Case study of landfill leachate recirculation using small-diameter vertical wells

A case study of landfill liquids addition using small diameter (5 cm) vertical wells is reported. More than 25,000 m³ of leachate was added via 134 vertical wells installed 3 m, 12 m, and 18 m deep over five years in a landfill in Florida, US. Liquids addition performance (flow rate per unit screen length per unit liquid head) ranged from 5.6 × 10^?8 to 3.6 × 10^?6 m³ s^?1 per m screen length per m liquid head. The estimated radial hydraulic conductivity ranged from 3.5 × 10^?6 to 4.2 × 10^?4 m s^?1. The extent of lateral moisture movement ranged from 8 to 10 m based on the responses of moisture sensors installed around vertical well clusters, and surface seeps were found to limit the achievable liquids addition rates, despite the use of concrete collars under a pressurized liquids addition scenario. The average moisture content before (51 samples) and after (272 samples) the recirculation experiments were 23% (wet weight basis) and 45% (wet weight basis), respectively, and biochemical methane potential measurements of excavated waste indicated significant (p < 0.025) decomposition.     

Metal distribution characteristic of MSWI bottom ash in view of metal recovery

Bottom ash is the major by-product of municipal solid waste incineration(MSWI), and is often reused as an engineering material, such as road-base aggregate. However, some metals(especially aluminum) in bottom ash can react with water and generate gas that could cause expansion and failure of products containing the ash; these metals must be removed before the ash is utilized. The size distribution and the chemical speciation of metals in the bottom ash from two Chinese MSWI plants were examined in this study, and the recovery potential of metals from the ash was evaluated. The metal concentrations in these bottom ashes were lower than that generated in other developed countries. Specifically, the contents of Al,Fe, Cu and Zn were 18.9–29.2, 25.5–32.3, 0.7–1.0 and 1.6–2.5 g/kg, respectively. Moreover,44.9–57.0 wt.% of Al and 55.6–75.4 wt.% of Fe were distributed in bottom ash particles smaller than 5 mm. Similarly, 46.6–79.7 wt.% of Cu and 42.9–74.2 wt.% of Zn were concentrated in particles smaller than 3 mm. The Fe in the bottom ash mainly existed as hematite, and its chemical speciation was considered to limit the recovery efficiency of magnetic separation.     

Phosphorus recovery from municipal and fertilizer wastewater: China's potential and perspective

Phosphorus (P) is a limited resource, which can neither be synthesized nor substituted in its essential functions as nutrient. Currently explored and economically feasible global reserves may be depleted within generations. China is the largest phosphate fertilizer producing and consuming country in the world. China''s municipal wastewater contains up to 293,163 Mg year of phosphorus, which equals approximately 5.5% of the chemical fertilizer phosphorus consumed in China. Phosphorus in wastewater can be seen not only as a source of pollution to be reduced, but also as a limited resource to be recovered. Based upon existing phosphorus-recovery technologies and the current wastewater infrastructure in China, three options for phosphorus recovery from sewage sludge, sludge ash and the fertilizer industry were analyzed according to the specific conditions in China.     

城市污泥中重金属有效态分布特征研究

以沈阳市北部污水处理厂剩余活性污泥为研究对象,对污泥中重金属Cd,Pb,Cu,Zn的含量及其形态分布特性进行分析。结果表明:污泥中4种重金属的含量基本符合国家相关控制标准(GB 18918-2002和CJ248-2007)。采用8种提取剂(0.05 mol/L EDTA,0.01 mol/L CaCl2,0.01 mol/LCa2(NO3)2,0.1 mol/L NaNO3,1 mol/L NH4OAC,0.43 mol/LHAC,0.05mol/L NaHCO3和0.05 mol/L Tris-HCl)分别对污泥中重金属的螯合态,中性交换态,酸溶态,碱溶态和蛋白质结合态进行分离分析。结果表明:4种重金属螯合态存在的比例较大,分别占各重金属总量的5.9%~27.2%,其次为酸溶态和中性交换态,而以碱溶态和蛋白质结合态形式存在的比例较少,除Cd外均低于1%。污泥中Cd和Pb具有较高的活性,而Cu,Zn在碱性污泥中主要以稳定态存在。     

Levels of perfluorochemicals in water samples from Catalonia,Spain: is drinking water a significant contribution to human exposure?

Background, aim, and scope  In recent years, due to a high persistence, biomagnification in food webs, presence in remote regions, and potential toxicity, perfluorochemicals (PFCs) have generated a considerable interest. The present study was aimed to determine the levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and other PFCs in drinking water (tap and bottled) and river water samples from Tarragona Province (Catalonia, Spain). Materials and methods  Municipal drinking (tap) water samples were collected from the four most populated towns in the Tarragona Province, whereas samples of bottled waters were purchased from supermarkets. River water samples were collected from the Ebro (two samples), Cortiella, and Francolí Rivers. After pretreatment, PFC analyses were performed by HPLC-MS. Quantification was done using the internal standard method, with recoveries between 68% and 118%. Results  In tap water, PFOS and PFOA levels ranged between 0.39 and 0.87 ng/L (0.78 and 1.74 pmol/L) and between 0.32 and 6.28 ng/L (0.77 and 15.2 pmol/L), respectively. PFHpA, PFHxS, and PFNA were also other detected PFCs. PFC levels were notably lower in bottled water, where PFOS could not be detected in any sample. Moreover, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFOA, PFNA, PFOS, PFOSA, and PFDA could be detected in the river water samples. PFOS and PFOA concentrations were between <0.24 and 5.88 ng/L (<0.48 and 11.8 pmol/L) and between <0.22 and 24.9 ng/L (<0.53 and 60.1 pmol/L), respectively. Discussion  Assuming a human water consumption of 2 L per day, the daily intake of PFOS and PFOA by the population of the area under evaluation was calculated (0.78–1.74 and 12.6 ng, respectively). It was found that drinking water might be a source of exposure to PFCs as important as the dietary intake of these pollutants. Conclusions  The contribution of drinking water (tap and bottled) to the human daily intake of various PFCs has been compared for the first time with data from dietary intake of these PFCs. It was noted that in certain cases, drinking water can be a source of exposure to PFCs as important as the dietary intake of these pollutants although the current concentrations were similar or lower than those reported in the literature for surface water samples from a number of regions and countries. Recommendations and perspectives  Further studies should be carried out in order to increase the knowledge of the role of drinking water in human exposure to PFCs.     

城市污泥-磷石膏陶粒的制备条件及性能分析

以城市污水处理厂剩余污泥和磷酸生产废渣磷石膏为原料制备多孔陶粒,考察不同配比、烧结温度及烧结时间对多孔陶粒堆积密度、吸水率及盐酸可溶率的影响。结果表明:在污泥与磷石膏混合比1∶4、烧结温度1 050℃、烧结时间15 min的条件下,可制得堆积密度为685.78 kg/m~3、吸水率27.34%、盐酸可溶率11.38%的陶粒,该陶粒内部含有丰富的膨胀气孔,可用作水处理滤料或建材骨料。     

城市污水生物处理系统中微生物酶的活性及其分布

通过水解模式底物进行分光光度测定的方法,研究了城市污水生物处理系统中微生物酶的活性.选取亮氨酸氨基肽酶、β-葡萄糖苷酶、碱性磷酸酶和脂酶等胞外酶进行分析,结果发现4种胞外酶的平均活性在31.O～88.5 μmol/(L·h),其中76.9%～94.8%的酶活性分布在活性污泥中,说明绝大部分胞外酶是与细胞相连或固定在细胞外多聚絮体基质里.混合水样和出水水样中的DOC几乎相等,而各胞外酶与DOC不存在任何显著的相关关系.增加NO3-浓度可提高亮氨酸氨基肽酶和β-葡萄糖苷酶的活性,但对碱性磷酸酶和脂酶却有明显的抑制作用.     

厌氧-好氧生物反应器填埋工艺特性研究

基于生物反应器填埋技术,研究1种填埋场地循环操作的厌氧-好氧生物反应器填埋工艺,设计了该工艺模拟装置并研究了其运行工艺特性.厌氧阶段主要通过渗滤液回灌控制反应器工艺条件,主要试验结果为,pH值,R1在 6周后可上升至6.7～7.8,R2在17周内一直低于6.8;渗滤液COD浓度,R1在13周时下降至10?617 mg/L,R2在5周后上升至60?000 mg/L后长期趋于稳定;填埋气累计产量,R1在8周达到44%,R2几乎不产气.衡量稳定化可以分别采用渗滤液pH、COD浓度及BOD₅/COD的减少率、填埋气的累计产率等指标来判断,并据此转换为好氧填埋运行.好氧阶段主要是通过强制通风来减少恶臭和水分,主要试验结果为,通风19d氨气浓度降为1.16 mg/m³,通风23d后恶臭浓度降为19;通风14d后含水率降为26%.完成此阶段的工艺指标值可依据矿化垃圾开采的最终用途确定.对主要试验数据进行了数值模拟.厌氧-好氧填埋过程的微生物演替经RISA分析,有4个优势菌群,一些兼性菌群在厌氧-好氧阶段起着重要的承前启后作用.     

The effects of leachate recirculation with supplemental water addition on methane production and waste decomposition in a simulated tropical landfill

In order to increase methane production efficiency, leachate recirculation is applied in landfills to increase moisture content and circulate organic matter back into the landfill cell. In the case of tropical landfills, where high temperature and evaporation occurs, leachate recirculation may not be enough to maintain the moisture content, therefore supplemental water addition into the cell is an option that could help stabilize moisture levels as well as stimulate biological activity. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of leachate recirculation and supplemental water addition on municipal solid waste decomposition and methane production in three anaerobic digestion reactors. Anaerobic digestion with leachate recirculation and supplemental water addition showed the highest performance in terms of cumulative methane production and the stabilization period time required. It produced an accumulated methane production of 54.87 l/kg dry weight of MSW at an average rate of 0.58 l/kg dry weight/d and reached the stabilization phase on day 180. The leachate recirculation reactor provided 17.04 l/kg dry weight at a rate of 0.14l/kg dry weight/d and reached the stabilization phase on day 290. The control reactor provided 9.02 l/kg dry weight at a rate of 0.10 l/kg dry weight/d, and reached the stabilization phase on day 270. Increasing the organic loading rate (OLR) after the waste had reached the stabilization phase made it possible to increase the methane content of the gas, the methane production rate, and the COD removal. Comparison of the reactors' efficiencies at maximum OLR (5 kgCOD/m(3)/d) in terms of the methane production rate showed that the reactor using leachate recirculation with supplemental water addition still gave the highest performance (1.56 l/kg dry weight/d), whereas the leachate recirculation reactor and the control reactor provided 0.69 l/kg dry weight/d and 0.43 l/kg dry weight/d, respectively. However, when considering methane composition (average 63.09%) and COD removal (average 90.60%), slight differences were found among these three reactors.     

Illicit drugs in wastewater of the city of Zagreb (Croatia) - Estimation of drug abuse in a transition country

A comprehensive study of various psychoactive substances and their metabolites was performed in the wastewater treatment plant of the city of Zagreb (780 000 inhabitants) using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The estimation of drug abuse for five different illicit drugs, including heroin, cocaine, marijuana, amphetamine and ecstasy, was made on the basis of their representative excretion rates, which were determined over a period of 8 months. Marijuana (1000 kg/year), heroin (75 kg/year) and cocaine (47 kg/year) were found to be the most frequently consumed illicit drugs, while the consumption of amphetamine-type drugs was much lower (1-3 kg/year). A comparison with other reports indicated that drug abuse profiles in transition countries might be different from those reported for Western Europe, in particular with respect to the comparatively increased consumption of heroin. Enhanced consumption of stimulating drugs (cocaine and ectasy) was systematically detected during weekends.