Organic and nitrogen removal from landfill leachate in aerobic granular sludge sequencing batch reactors

Granule sequencing batch reactors (GSBR) were established for landfill leachate treatment, and the COD removal was analyzed kinetically using a modified model. Results showed that COD removal rate decreased as influent ammonium concentration increasing. Characteristics of nitrogen removal at different influent ammonium levels were also studied. When the ammonium concentration in the landfill leachate was 366 mg L⁻¹, the dominant nitrogen removal process in the GSBR was simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND). Under the ammonium concentration of 788 mg L⁻¹, nitrite accumulation occurred and the accumulated nitrite was reduced to nitrogen gas by the shortcut denitrification process. When the influent ammonium increased to a higher level of 1105 mg L⁻¹, accumulation of nitrite and nitrate lasted in the whole cycle, and the removal efficiencies of total nitrogen and ammonium decreased to only 35.0% and 39.3%, respectively. Results also showed that DO was a useful process controlling parameter for the organics and nitrogen removal at low ammonium input.     

Fate and distribution of nitrogen in soil and plants irrigated with landfill leachate

Landfill leachate contains a high concentration of ammoniacal substances which can be a potential supply of N for plants. A bioassay was conducted using seeds of Brassica chinensis and Lolium perenne to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the leachate sample. A soil column experiment was then carried out in a greenhouse to study the effect of leachate on plant growth. Two grasses (Paspalum notatum and Vetiver zizanioides) and two trees (Hibiscus tiliaceus and Litsea glutinosa) were irrigated with leachate at the EC50 levels for 12 weeks. Their growth performance and the distribution of N were examined and compared with columns applied with chemical fertilizer. With the exception of P. notatum, plants receiving leachate and fertilizer grew better than those receiving water alone. The growth of L. glutinosa and V. zizanioides with leachate irrigation did not differ significantly from plants treated with fertilizer. Leachate irrigation significantly increased the levels of NH_x-N in soil. Although NO_x-N was below 1 mg N L⁻¹ in the leachate sample, the soil NO_x-N content increased by 9-fold after leachate irrigation, possibly as a result of nitrification. Leachate irrigation at EC50 provided an N input of 1920 kg N ha⁻¹ over the experimental period, during which up to 1050 kg N ha⁻¹ was retained in the soil and biomass, depending on the type of vegetation. The amount of nutrient added seems to exceed beyond the assimilative capability. Practitioners should be aware of the possible consequence of N saturation when deciding the application rate if leachate irrigation is aimed for water reuse.     

Treatment of municipal landfill leachate by catalytic wet air oxidation: Assessment of the role of operating parameters by factorial design

The wet air oxidation (WAO) of municipal landfill leachate catalyzed by cupric ions and promoted by hydrogen peroxide was investigated. The effect of operating conditions such as WAO treatment time (15-30 min), temperature (160-200 °C), Cu²⁺ concentration (250-750 mg L⁻¹) and H₂O₂ concentration (0-1500 mg L⁻¹) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was investigated by factorial design considering a two-stage, sequential process comprising the heating-up of the reactor and the actual WAO. The leachate, at an initial COD of 4920 mg L⁻¹, was acidified to pH 3 leading to 31% COD decrease presumably due to the coagulation/precipitation of colloidal and other organic matter. During the 45 min long heating-up period of the WAO reactor under an inert atmosphere, COD removal values up to 35% (based on the initial COD value) were recorded as a result of the catalytic decomposition of H₂O₂ to reactive hydroxyl radicals. WAO at 2.5 MPa oxygen partial pressure advanced treatment further; for example, 22 min of oxidation at 200 °C, 250 mg L⁻¹ Cu²⁺ and 0-1500 mg L⁻¹ H₂O₂ resulted in an overall (i.e. including acidification and heating-up) COD reduction of 78%. Amongst the operating variables in question, temperature had the strongest influence on both the heating-up and WAO stages, while H₂O₂ concentration strongly affected the former and reaction time the latter. Nonetheless, the effects of temperature and H₂O₂ concentration were found to depend on the concentration levels of catalyst as suggested by the significance of their 3rd order interaction term.     

Improving the aeration of critical fine-grained landfill top cover material by vegetation to increase the microbial methane oxidation efficiency

The natural methane oxidation potential of methanotrophic bacteria in landfill top covers is a sustainable and inexpensive method to reduce methane emissions to the atmosphere. Basically, the activity of methanotrophic bacteria is limited by the availability of oxygen in the soil. A column study was carried out to determine whether and to what extent vegetation can improve soil aeration and maintain the methane oxidation process. Tested soils were clayey silt and mature compost. The first soil is critical in light of surface crusting due to vertical erosion of an integral part of fine-grained material, blocking pores required for the gas exchange. The second soil, mature compost, is known for its good methane oxidation characteristics, due to high air-filled porosity, favorable water retention capacity and high nutrient supply. The assortment of plants consisted of a grass mixture, Canadian goldenrod and a mixture of leguminous plants. The compost offered an excellent methane oxidation potential of 100% up to a CH₄-input of 5.6 l CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹. Whereas the oxidation potential was strongly diminished in the bare control column filled with clayey silt even at low CH₄-loads. By contrast the planted clayey silt showed an increased methane oxidation potential compared to the bare column. The spreading root system forms secondary macro-pores, and hence amplifies the air diffusivity and sustain the oxygen supply to the methanotrophic bacteria. Water is produced during methane oxidation, causing leachate. Vegetation reduces the leachate by evapotranspiration. Furthermore, leguminous plants support the enrichment of soil with nitrogen compounds and thus improving the methane oxidation process. In conclusion, vegetation is relevant for the increase of oxygen diffusion into the soil and subsequently enhances effective methane oxidation in landfill cover soils.     

Evaluation of respiration in compost landfill biocovers intended for methane oxidation

A low-cost alternative approach to reduce landfill gas (LFG) emissions is to integrate compost into the landfill cover design in order to establish a biocover that is optimized for biological oxidation of methane (CH₄). A laboratory and field investigation was performed to quantify respiration in an experimental compost biocover in terms of oxygen (O₂) consumption and carbon dioxide (CO₂) production and emission rates. O₂ consumption and CO₂ production rates were measured in batch and column experiments containing compost sampled from a landfill biowindow at Fakse landfill in Denmark. Column gas concentration profiles were compared to field measurements. Column studies simulating compost respiration in the biowindow showed average CO₂ production and O₂ consumption rates of 107 ± 14 g m⁻² d⁻¹ and 63 ± 12 g m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively. Gas profiles from the columns showed elevated CO₂ concentrations throughout the compost layer, and CO₂ concentrations exceeded 20% at a depth of 40 cm below the surface of the biowindow. Overall, the results showed that respiration of compost material placed in biowindows might generate significant CO₂ emissions. In landfill compost covers, methanotrophs carrying out CH₄ oxidation will compete for O₂ with other aerobic microorganisms. If the compost is not mature, a significant portion of the O₂ diffusing into the compost layer will be consumed by non-methanotrophs, thereby limiting CH₄ oxidation. The results of this study however also suggest that the consumption of O₂ in the compost due to aerobic respiration might increase over time as a result of the accumulation of biomass in the compost after prolonged exposure to CH₄.     

Biodegradability and biodegradation rate of poly(caprolactone)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) biodegradable polymer under aerobic and anaerobic environment

The biodegradability and the biodegradation rate of two kinds biodegradable polymers; poly(caprolactone) (PCL)-starch blend and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), were investigated under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. PCL-starch blend was easily degraded, with 88% biodegradability in 44 days under aerobic conditions, and showed a biodegradation rate of 0.07 day⁻¹, whereas the biodegradability of PBS was only 31% in 80 days under the same conditions, with a biodegradation rate of 0.01 day⁻¹. Anaerobic bacteria degraded well PCL-starch blend (i.e., 83% biodegradability for 139 days); however, its biodegradation rate was relatively slow (6.1 mL CH₄/g-VS day) compared to that of cellulose (13.5 mL CH₄/g-VS day), which was used as a reference material. The PBS was barely degraded under anaerobic conditions, with only 2% biodegradability in 100 days. These results were consistent with the visual changes and FE-SEM images of the two biodegradable polymers after the landfill burial test, showing that only PCL-starch blend had various sized pinholes on the surface due to attack by microorganisms. This result may be use in deciding suitable final disposal approaches of different types of biodegradable polymers in the future.     

Effect of aeration modes on the characteristics of composting emissions and the NH3 removal efficiency by using biotrickling filter

A pilot biotrickling filter (BTF) packed with ZX02 fibrous balls as packing material was tested for the treatment of ammonia (NH₃) released from a composting plant of dairy manure. In order to investigate the effects of three compost aeration modes (mode Co-I, Co-II and In-II) on the NH₃ removal efficiency, a field experiment was continuously carried out for more than eight months. The results demonstrated that under the intermittent aeration mode (In-II), the NH₃ removal efficiency reached 99.2 ± 0.1% when the inlet NH₃ concentration was 7.5-32.3 mg m⁻³ (9.8-42.5 ppmv). The maximum and critical elimination capacity of the biotrickling filter was 22.6 and 4.9 g NH₃ m⁻³ h⁻¹, respectively. The effluent concentration of NH₃ was lower than 1.0 mg m⁻³, which meets the first class discharge standards of GB14554-93. When the concentration of free ammonia in the trickling liquid was varied from 0.1 to 0.4 mg L⁻¹, the nitrification yield was between 47.9% and 103.8%. In addition, the optimum liquid tricking velocity (LTV) of the biotrickling filter was 0.5 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹ for low inlet concentrations and 2.2 m³ m⁻² h⁻¹ for high inlet concentrations. Therefore, the use of the biotrickling filter for the compost under the third aeration mode (In-II) yielded an effective optimum NH₃ removal and reduced the nitrogen loss in the compost.     

Assessment of the methane oxidation capacity of compacted soils intended for use as landfill cover materials

The microbial oxidation of methane in engineered cover soils is considered a potent option for the mitigation of emissions from old landfills or sites containing wastes of low methane generation rates. A laboratory column study was conducted in order to derive design criteria that enable construction of an effective methane oxidising cover from the range of soils that are available to the landfill operator. Therefore, the methane oxidation capacity of different soils was assessed under simulated landfill conditions. Five sandy potential landfill top cover materials with varying contents of silt and clay were investigated with respect to methane oxidation and corresponding soil gas composition over a period of four months. The soils were compacted to 95% of their specific proctor density, resulting in bulk densities of 1.4-1.7 g cm⁻³, reflecting considerably unfavourable conditions for methane oxidation due to reduced air-filled porosity. The soil water content was adjusted to field capacity, resulting in water contents ranging from 16.2 to 48.5 vol.%. The investigated inlet fluxes ranged from 25 to about 100 g CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹, covering the methane load proposed to allow for complete oxidation in landfill covers under Western European climate conditions and hence being suggested as a criterion for release from aftercare. The vertical distribution of gas concentrations, methane flux balances as well as stable carbon isotope studies allowed for clear process identifications. Higher inlet fluxes led to a reduction of the aerated zone, an increase in the absolute methane oxidation rate and a decline of the relative proportion of oxidized methane. For each material, a specific maximum oxidation rate was determined, which varied between 20 and 95 g CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹ and which was positively correlated to the air-filled porosity of the soil. Methane oxidation efficiencies and gas profile data imply a strong link between oxidation capacity and diffusive ingress of atmospheric air. For one material with elevated levels of fine particles and high organic matter content, methane production impeded the quantification of methane oxidation potentials. Regarding the design of landfill cover layers it was concluded that the magnitude of the expected methane load, the texture and expected compaction of the cover material are key variables that need to be known. Based on these, a column study can serve as an appropriate testing system to determine the methane oxidation capacity of a soil intended as landfill cover material.     

Spatial variability of soil gas concentration and methane oxidation capacity in landfill covers

In order to devise design criteria for biocovers intended to enhance the microbial oxidation of landfill methane it is critical to understand the factors influencing gas migration and methane oxidation in landfill cover soils. On an old municipal solid waste landfill in north-western Germany soil gas concentrations (10, 40, 90 cm depth), topsoil methane oxidation capacity and soil properties were surveyed at 40 locations along a 16 m grid. As soil properties determine gas flow patterns it was hypothesized that the variability in soil gas composition and the subsequent methanotrophic activity would correspond to the variability of soil properties. Methanotrophic activity was found to be subject to high spatial variability, with values ranging between 0.17 and 9.80 g CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹_. Considering the current gas production rate of 0.03 g CH₄ m⁻² h⁻¹, the oxidation capacity at all sampled locations clearly exceeded the flux to the cover, and can be regarded as an effective instrument for mitigating methane fluxes. The methane concentration in the cover showed a high spatial heterogeneity with values between 0.01 and 0.32 vol.% (10 cm depth), 22.52 vol.% (40 cm), and 36.85 vol.% (90 cm). The exposure to methane raised the oxidation capacity, suggested by a statistical correlation to an increase in methane concentration at 90 cm depth. Methane oxidation capacity was further affected by the methanotroph bacteria pH optimum and nutrient availability, and increased with decreasing pH towards neutrality, and increased with soluble ion concentration). Soil methane and carbon dioxide concentration increased with lower flow resistance of the cover, as represented by the soil properties of a reduced bulk density, increase in air capacity and in relative ground level.     

Quantification of multiple methane emission sources at landfills using a double tracer technique

A double tracer technique was used successfully to quantify whole-site methane (CH₄) emissions from Fakse Landfill. Emissions from different sections of the landfill were quantified by using two different tracers. A scaled-down version of the tracer technique measuring close-by to localized sources having limited areal extent was also used to quantify emissions from on-site sources at the landfill facility, including a composting area and a sewage sludge storage pit. Three field campaigns were performed. At all three field campaigns an overall leak search showed that the CH₄ emissions from the old landfill section were localized to the leachate collection wells and slope areas. The average CH₄ emissions from the old landfill section were quantified to be 32.6 ± 7.4 kg CH₄ h⁻¹, whereas the source at the new section was quantified to be 10.3 ± 5.3 kg CH₄ h⁻¹. The CH₄ emission from the compost area was 0.5 ± 0.25 kg CH₄ h⁻¹, whereas the carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) flux was quantified to be in the order of 332 ± 166 kg CO₂ h⁻¹ and 0.06 ± 0.03 kg N₂O h⁻¹, respectively. The sludge pit located west of the compost material was quantified to have an emission of 2.4 ± 0.63 kg h⁻¹ CH₄, and 0.03 ± 0.01 kg h⁻¹ N₂O.     

Comparison of five organic wastes regarding their behaviour during composting: Part 2, nitrogen dynamic

This paper aimed to compare household waste, separated pig solids, food waste, pig slaughterhouse sludge and green algae regarding processes ruling nitrogen dynamic during composting. For each waste, three composting simulations were performed in parallel in three similar reactors (300 L), each one under a constant aeration rate. The aeration flows applied were comprised between 100 and 1100 L/h. The initial waste and the compost were characterized through the measurements of their contents in dry matter, total carbon, Kjeldahl and total ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate. Kjeldahl and total ammoniacal nitrogen and nitrite and nitrate were measured in leachates and in condensates too. Ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions were monitored in continue. The cumulated emissions in ammonia and in nitrous oxide were given for each waste and at each aeration rate. The paper focused on process of ammonification and on transformations and transfer of total ammoniacal nitrogen. The parameters of nitrous oxide emissions were not investigated. The removal rate of total Kjeldahl nitrogen was shown being closely tied to the ammonification rate. Ammonification was modelled thanks to the calculation of the ratio of biodegradable carbon to organic nitrogen content of the biodegradable fraction. The wastes were shown to differ significantly regarding their ammonification ability. Nitrogen balances were calculated by subtracting nitrogen losses from nitrogen removed from material. Defaults in nitrogen balances were assumed to correspond to conversion of nitrate even nitrite into molecular nitrogen and then to the previous conversion by nitrification of total ammoniacal nitrogen. The pool of total ammoniacal nitrogen, i.e. total ammoniacal nitrogen initially contained in waste plus total ammoniacal nitrogen released by ammonification, was calculated for each experiment. Then, this pool was used as the referring amount in the calculation of the rates of accumulation, stripping and nitrification of total ammoniacal nitrogen. Separated pig solids were characterised by a high ability to accumulate total ammoniacal nitrogen. Whatever the waste, the striping rate depended mostly on the aeration rate and on the pool concentration in biofilm. The nitrification rate was observed as all the higher as the concentration in total ammoniacal nitrogen in the initial waste was low. Thus, household waste and green algae exhibited the highest nitrification rates. This result could mean that in case of low concentrations in total ammoniacal nitrogen, a nitrifying biomass was already developed and that this biomass consumed it. In contrast, in case of high concentrations, this could traduce some difficulties for nitrifying microorganisms to develop.     

Waste stabilization mechanism by a recirculatory semi-aerobic landfill with the aeration system

The main purpose of this research is to clarify and compare the mechanism of waste stabilization by a recirculatory semi-aerobic landfill with the aeration system. Our research is proposing the semi-aerobic landfill system for developing countries because of the simple and low-cost technology for the final disposal. Moreover, this system with leachate recirculation can be a more effective system for waste stabilization because of the improvement of leachate quality as an organic pollutant and, also, nitrogen removal. In this research, five different systems of landfill (Ae: aerobic, An: anaerobic, Se: semi-aerobic, SeR: recirculatory semi-aerobic landfill, and SeRA: recirculatory semi-aerobic landfill with aeration system) are compared with lysimeters which are 1 m high with a diameter of 0.3 m. The results of the leachate quality shows that the leachate treatment effect of the SeRA system can be observed to be as high as the Ae system. To determine the mechanism of this process, all lysimeters are dismantled after 1,100 days in the experimental period and the waste composition, the dissolution test, the mass balance of carbon and nitrogen, the determination of bacterial counts, etc., were analyzed. In this research, it was proven that the SeRA system has an optimal leachate treatment effect that is the same as the Ae system. And, from the results of the mass balance of carbon and nitrogen, the SeR and SeRA systems show higher waste stabilization effectiveness and nitrogen removal than the other systems. Moreover, the number of the aerobic bacteria can be observed to be higher in the SeR and SeRA systems. To determine these results, the waste stabilization mechanism is considered by the results of leachate quality, the mass balance of carbon and nitrogen, and, also, the bacterial numbers.     

Stable isotope signatures for characterising the biological stability of landfilled municipal solid waste

Stable isotopic signatures of landfill leachates are influenced by processes within municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills mainly depending on the aerobic/anaerobic phase of the landfill. We investigated the isotopic signatures of δ¹³C, δ²H and δ¹⁸O of different leachates from lab-scale experiments, lysimeter experiments and a landfill under in situ aeration. In the laboratory, columns filled with MSW of different age and reactivity were percolated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In landfill simulation reactors, waste of a 25 year old landfill was kept under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The lysimeter facility was filled with mechanically shredded fresh waste. After starting of the methane production the waste in the lysimeter containments was aerated in situ. Leachate and gas composition were monitored continuously. In addition the seepage water of an old landfill was collected and analysed periodically before and during an in situ aeration.We found significant differences in the δ¹³C-value of the dissolved inorganic carbon (δ¹³C-DIC) of the leachate between aerobic and anaerobic waste material. During aerobic degradation, the signature of δ¹³C-DIC was mainly dependent on the isotopic composition of the organic matter in the waste, resulting in a δ¹³C-DIC of ?20‰ to ?25‰. The production of methane under anaerobic conditions caused an increase in δ¹³C-DIC up to values of +10‰ and higher depending on the actual reactivity of the MSW. During aeration of a landfill the aerobic degradation of the remaining organic matter caused a decrease to a δ¹³C-DIC of about ?20‰. Therefore carbon isotope analysis in leachates and groundwater can be used for tracing the oxidation–reduction status of MSW landfills.Our results indicate that monitoring of stable isotopic signatures of landfill leachates over a longer time period (e.g. during in situ aeration) is a powerful and cost-effective tool for characterising the biodegradability and stability of the organic matter in landfilled municipal solid waste and can be used for monitoring the progress of in situ aeration.     

Characterizing the transformation and transfer of nitrogen during the aerobic treatment of organic wastes and digestates

The transformation and transfer of nitrogen during the aerobic treatment of seven wastes were studied in ventilated air-tight 10-L reactors at 35 °C. Studied wastes included distinct types of organic wastes and their digestates. Ammonia emissions varied depending on the kind of waste and treatment conditions. These emissions accounted for 2–43% of the initial nitrogen. Total nitrogen losses, which resulted mainly from ammonia emissions and nitrification–denitrification, accounted for 1–76% of the initial nitrogen. Ammonification was the main process responsible for nitrogen losses. An equation which allows estimating the ammonification flow of each type of waste according to its biodegradable carbon and carbon/nitrogen ratio was proposed. As a consequence of the lower contribution of storage and leachate rates, stripping and nitrification rates of ammonia nitrogen were negatively correlated. This observation suggests the possibility of promotingnitrification in order to reduce ammonia emissions.     

Anammox: an option for ammonium removal in bioreactor landfills

Experiments carried out in bioreactor landfill simulators demonstrated that more than 40% of the total N was transferred into the liquid and gas phases during the incubation period of 380 days. Ammonium, an end product of protein degradation and important parameter to consider during landfill closure, tends to accumulate up to inhibitory levels in the leachate of landfills especially in landfills with leachate recirculation. Most efforts to remove ammonium from leachate have been focused on ex situ and partial in situ methods such as nitrification, denitrification and chemical precipitation. Besides minimal contributions from other N-removal processes, Anammox (Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation) bacteria were found to be active within the simulators. Anammox is considered to be an important contributor to remove N from the solid matrix. However, it was unclear how the necessary nitrite for Anammox metabolism was produced. Moreover, little is known about the nature of residual nitrogen in the waste mass and possible mechanisms to remove it. Intrusion of small quantities of O₂ is not only beneficial for the degradation process of municipal solid waste (MSW) in bioreactor landfills but also significant for the development of the Anammox bacteria that contributed to the removal of ammonium. Volatilisation and Anammox activity were the main N removal mechanisms in these pilot-scale simulators. The results of these experiments bring new insights on the behaviour, evolution and fate of nitrogen from solid waste and present the first evidence of the existence of Anammox activity in bioreactor landfill simulators.     

Observations on the methane oxidation capacity of landfill soils

The objective of this study was to determine the role of CH₄ loading to a landfill cover in the control of CH₄ oxidation rate (g CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹) and CH₄ oxidation efficiency (% CH₄ oxidation) in a field setting. Specifically, we wanted to assess how much CH₄ a cover soil could handle. To achieve this objective we conducted synoptic measurements of landfill CH₄ emission and CH₄ oxidation in a single season at two Southeastern USA landfills. We hypothesized that percent oxidation would be greatest at sites of low CH₄ emission and would decrease as CH₄ emission rates increased. The trends in the experimental results were then compared to the predictions of two differing numerical models designed to simulate gas transport in landfill covers, one by modeling transport by diffusion only and the second allowing both advection and diffusion. In both field measurements and in modeling, we found that percent oxidation is a decreasing exponential function of the total CH₄ flux rate (CH₄ loading) into the cover. When CH₄ is supplied, a cover’s rate of CH₄ uptake (g CH₄ m⁻² d⁻²) is linear to a point, after which the system becomes saturated. Both field data and modeling results indicate that percent oxidation should not be considered as a constant value. Percent oxidation is a changing quantity and is a function of cover type, climatic conditions and CH₄ loading to the bottom of the cover. The data indicate that an effective way to increase the % oxidation of a landfill cover is to limit the amount of CH₄ delivered to it.     

Influence of aeration rate on nitrogen dynamics during composting

The paper aimed to study the influence of aeration rate on nitrogen dynamics during composting of wastewater sludge with wood chips. Wastewater sludge was sampled at a pig slaughterhouse 24h before each composting experiment, and mixtures were made at the same mass ratio. Six composting experiments were performed in a lab reactor (300 L) under forced aeration. Aeration flow was constant throughout the experiment and aeration rates applied ranged between 1.69 and 16.63 L/h/kg DM of mixture. Material temperature and oxygen consumption were monitored continuously. Nitrogen losses in leachates as organic and total ammoniacal nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate, and losses in exhaust gases as ammonia were measured daily. Concentrations of total carbon and nitrogen i.e., organic nitrogen, total ammoniacal nitrogen, and nitrite and nitrate were measured in the initial substrates and in the composted materials. The results showed that organic nitrogen, which was released as NH4+/NH3 by ammonification, was closely correlated to the ratio of carbon removed from the material to TC/N(org) of the initial substrates. The increase of aeration was responsible for the increase in ammonia emissions and for the decrease in nitrogen losses through leaching. At high aeration rates, losses of nitrogen in leachates and as ammonia in exhaust gases accounted for 90-99% of the nitrogen removed from the material. At low aeration rates, those accounted for 47-85% of the nitrogen removed from the material. The highest concentrations of total ammoniacal nitrogen in composts occurred at the lowest aeration rate. Due to the correlation of ammonification with biodegradation and to the measurements of losses in leachates and in exhaust gases, the pool NH4+/NH3 in the composting material was calculated as a function of time. The nitrification rate was found to be proportional to the mean content of NH4+/NH3 in the material, i.e., initial NH4+/NH3 plus NH4+/NH3 released by ammonification minus losses in leachates and in exhaust gases. The aeration rate was shown to be a main parameter affecting nitrogen dynamics during composting since it controlled the ammonification, the ammonia emission and the nitrification processes.     

高氮低碳废水生物脱氮研究进展

针对传统生物脱氮工艺在处理高氨氮、低碳源废水时存在的问题,提出了短程硝化一反硝化和厌氧氨氧化两种生物脱氮新技术,初步探讨了影响亚硝酸盐积累和厌氧氨氧化工艺的因素。介绍了半硝化-厌氧氨氧化工艺的原理和特征,为高氨氮、低碳源废水生物脱氮工艺的没计提供 全新的理论和思路。     

Construction and evaluation of simulated pilot scale landfill lysimeter in Bangladesh

This research concentrates the design, construction and evaluation of simulated pilot scale landfill lysimeter at KUET campus, Khulna, Bangladesh. Both the aerobic and anaerobic conditions having a base liner and two different types of cap liner were simulated. After the design of a reference cell, the construction of landfill lysimeter was started in January 2008 and completed in July 2008. In all construction process locally available civil construction materials were used. The municipal solid waste (MSW) of 2800–2985 kg having the total volume of 2.80 m³ (height 1.6 m) and moisture content of 65% was deposited in each lysimeter by applying required compaction energy. In contrast, both the composition in terms of methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂) and oxygen (O₂) as well as the flow rate of landfill gas (LFG) generated from MSW in landfill lysimeter were measured and varied significantly in relation to the variation of lysimeter operational condition. Moreover, anaerobic lysimeter-C shows the highest composition of LFG in compare to the anaerobic lysimeter-B due to the providing of lower compaction of cap liner in anaerobic lysimeter-C. Here, it is interesting to note that in absence of compacted clay liner (CCL) and hence percolation of rainwater that facilitates rapid degradation of MSW in aerobic lysimeter-A has resulted in the highest settlement than that of anaerobic landfill lysimeter-B and C. Moreover, in case of anaerobic lysimeter-B and C, the leachate generation was lower than that of aerobic lysimeter-A due to the providing of cap liner in anaerobic lysimeter-B and C, played an important role to reduce the percolation of rainwater. The study also reveals that the leachate pollution index (LPI) has decreased in relation to the increasing of elapsed period as well as the LPI for collection system of aerobic lysimeter-A was higher than that of the collection system of anaerobic lysimeter-B and C. Finally, it can be depicted that LPI for lysimeter was significantly high and proper treatment will be necessary before discharging the lysimeter leachate into the water bodies.     

Monitoring operational and leachate characteristics of an aerobic simulated landfill bioreactor

Long-term biodegradation of MSW in an aerobic landfill bioreactor was monitored as a function of time during 510 days of operation. Operational characteristics such as air importation, temperature and leachate recirculation were monitored. The oxygen utilization rates and biodegradation of organic matter rates showed that aerobic biodegradation was feasible and appropriate to proceed in aerobic landfill bioreactor. Leachate analyses showed that the aerobic bioreactor could remove above 90% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and close to 100% of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) from leachate. Ammonium (NH4+), nitrate (NO3-) and sulphate (SO4(2-)) concentrations of leachate samples were regularly measured. Results suggest that nitrification and denitrification occurred simultaneously, and the increase in nitrate did not reach the levels predicted stoichiometrically, suggesting that other processes were occurring. Leachate recirculation reduced the concentrations of heavy metals because of the effect of the high pH of the leachate, causing heavy metals to be retained by processes such as sorption on MSW, carbonate precipitation, and hydroxide precipitation. Furthermore, the compost derived from the aerobic biodegradation of the organic matter of MSW may be considered as soil improvement in the agricultural plant production. Bio-essays indicated that the ecotoxicity of leachate from the aerobic bioreactor was not toxic at the end of the experiment. Finally, after 510 days of degradation, waste settlement reached 26% mainly due to the compost of the organic matter.