Journal of Pollution Effects & Control
Open Access

Abstract

Organic Matter Removal from Leachate Using a Mixed Soil-Activated Carbon

Martínez-Gallegos S, Rosano-Ortega G, González-Juárez J, Pérez-Armendáriz B, Macedo-Miranda G, Vega-Lebrún CA and Muro-Urista C

A sustainable proposal was developed for environmental protection to the area around a landfill without control. Diverse columns for simulated permeable barrier packed with semi-wasted activated carbon (AC) from water treatment coming from a deionized equipment and soil samples taken from a landfill without any contamination control located in Mexicaltzingo (México) were studied to remove natural organic matter (NOM) from leachate samples (LS), taken from a landfill site, and laboratory prepared samples (LLS). Natural organic matter measured like chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), nitrites and nitrates was removed through packed columns. Two different packed forms were tested; in column A, the AC was placed as a support for the landfill soil samples and, in column B, a homogeneous mixed of AC and landfill soil was used. Experiments showed that a short time, 60 min is optimal for a fast NOM removal, COD and BOD decreased up to 94% from the initial concentration in LS; for column B, the same parameters plus nitrites and nitrates were removed up to 100%, making it the most efficient treatment. There are not significant differences in NOM removal for soil samples taken at 3 or 12 meters and the used AC is a semi-wasted revalorized residue. The proposal in this work, for NOM removal through packed columns measured by 4 parameters, shows to be viable as an initial proposal to be used as a permeable barrier to reduce a contamination risk associated to the landfill area.