Improving Ammonia Volatilization Through pH Adjustment

The Three Rivers Solid Waste Authority (TRSWA) landfill located near Jackson, SC accepts approximately 1,000 tons per day of solid waste, which generate 15,000 to 20,000 gallons per day of leachate. This can exceed the capacity of their on-site biological treatment basin. Excess leachate must be transported via tanker truck to a local publicly owned treatment works for disposal; however, acceptance of these leachate loads can be limited due to high ammonia concentrations. The goal of this project is to develop an understanding of how pH and temperature adjustments impact ammonia volatilization to help reduce the concentration of ammonia and whether these adjustments can be implemented on-site to enhance volatilization of leachate as a sustainable materials management practice. Analysis of this study includes bench scale experiments that evaluate the amount of ammonia volatilized if increasing leachate pH using a buffering agent under different temperatures and an economic analysis of the operationalization of these techniques.

Research Partner: Dr. Nicole Berge (University of South Carolina)

Funding: $114,500