Classification Methodology for Landfill Leachates
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 8
Abstract
A characterization scheme based on landfill leachate chemical signatures could support studies of leachate evolution over time and liner performance, and help confirm or disprove potential leachate contamination of groundwater. Wide variations in single constituents across time, sites, and site practices, and inconsistencies related to common bivariate measures suggest a robust, multivariate analysis could be useful. A subjective analytical comparison of soluble salts has been developed and supports graphical depictions of multiple samples. The hypothesis is that leachates with similar chemistry form clusters, and this was tested using a data set of 652 samples from 26 distinct liner systems collected from a Long Island landfill over more than 20 years. Most (75%) of diagrams were classified into three general leachate groupings that associated with the kinds of wastes received in the particular landfill module (90% if early leachate results are not considered).
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Acknowledgments
Some of this work has been supported by a grant from the Town of Brookhaven (NY). Although the Town of Brookhaven supported the work described in this article, it does not necessarily reflect the view of the Town and no official endorsement should be inferred. The Town makes no warranties as to the usability or suitability of the materials and the Town shall be under no liability for any use made therefrom. Matthew Henigman helped create the figures.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 8 • August 2013
Pages: 1119 - 1122
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 18, 2012
Accepted: Apr 10, 2013
Published online: Apr 12, 2013
Published in print: Aug 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Sep 12, 2013
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