An Integrated Leachate Treatment System for Removing Contaminants and Recovering Resources

Leachate pollution is a major issue with landfill operation. The existing technologies for leachate treatment require intensive consumption of energy and lack sustainability of water reuse. We propose a new approach for leachate treatment with goals of removing contaminants and recovering valuable resources, named as “R²-LeaTS” (Leachate Treatment System). The R²-LeaTS take advantages of both conventional and new technologies to achieve the removal of organics, nitrogen, and heavy metals, and the recovery of nitrogen, bioenergy and water. The system consists of three major processes, anaerobic digestion, microbial electrolysis cells, and forward osmosis. Leachate is treated through synergistic cooperation among the three processes. The research is original and innovative, because of its accomplishment of multiple tasks simultaneously. It fits into the EREF’s mission to generate sustainable, efficient and environmentally responsible technology, and has a strong relevance to research topic “Leachate Treatment” on the EREF Research Agenda. The success of the project will benefit the solid waste management industry with a cutting-edge treatment technology, strengthen collaboration and deliver talented students. The specific objectives that will be addressed in this project include:

• Investigate nitrogen removal and recovery in the R²-LeaTS;
• Examine water production in the forward osmosis;
• Study the fouling of ion exchange membranes and forward osmosis membranes.

Publications
Final Report

Iskander, S., Brazil, B., Novak, J. and He, Z.* (201_) Percarbonate Oxidation of Landfill Leachate towards Removal of Ultraviolet Quenchers. Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology. Under review.

Iskander, S., Novak, J., Brazil, B. and He, Z.* (201_) Simultaneous energy generation and UV quenchers removal from landfill leachate using a microbial fuel cell. Environmental Science & Pollution Research. Under 2ndreview.

Wu. S., Zou, S., Liang, G., Qian. G. and He, Z.* (2018) Enhancing recovery of magnesium as struvite from landfill leachate by pretreatment of calcium with simultaneous reduction of liquid volume via forward osmosis. Science of the Total Environment. Vol 610-611, pp 137-146.

Iskander, S., Zou, S., Brazil, B., Novak, J. and He, Z.* (2017) Energy consumption by forward osmosis treatment of landfill leachate for water recovery. Waste Management. Vol 63, pp 284-291.

Iskander, S., Brazil, B., Novak, J. and He, Z.* (2016) Resource recovery from landfill leachate using bioelectrochemical systems: opportunities, challenges, and perspectives. Bioresource Technology. Vol 201, pp 347-354.

Qin, M., Molitor, H., Brazil, B., Novak, J. and He, Z.* (2016) Recovery of nitrogen and water from landfill leachate by a microbial electrolysis cell -forward osmosis system. Bioresource Technology. Vol 200, pp 485-492.