Ecotoxicological assessment and evaluation of a pine bark biosorbent treatment of five landfill leachates

When selecting a landfill leachate treatment method the contaminant composition of the leachate should be considered in order to obtain the most cost-effective treatment option. In this study the filter material pine bark was evaluated as a treatment for five landfill leachates originating from different cells of the same landfill in Sweden. The objective of the study was to determine the uptake, or release, of metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during a leaching test using the pine bark filter material with the five different landfill leachates. Furthermore the change of toxicity after treatment was studied using a battery of aquatic bioassays assessing luminescent bacteria (Vibrio fischeri) acute toxicity (30-min Microtox®), immobility of the crustacean Daphnia magna, growth inhibition of the algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and the aquatic plant Lemna minor; and genotoxicity with the bacterial Umu-C assay. The results from the toxicity tests and the chemical analysis were analyzed in a Principal Component Analysis and the toxicity of the samples before and after treatment was evaluated in a toxicity classification. The pine bark filter material reduced the concentrations of metal contaminants from the landfill leachates in the study, with some exceptions for Cu and Cd. The Zn uptake of the filter was high for heavily contaminated leachates (≥73%), although some desorption of zinc occurred in less contaminated waters. Some of the leachates may require further treatment due to discharge into a natural recipient in order to reduce the risk of possible biological effects. The difference in pH changes between the different leachates was probably due to variations in buffering capacity, affected by physicochemical properties of the leachate. The greatest desorption of phenol during filtration occurred in leachates with high conductivity or elevated levels of metals or salts. Generally, the toxicity classification of the leachates implies that although filter treatment with pine bark removes metal contaminants from the leachates effectively, it does not alter leachate toxicity noticeably. The leachates with the highest conductivity, pH and metal concentrations are most strongly correlated with an increased toxic response in the score plots of both untreated and treated leachates. This is in line with the toxicity classification of the leachate samples. The results from this study highlight the importance of evaluating treatment efficiency from the perspective of potential recipient effects, rather than in terms of residual concentrations of individual contaminants when treating waters with a complex contamination matrix, such as landfill leachates.     

Correlation between physicochemical and ecotoxicological approaches to estimate landfill leachates toxicity

Leachates from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills may contain a huge diversity of contaminants; these wastewaters should be considered as potentially hazardous complex mixtures, representing a potential environmental risk for surface and groundwater. Current MSW landfill wastes regulatory approaches deem exclusively on the physicochemical characterization and does not contemplate the ecotoxicological assessment of landfill leachates. However, the presence of highly toxic substances in consumer products requires reconsideration on the need of more specific ecotoxicological assessments. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the toxicity of different MSW landfill leachates using a battery of toxicity tests including acute toxicity tests with Daphnia magna and the anuran Xenopus laevis and the in vitro toxicity test with the fish cell line RTG-2. The additional objective was to study the possible correlation between physicochemical properties and the toxicity results obtained for untreated landfill leachates. The results showed that the proposed test battery was effective for the ecotoxicological characterization of MSW landfill leachates. A moderate to strong correlation between the measured physicochemical parameters and the calculated toxicity units was detected for all toxicity assays. Correlation factors of 0.85, 0.86 and 0.55 for Daphnia, Xenopus and RTG-2 tests, respectively, were found. The discriminant analysis showed that certain physicochemical parameters could be used for an initial categorization of the potential aquatic acute toxicity of leachates; this finding may facilitate leachates management as the physicochemical characterization is currently the most common or even only monitoring method employed in a large majority of landfills. Ammonia, alkalinity and chemical oxygen demand (COD), together with chloride, allowed a proper categorization of leachates toxicity for up to 75% of tested samples, with a small percentage of false negatives.     

Use of Sphagnum peat moss and crushed mollusk shells in fixed-bed columns for the treatment of synthetic landfill leachate

A laboratory bench-scale fixed-bed column study operated as a down-flow configuration was conducted to evaluate Sphagnum peat moss and crushed mollusk shells as natural low-cost adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from aerated and unaerated synthetic landfill leachate. Columns were packed with 15 cm of prepared peat moss, or 15 cm adsorbent mixtures made up of peat moss and crushed mollusk shells (4.0–4.75 mm) from Lake Ontario at different bed depth ratios. Peat was found to have the best adsorption capacities in columns treating aerated synthetic leachate for cadmium and nickel with 78.6% and 83.8% removal efficiencies, respectively. The removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total nitrogen from the synthetic leachate was also monitored to evaluate the potential effects of biological activity on heavy metal adsorption. Columns receiving unaerated raw synthetic leachates did not show any significant removal of COD and total nitrogen, whereas some reduction in COD and total nitrogen was noted in the columns treating aerated synthetic landfill leachate. The results suggested that biological activity and biofilm growth could positively contribute to heavy metal retention within the fixed-media biosorption columns.     

Chemical stabilization of medical waste fly ash using chelating agent and phosphates: Heavy metals and ecotoxicity evaluation

Chemical stabilization of heavy metals in medical waste fly ash has been carried out using the following compounds: a chelating agent (Ashnite S803), a commercial acidic phosphoric acid solution (Ashnite R303) as well as basic one (Ashnite R201). In order to predict the leachability of heavy metals, Japanese Leaching Test (JLT-13) procedure was applied to the stabilized fly ash products. An ecotoxicity assessment of the stabilized fly ash products leachate and the unstabilized fly ash leachate was conducted using a battery of bioassays based on lettuce root elongation inhibition, Daphnia magna mortality and Vibrio fischeri photoinhibition. The results showed that the three stabilizing agents were able to significantly decrease (ANOVA, P < 0.05) the concentration of heavy metals in the leachates. Although the leachate from both stabilized and unstabilized fly ash were very toxic to lettuce and daphnids, the incorporation of these stabilizing agents diminished significantly (ANOVA, P < 0.05) the toxicity of the leachates towards the three tested organisms. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the strength of the relationship between chemical elements concentration in the leachate and bioassays results. Most of the heavy metals in the leachate were significantly correlated (ANOVA, P < 0.05) with the toxicity values of the bioassays. However, the correlation was not found between the concentration of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and the toxicity effect of the leachate to the tested organisms.     

Fate of saline ions in a planted landfill site with leachate recirculation

Recirculation of leachate on a covered landfill site planted with willows or other highly evapotranspirative woody plants is an inexpensive option for leachate management. In our study, a closed landfill leachate recirculation system was established on a rehabilitated municipal solid waste landfill site with planted landfill cover. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the sustainability of the system with regard to high hydraulic loads of the landfill leachate on the landfill cover and high concentrations of saline ions, especially potassium (K⁺), sodium (Na⁺) and chloride (Cl^?), in leachate.The results of intensive monitoring, implemented during May 2004 and September 2007, including leachate, soil and plant samples, showed a high sustainability of the system regarding saline ions with the precipitation regime of the studied region. Saline ion concentrations in leachates varied between 132 and 2592 mg Cl^? L^?1, 69 and 1310 mg Na⁺ L^?1 and between 66 and 2156 mg K⁺ L^?1, with mean values of 1010, 632 and 686 mg L^?1, respectively. Soil salinity, measured as soil electrical conductivity (EC), remained between 0.17 and 0.38 mS cm^?1 at a depth between 0 and 90 cm. An average annual precipitation of 1000 mm provided sufficient leaching of saline ions, loaded by irrigation with landfill leachate, from the soil of the landfill cover and thus prevented possible salinity shocks to the planted willows.     

Pilot-scale experiment on anaerobic bioreactor landfills in China

Developing countries have begun to investigate bioreactor landfills for municipal solid waste management. This paper describes the impacts of leachate recirculation and recirculation loadings on waste stabilization, landfill gas (LFG) generation and leachate characteristics. Four simulated anaerobic columns, R1-R4, were each filled with about 30 tons of waste and recirculated weekly with 1.6, 0.8 and 0.2m(3) leachate and 0.1m(3) tap water. The results indicated that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) half-time of leachate from R1 was about 180 days, which was 8-14 weeks shorter than that of R2-R4. A large amount of LFG was first produced in R1, and its generation rate was positively correlated to the COD or volatile fatty acid concentrations of influent leachates after the 30th week. By the 50th week of recirculation, the waste in R1 was more stabilized, with 931.2 kg COD or 175.6 kg total organic carbon released and with the highest landfill gas production. However, this contributed mainly to washout by leachate, which also resulted in the reduction of LFG generation potential and accumulation of ammonia and/or phosphorus in the early stage. Therefore, the regimes of leachate recirculation should be adjusted to the phases of waste stabilization to enhance efficiency of energy recovery. Integrated with the strategy of in situ leachate management, extra pre-treatment or post-treatment methods to remove the nutrients are recommended.     

Filter-based treatment of leachate from an industrial landfill containing shredder residues of end-of-life vehicles and white goods

A pilot plant was set up to treat leachate from an industrial landfill containing shredder residues of end-of-life vehicles and white goods. The treatment plant consisted of aeration and sedimentation steps for pre-treatment, and a filter. The plant was designed to simultaneously remove various types of pollutants. The efficiencies of pre-treatment and of the main treatment step were investigated over a period of 3 years at the landfill site. By continuous aeration of the leachate the concentrations of Fe and Mn were reduced by 55% and 49%, respectively. By prolonged sedimentation suspended solid content was noticeably reduced (72%). In the filter, consisting of a mixture of peat and carbon-containing ash as a treatment medium, very high reduction of polar organic compounds, e.g. phenol (74%), o-and p-cresol (91%), and 2,4-dimethylphenol (73%), high average reduction of metals, e.g. Pb (78%), Fe (74%), Cu (73%), Mn (56%), Sn (55%), and Zn (47%), and good average reduction of DOC (26%), Tot-N (23%) and NH₄-N (46%) were achieved. Sixty non-polar compounds in the leachate, identified by GC–MS screening, occurred at trace level. Most of them were considerably reduced in the filter.     

Effect of an uncontrolled fire and the subsequent fire fight on the chemical composition of landfill leachate

Landfill leachates sampled during and after an accidental landfill fire were analysed and the levels of selected metals and chemical compounds compared to those occurring in the leachate under normal conditions. The fire at the landfill site was put out by excavation and cooling by use of water. The investigation during the fire and fire fight revealed a moderate increase in the level of nitrogen and also in pH and conductivity. Heavy metals and COD in the leachate showed considerably increased levels. In general, the determined variables appeared to normalise within one week after the fire was extinguished. It can be concluded that landfill fires extinguished by excavation may lead to elevated leachate levels of especially COD and heavy metals, but that this is only a short-term effect.     

Physico-chemical and biological treatment of MSW landfill leachate

This paper analyses the evolution of the physico-chemical characteristics of the leachate from the Central Landfill of Asturias (Spain), which has been operating since 1986, as well as different treatment options. The organic pollutant load of the leachate, expressed as chemical oxygen demand (COD), reached maximum values during the first year of operation of the landfill (around 80,000 mg/L), gradually decreasing over subsequent years to less than 5000 mg/L. The concentration of ammonium, however, has not decreased, presenting values of up to 2000 mg/L. When feasible, recirculation can greatly decrease the organic matter content of the leachate to values of 1500–1600 mg COD/L. Applying anaerobic treatment to leachates with a COD between 11,000 and 16,000 mg/L, removal efficiencies of 80–88% were obtained for organic loading rates of 7 kg COD/m³ d. For leachates with lower COD (4000–6000 mg/L), the efficiency decreased to around 60% for organic loading rates of 1 kg COD/m³ d.Applying coagulation–flocculation with iron trichloride or with aluminium polychloride, it was possible to reduce the non-biodegradable organic matter by 73–62% when treating old landfill leachate (COD: 4800 mg/L, BOD₅: 670 mg/L), also reducing turbidity and colour by more than 97%. It is likewise possible to reduce the non-biodegradable organic matter that remains after biological treatment by adsorption with activated carbon, although adsorption capacities are usually low (from 15 to 150 mg COD/g adsorbent). As regards ammonium nitrogen, this can be reduced to final effluent values of 5 mg/L by means of nitrification/denitrification and to values of 126 mg/L by stripping at pH 12 and 48 h of stirring.     

Treatment of municipal landfill leachate using a combined anaerobic digester and activated sludge system

The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of treating sanitary landfill leachate using a combined anaerobic and activated sludge system. A high-strength leachate from Shiraz municipal landfill site was treated using this system. A two-stage laboratory-scale anaerobic digester under mesophilic conditions and an activated sludge unit were used. Landfill leachate composition and characteristics varied considerably during 8 months experiment (COD concentrations of 48,552–62,150 mg/L). It was found that the system could reduce the COD of the leachate by 94% at a loading rate of 2.25 g COD/L/d and 93% at loading rate of 3.37 g COD/L/d. The anaerobic digester treatment was quite effective in removing Fe, Cu, Mn, and Ni. However, in the case of Zn, removal efficiency was about 50%. For the rest of the HMs the removal efficiencies were in the range 88.8–99.9%. Ammonia reduction did not occur in anaerobic digesters. Anaerobic reactors increased alkalinity about 3.2–4.8% in the 1st digester and 1.8–7.9% in the 2nd digester. In activated sludge unit, alkalinity and ammonia removal efficiency were 49–60% and 48.6–64.7%, respectively. Methane production rate was in the range of 0.02–0.04, 0.04–0.07, and 0.02–0.04 L/g COD_rem for the 1st digester, the 2nd digester, and combination of both digesters, respectively; the methane content of the biogas varied between 60% and 63%.     

Treatment of mature landfill leachate by biofilters and Fenton oxidation

A series of processes by biofilter and Fenton oxidation to treat mature landfill leachate has been devised. At a hydraulic loading rate of 20 l m^?3 d^?1, a biofilter packed with aged refuse is found to remove 80% of chemical oxygen demand (COD), 89% of ammonia nitrogen and 96% of total phosphorus (TP). Particularly, TP levels dropped below 1 mg l^?1. The optimal condition for Fenton oxidation was selected to be an initial pH of 5, a dosage of 0.01 and 0.02 mol l^?1 of FeSO₄ and H₂O₂, respectively, and a duration of 3 h, where COD removal efficiency reaches 58.6%, and BOD₅/COD ratio is raised from 0.05 to 0.20. Subsequent treatment by a biofilter packed with slag reduces COD, ammonia nitrogen levels to less than 100, 25 mg l^?1, respectively. A pilot scale experiment conducted in situ demonstrates that this series of processes exhibits a high efficiency in removing pollutants from mature landfill leachate and it is viable for application.     

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.     

Effects of leachate accumulation on landfill stability in humid regions of China

Leachate levels are important to landfill stability and safety. High leachate or water levels often lead to landfill instability, which can cause accidents. Here a case study of a landfill located in a humid region of southern China is presented. Leachate distribution and quality were systematically analyzed, and the effect of leachate level on waste-mass stability was assessed. Boreholes were drilled in the field, samples were analyzed in the laboratory, and a simulation was performed. In addition, the safety and stability of the landfill was evaluated. The leachate level in the landfill was 9–19 m, which was higher than the top of the dam crest (8–20 m). Leachate accounted for more than 1/4 of the total landfill storage capacity. The contaminant concentration of the leachate samples collected directly from the waste body was very high, with large variation among the samples. The mean concentrations of NH₃–N, BOD, and COD from the waste body were 5404, 14,136, and 22,691 mg/L, nearly 2.7, 2.4, and 1.8 times the mean concentrations in the leachate pond, respectively. Three series of shear strength parameters were used in a slope stability analysis, and a limit equilibrium method was used to calculate the factor of safety (Fs). The analysis showed that Fs could be affected by potential anisotropy in the shear strength of the waste. The minimum values of Fs corresponding to series I were 1.84 and 1.17 for units ? and II, respectively. The Fs value of unit II was significantly lower than the safe design value (1.25). In addition, Fs decreased with increase in the normalized height of the leachate level, h/H, where h is the height of the leachate mound and H is the maximum thickness of the landfill. If the h/H values of units I and II are kept below 50% and 40%, respectively, a safe design value of 1.25 for Fs can be guaranteed. Therefore, some measures to prevent risk should be considered.     

Batch tests on mineral deposit formation due to co-mingling of leachates derived from municipal solid wastes and waste-to-energy combustion residues

Deposit formation in leachate collection systems can be problematic for landfill operations. Deposits from municipal solid waste (MSW) derived leachates are impacted by microbial activity and biofilm development, whereas leachates generated from co-disposal of MSW with combustion residues (CR) from waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities and other mineral-rich waste materials are more prone to forming dense mineral deposits dominated by calcium carbonate. In this study, leachates from laboratory lysimeters containing either WTE-CR or shredded MSW were mixed at different volumetric ratios. The mixed leachates were incubated for 5 weeks in batch tests to evaluate the potential for formation of precipitates. Although mineral precipitates have been reported to form in landfills with no co-disposal practices, in this study mineral precipitates did not form in either the WTE-CR derived leachate or the MSW derived leachate, but formed in all leachate mixtures. Mineral precipitates consisted of calcium carbonate particles, with the highest yield from a 1:1 combination of the WTE-CR derived leachate mixed with the MSW derived leachate. The introduction of gaseous carbon dioxide or air into WTE-CR derived leachate resulted in the production of particles of similar chemical composition but different morphology. Operation of landfills to prevent co-mingling of mineral-rich leachates with microbially active leachates and/or to control leachate exposure to sources of carbon dioxide may help to prevent this type of precipitate formation in leachate collection systems.     

Use of zeolitised coal fly ash for landfill leachate treatment: a pilot plant study

Treatment of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate generally results in low percentages of nutrient removal due to the high concentration and accumulation of refractory compounds. For this reason, individual physical, chemical and biological processes have been used for the treatment of raw landfill leachate and sometimes for the mixture of domestic wastewater and landfill leachate. In this work, the possibility of treating landfill leachate was tested in a bench-scale pilot plant by a two-step method combining adsorption and coagulation-flocculation. Zeolite synthesized from coal fly ash, a by-product of coal-fired power stations, was used in this study both as a decantation aid reagent and as an adsorbent of COD and NH4-N. The coagulation-flocculation step was performed by the use of aluminium sulphate and a polyelectrolyte (ACTIPOL A-401). The leachate was collected directly from a storage unit of the organic fraction of MSW, before it was composted. For this reason the raw leachate was diluted before treatment. The sludge was recirculated to enhance the removal efficiency of nutrients as well as to optimize flocculant saving and to decrease sludge production. The results showed that it is possible to remove 43%, 53% and 82% of COD, NH4-N, and suspended solids, respectively. Therefore, this method may be an alternative for ammonium removal, as well as a suitable pre- or post-treatment step, in combination with other processes in order to meet regulatory limits.     

Advanced physico-chemical treatment experiences on young municipal landfill leachates

In this study, Membrane Filtration (UF+RO), Struvite (MAP) precipitation and ammonia stripping alternatives were studied on biologically pre-treated Landfill Leachate. The results indicated that the system including the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket Reactor (UASBR) and Membrane Reactors (UF+RO) has been offered as an appropriate treatment alternative for young landfill leachates. This system provided high removals of COD, colour and conductivity (>98-99%). For ammonia removal, struvite precipitation was applied at the stoichiometric ratio (Mg:NH4:PO4=1:1:1) to anaerobically pre-treated raw landfill leachate effluent having an influent ammonium concentration of 2240 mg/l. Maximum ammonium nitrogen removal was observed as 85% at pH of 9.2. In ammonia stripping following 2 h of aeration, the removal was 72% at pH=12 while the removals were around 20% at pH=10 and pH=11. When membrane reactor, and struvite precipitation or ammonia stripping was applied to anaerobically pre-treated effluents, the results indicated that each system could be used as an appropriate post-treatment option for young landfill leachates. In economic aspect, ammonia stripping was found as the cheapest alternative with high ammonium removal. However, when both high COD and ammonium removals were to be achieved membrane technology such as UF+RO (SW) could be considered as the most appropriate system due to the fact that COD removal could be obtained very low by ammonia stripping.     

Metal releases from a municipal solid waste incineration air pollution control residue mixed with compost

The influence of 10 wt.% mature compost was tested on the heavy metal leachate emissions from a calcium-rich municipal solid waste incineration air pollution control residue (MSWI APC). Apart from elongated columns (500 and 1250 mm), an otherwise norm compliant European percolation test setup was used. More than 99% of the metals Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe and Ni were left in the APC residue after leaching to a liquid-to-solid ratio (L/S) of 10. Apparent short-term effects of elevated leachate DOC concentrations on heavy metal releases were not detected. Zn and Pb leachate concentrations were one order of magnitude lower for L/S 5 and 10 from the pure APC residue column, which suggests a possible long-term effect of compost on the release of these elements. Prolonging the contact time between the pore water and the material resulted in elevated leachate concentrations at L/S 0.1 to L/S 1 by a factor of 2. Only Cr and Pb concentrations were at their maxima in the first leachates at L/S 0.1. Equilibrium speciation modelling with the PHREEQC code suggested portlandite (Ca(OH)2) to control Ca solubility and pH.     

DETERMINATION OF ORGANIC PARAMETERS IN WASTE AND LEACHATES FROM THE HAZARDOUS WASTE LANDFILL OF RAINDORF; GERMANY

Extensive investigations of leachates and solid waste samples for organic sum parameters and environmentally relevant organic compounds were carried out at the hazardous waste landfill of Raindorf, which is operated in accordance with German Technical Instructions on Waste (TI Waste). The measurements showed that the majority of the waste samples contained only minor amounts of phenols, highly volatile chlorinated organic compounds (VCHC), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The concentrations ranged from less than 100μg/kg⁻¹up to 1000μg/kg⁻¹of dry substance. Only hydrocarbons were detected in higher concentrations (mg to g kg⁻¹of dry substance). In most leachate and gas samples taken at the landfill, the concentrations of the abovementioned parameters were close to or even below the detection limit. The measurement of organic single compounds underlined the usefulness of the sum parameters, adsorbable organic halogen compounds and phenol index, for the estimation of the total amount of these substances. A comparison of organic sum parameter concentrations measured in leachates from landfills of differing ages indicates that the application of TI Waste leads to a reduction of the organic load in the leachate.     

Organometals of tin, lead and mercury compounds in landfill gases and leachates from Bavaria, Germany

Organo-Sn, -Pb and -Hg compounds were monitored in gases and leachates of 11 municipal waste landfills and one hazardous waste landfill from Bavaria, Germany, with the objectives to estimate the methylation of Sn, Pb and Hg and to assess the risk of their release into the adjacent environment. In the gases, tetramethyl Sn predominated (>80% of total gaseous Sn) with concentrations up to 160mug Sn m(-3). Dimethyl-Hg and tetramethyl-Pb were only occasionally detected with concentrations up to 2.9 and 2.1mugm(-3) as Hg or Pb, respectively. In all leachates, trimethyl-Sn dominated with a maximum concentration of 2100ng Sn L(-1). No organo-Pb compounds were found, and monomethyl-Hg was detected in only one leachate. The concentrations of trimethyl-Sn were up to 100-fold higher in the condensate water than in leachates, and the concentrations of organo-Sn compounds were lower in the adjacent groundwater than in the corresponding leachates. The high abundance of methylated Sn species in the gases and leachates indicates Sn methylation, suggesting the landfill as a source for organo-Sn compounds. In comparison, methylation of Hg and Pb was of little importance, probably due to low Hg concentrations and low rates of Pb methylation in the landfill. The risks of organo-Sn compounds release to the adjacent air is low due to flaring of landfill gases. However, there is probable release of organo-Sn compounds, especially trimethyl-Sn, to the adjacent groundwater.     

Physiological and spectral responses of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to MSW leachate spray irrigation

Foliar gas exchange, water relations and spectral properties of understorey sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) sapling leaves were studied in a natural forested ecosystem subjected to spray irrigation of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachate and compared to similar measures taken from leaves of unirrigated saplings. Photosynthetic rates in irrigated saplings were reduced 34% to 53% in comparison to unirrigated sapling rates. Similarly, water use efficiency of sapling leaves subjected to direct leachate exposure dropped an average of 70%, while transpiration rates were similar to, and leaf temperatures were 20% higher than, those found in unirrigated leaves. Spectral patterns of understorey leaves, distorted because of the accumulation of leachate precipitate residues on the adaxial surface, demonstrated increased absorbance in the near infrared waveband and reduced reflection in visible wavebands compared to abaxial surfaces. The adaxial spectral properties of mid-canopy leaves (above maximum spray height) of mature sugar maple trees were not distorted by these residues and revealed spectra that suggested increased nitrogen uptake and benefit derived from leachate irrigation. These findings on leaf tissue integrity and energy budgets are discussed in terms of the implications for design of leachate treatment and disposal systems on land and for forest ecology in general.