Applicability of conventional and non-conventional parameters for municipal landfill leachate characterization

Abstract

The disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) in landfills generates leachate, a highly polluting liquid to the aquatic environment. Leachate composition become a challenge to choose the best treatment process. Then, detailed techniques to determine the organic content, in terms of refractability, composition, sources and biodegradability in landfill leachate can help to choose the appropriate treatment and improve landfill management. In this sense, the aim of this study is to apply conventional and non-conventional parameters through inert chemical oxygen demand (COD) analyses and spectroscopic techniques of fluorescence and UV–vis absorbance for the characterization of municipal landfill leachate. Results indicated that physicochemical characterization cannot provided enough detailed information about leachate composition, which becomes the treatment process fragile. Inert COD, besides have high time to execution (∼30 days), presented additional information on potential of biological treatability in anaerobic conditions. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) characterization showed transitions between labile and refractory organic matter compounds. Moreover, the cost estimated showed that non-conventional parameters analysis have lower investment than conventional, being their implementation feasible. In conclusion, the synergy between conventional and non-conventional parameters, and the detailed information provided by inert COD and DOM characterization, shown a useful tool to the landfill management and, consequently, improving treatment process and its efficiency.