Biological Treatment Kinetics of Landfill Leachate

Biological treatment study with sanitary landfill leachate was conducted using a laboratory scale, continuous flow, activated sludge unit. The treatment kinetic coefficients have been developed and are in this paper. Simulated landfills were constructed and operated to produce leachate for treatment study. The leachate was diluted and was used as substrate in the continuous flow biological reactor. The bench-scale reactor was designed to simulate a continuous flow, complete mix, activated sludge model with sludge recycle and was operated at different concentrations of mixed liquor suspended solids. Growth kinetic coefficients Y, k_d, and substrate removal kinetic coefficients k, K_s were determined from the test data and were compared with those for domestic sewage. The overall performance of the experimental unit and the results indicate that the landfill leachate can be effectively treated in a conventional activated sludge plant.