Treatment of landfill leachate via Advanced Oxidation Process (AOPs) - A review

Abstract

The landfill is a primary method used to dispose of solid waste around the world. Leachate has toxic and refractory organic matter that originated from the ground and surface waters. The landfill leachate treatment is mainly focused on the removal of organic matter, which contributes to the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and toxic nitrogenous substances during treatment. Formation of leachate poses a serious problem closely related to the use of landfill sites and it is formed through the permeated mineral and organic compounds from the landfill bed. Due to its diverse chemical composition, it is necessary to purify the leachate before it is discharged into the drains or a natural receiver. The current review mainly discusses the Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) which is used for the treatment of landfill leachate, especially the refractory organic compounds present in the wastewater. The application of AOPs represents the advancement in water and wastewater treatment which enables conversion of non-biodegradables to biodegradable compounds.