the adsorption-desorption mechanism in the clay-leachate system is demonstrated in this paper.