Landfill Leachate Treatment in Jet-Loop Membrane Bioreactor Operated Under Different Organic Loading Rates

Abstract

Since treatment of landfill leachate is quite complicated, there is a need to develop a system that<br />is capable of providing high treatment efficiencies. In this study, the treatment performance of a jet - loop<br />membrane bioreactor (JLMB) operated at different organic loading rates was investigated by observing the<br />changes in Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Kjehldahl Nitrogen (TKN) and Total Ammonia (NH3)<br />concentrations. The same COD removal rates (83%) were observed at all the studied loading rates, and it<br />should be noted that the biodegradable part of the leachate was removed completely. It was also observed that the NH4 – N / TKN ratios, which were found to be approximately 0.9, did not change throughout the study. However, further treatment technologies, such as reverse osmosis, nanofiltration or ion - exchange, should be employed for the complete removal of inert COD and NH3 in order to meet related discharge limits.