Origin of low carbon/nitrogen ratios in leachate from old municipal solid waste landfills

Abstract

The characteristics of leachate from old municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills were investigated. The leachate from three MSW landfills were analysed and the leachate from an old landfill was characterized as having low BOD and low C/ N (carbon/nitrogen) ratios. The C/N ratios and molecular size distribution of the leachate were compared with solutions of selected materials having different biodegradation stages. Low C/N ratios are commonly observed for all degraded materials, and degradation of lower molecular weight compounds reduces C/N ratio. Auto-degradation of microorganism biomass was thought to be the origin of long-term low C/N ratios of leachate. This hypothesis was confirmed by the experimental study of auto-degradation of sewage sludge.

Keywords

Auto-degradation of biomass C/N ratio HPLC analysis Japan leachate MSW landfill

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Beaven, R.P. & Walker, A.N. (1997) Evaluation of the Total Pollution-Load of MSW Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium . Cagliari, Italy: CISA, pp.55-71.

Belevi, H. & Baccini, P. (1989) Long-term behaviour of municipal solid waste landfills . Waste Management & Research 7, 43-56.

Chen, P.H. , Chen, C.Y. & Jenq, C.H. (1997) Nitrogen Control in Landfill Leachate Treatment. Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium. Cagliari, Italy: CISA , pp.293-302.

Dockhom, T. , Chang, L. & Ditchl, N. (1997) Removal of nitrogen from landfill leachate by using SBR-Technology. Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium. Cagliari, Italy: CISA, pp.305-314.

Ehrig, E.J. (1990) Leachate Quality. In: Christensen, T. H. , Cossu, R. , Stegmann, R. (eds). Sanitary Landfilling: Process, and Technology and Environmental Impact. London , UK: Academic Press, pp.213-230.

Hanashima, M. (1981) Experimental study of landfill structure. Civil Engineering Research Report 301, 69-76(in Japanese).

Heyer, K.U. & Stegmann, R. (1997) The Long-term Behaviour of Landfills: Results of the Joint Research Project 'Landfill Body'. Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium. Cagliari , Italy: CISA, pp.73-87.

Jsac (1994) Water Analysis. 4th edn. The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry, Hokkaido branch, Japan (in Japanese).

Koeing, A. & Liu, L.H. (1997) Autotrophic denitrification of nitrified landfill leachate in sulphur packed bed reactor. Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium. Cagliari , Italy: CISA, pp.283-292.

10.

Lee, N. , Kusuda, T. , Shimaoka, T. , Matufuji, Y. & Hanashima, M. (1993) Qualitative transformation of pollutants in model solid waste layers. Journal of the Japan Society, Waste Management Experts 4 (2), 53-63 (In Japanese).

11.

Park, S. , Kusuda, T. , Shimaoka, T. , Matufuji, Y. & Hanashima, M. (1994) Effect of air permeability in solid waste landfill layer on the stabilization of leachate quality. Journal of the Japan Society, Waste Management Experts (5)1, 19-28 (In Japanese).

12.

Tambo, N. & Kamei, T. (1993) Evaluation matrix for water treatment. Journal of Water Works Association 62 (9), 28-40 (in Japanese).

13.

Tanaka, N. , Kim, Y.K. & Matsuto, T. (1996) Theoretical estimation for removal ability of organic pollutant through crushed stone layer around leachate collection pipe and design of the pipe in semi-aerobic sanitary landfills (In Japanese). Journal of Environmental Systems and Engineering. No. 552/VII, 1, 85-93.

14.

Ziegler, C. (1997) Nitrogen fixation and release from biologically pretreated MSW. Proceedings Sardinia '95, 6th International Landfill Symposium. Cagliari, Italy: CISA, pp. 513-521.