The effectiveness of oil palm trunk waste derived coagulant for landfill leachate treatment

Abstract

Coagulation-flocculation has been extensively applied for semi-aerobic landfill leachate treatment, prior to other treatment methods. Opting for alternative other than conventional aluminium-based coagulants, mechanically treated starch from oil palm trunk waste had been tested as coagulant for semi-aerobic landfill leachate treatment. FTIR and corresponding elemental analysis had revealed its dominant functional groups like hydroxyl, carboxyl and amine, insinuating existences of starch, fatty acids, proteins, phosphonates, ash and small traces of lignin. Jar test using partially stabilised semi-aerobic landfill leachate from Pulau Burung Landfill Site had shown that this particular botanical coagulant could remove suspended solids and COD in semi-aerobic landfill leachate, though the efficiencies were relatively much lower compared to those of polyaluminium chloride (PAC). Apparently, it was more suitable to be applied as coagulant aid in tandem with PAC, augmenting PAC coagulation performance with 12-16% of improvement. The findings of this first ever attempt had unravelled the potential of oil palm trunk waste in semi-aerobic leachate treatment