Abstract
Municipal solid waste leachate (MSWL) has the potential to pollute the water environment and to affect biological treatment processes adversely if not properly handled. Reverse osmosis (RO) has the ability to remove both organics and inorganics effectively from effluents. Therefore, RO was evaluated for the treatment of MSWL. It was found that both cellulose acetate and polyamide RO membranes should function effectively for the treatment of the leachate and that it should be possible to control membrane fouling with chemical cleaning. The polyamide membranes, however, performed somewhat better than the cellulose acetate membranes for the treatment of the leachate. The quality of the treated leachate with the exception of ammonia-nitrogen and COD should comply with the quality requirements for discharge into the water environment. Biological treatment processes are effective in complete removal (to only traceable levels) of ammonia-nitrogen and biodegradable COD. The quality of the treated effluent further complies with the quality requirements (chloride and heavy metals) for discharge into the municipal biological treatment system. The capital and operational cost of a 250 m3/d tubular reverse osmosis (TRO) plant is estimated at R1.95 m. and R11.45/m3, respectively.
Highlights
Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation is increasing with industrial and commercial growth (Lin and Chang, 2000)
Landfilling is at present the most popular and economical way of solid waste disposal and leachate generated from a landfill site poses a major problem of landfill disposal of MSW due to potential ground- and surface water pollution (Usher et al, 2004)
Tubular reverse osmosis (TRO) should be a very suitable technology for the treatment of hazardous leachate with a high suspended solids and a relatively low TDS concentration. This type of leachate is produced by many landfill sites in South Africa and has the potential to pollute the water environment and to adversely affect biological treatment processes
Summary
Municipal solid waste (MSW) generation is increasing with industrial and commercial growth (Lin and Chang, 2000). Tubular reverse osmosis (TRO) should be a very suitable technology for the treatment of hazardous leachate with a high suspended solids and a relatively low TDS concentration. This type of leachate is produced by many landfill sites in South Africa and has the potential to pollute the water environment and to adversely affect biological treatment processes. Reverse osmosis runs (pilot study) were conducted in the feed-and-bleed mode of operation at Bisasar Road Landfill Site (Schoeman et al, 2004) (Fig. 2). The pH of the feed water to the cellulose acetate and polyamide mem2b1ranes was adjusted with hydrochloric acid to pH 6.2 to 6.5 and 7 to 7.2, respectively. Note All results are in mg/l except for pH value and electrical conductivity (mS/m)
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