Complete Treatment of Compost Leachate Using Integrated Biological and Membrane Filtration Processes

Abstract

<em>A lab-scale SBR equipped with a flat sheet membrane in submerged configuration that is named MSBR was used for the </em><em>treatment of composting leachate</em><em>. It was fed by biologically treated </em><em>leachate with overall </em><em>70-1360 mg/L </em><em>Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). </em><em>The values of pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) were monitored routinely. However, analysis of total COD, Soluble COD (SCOD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD₅), Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) was done in feed and filtrate, whenever the system reached steady state twice a week for about 6 months.</em><em>I</em><em>n all loading rate, BOD₅ concentration was less than standard limit. </em><em>The removal efficiency of total COD increased in the bioreactor with time in all experiments was up to 80%.</em><em>Influent SCOD varied spectacularly (50-1050</em><em>mg/L</em><em>) due to the leachate collection during different seasons but in the </em><em>effluent, it <br /> </em><em>remained relatively stable. </em><em>About </em><em>60% of the feed SCOD </em>was the non biodegradable type that was separated by<em> the membrane.</em>Up to 99 % further solids was removed with micropore membrane which might be mainly<em> included in colloidal solids. The value of EC for the leachate sample was </em><em>0.86-4 </em><em>mS/cm at 22 °C</em><em> which decreased by membrane significantly.</em>It was concluded that MSBR as a versatile technology with high throughput could treat composting leachate below<em>the </em><em>standard limit if used after proper processes.</em>