Physico-chemical treatment of anaerobic landfill leachate using activated carbon and zeolite: Batch and column studies

Leachate generated from one of the old landfills in Malaysia contains high concentrations of colour, COD, iron and ammoniacal. The ability of activated carbon-zeolite mixtures as an adsorbent was investigated in this research. Results of the batch experiments indicated that more than 522.2 mg/g of colour, 52.63 mg/g of iron, 232.6 mg/g of COD and 21.01 mg/g of ammoniacal nitrogen were removed by a mixture of activated carbon and zeolite. Results of the column studies indicated that more than 70% of colour and ammoniacal nitrogen, 80% of COD and 90% of iron were removed on the first five days. Copyright © 2010 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.