Journal of Pollution Effects & Control
Open Access

Abstract

Effects of Landfill Leachate application on Crops growth and Properties of a Mediterranean Sandy Soil

Nesrine Turki and Bouzid J

Physical chemical analysis of the Bizerte’s landfill leachate showed high amounts of ammoniacal nitrogen. Its treatment with combined process of coagulation/flocculation, Fenton and powder zeolite adsorption allowed a treated effluent with low content of nitrogen. The microtoxicity of raw and treated leachate was monitored by LUMIStox and its phytotoxicity was examined by seed germination/root elongation tests using seeds of Lycopersicon esculentum, Lolium perenne, Helianthus annus and Medicago sativa. Seedlings of the three species (Lycopersicon esculentum, Helianthus annus and Medicago sativa) were grown in pots, which irrigated with treated leachate at the median effective concentration (EC50) levels, NPK fertilizer and tap water as a control. LUMIStox tests showed that combined process allowed a significant toxicity removal. Treated leachate played fertilizing effect on plants growth. An increase in median effective concentration from 18% to 25% was observed. However, raw leachate showed lower median effective concentration levels varied between 4% and 5%. Results indicated that plants receiving treated leachate and fertilizer grew better than those receiving water alone. The growth of plants with treated leachate irrigation did not differ significantly from plants treated with fertilizer. Treated Leachate irrigation also improved soil N content. Indeed, soils amended with treated leachate had more extractable N concentration in comparison with control soil.