Biological nutrient removal by internal circulation upflow sludge blanket reactor after landfill leachate pretreatment

The removal of biological nutrient from mature landfill leachate with a high nitrogen load by an internal circulation upflow sludge blanket （ICUSB） reactor was studied. The reactor is a set of anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic （A^2/O） bioreactors, developed on the basis of an expended granular sludge blanket （EGSB）, granular sequencing batch reactor （GSBR） and intermittent cycle extended aeration system （ICEAS）. Leachate was subjected to stripping by agitation process and poly ferric sulfate coagulation as a pretreatment process, in order to reduce both ammonia toxicity to microorganisms and the organic contents. The reactor was operated under three different operating systems, consisting of recycling sludge with air （A^2/O）, recycling sludge without air （low oxygen） and a combination of both （A^2/O and low oxygen）. The lowest effluent nutrient levels were realised by the combined system of A^2/O and low oxygen, which resulted in effluent of chemical oxygen demand （COD）, NH3-N and biological oxygen demand （BOD5） concentrations of 98.20, 13.50 and 22.50 mg/L. The optimal operating conditions for the efficient removal of biological nutrient using the ICUSB reactor were examined to evaluate the influence of the parameters on its performance. The results showed that average removal efflciencies of COD and NH3- N of 96.49% and 99.39%, respectively were achieved under the condition of a hydraulic retention time of 12 hr, including 4 hr of pumping air into the reactor, with dissolved oxygen at an rate of 4 mg/L and an upflow velocity 2 m/hr. These combined processes were successfully employed and effectively decreased pollutant loading.

Metals and metalloid bioconcentrations in the tissues of Typha latifolia grown in the four interconnected ponds of a domestic landfill site

The uptake of metals in roots and their transfer to rhizomes and above-ground plant parts（stems, leaves） of cattails（Typha latifolia L.） were studied in leachates from a domestic landfill site（Etueffont, France） and treated in a natural lagooning system. Plant parts and corresponding water and sediment samples were taken at the inflow and outflow points of the four ponds at the beginning and at the end of the growing season. Concentrations of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn in the different compartments were estimated and their removal efficiency assessed, reaching more than 90% for Fe, Mn and Ni in spring and fall as well in the water compartment. The above-and below-ground cattail biomass varied from 0.21 to 0.85, and 0.34 to 1.24 kg dry weight/m^2, respectively, the highest values being recorded in the fourth pond in spring 2011. The root system was the first site of accumulation before the rhizome, stem and leaves. The highest metal concentration was observed in roots from cattails growing at the inflow of the system＇s first pond. The trend in the average trace element concentrations in the cattail plant organs can generally be expressed as： Fe 〉 Mn 〉 As 〉 Zn 〉 Cr 〉 Cu 〉 Ni 〉 Cd for both spring and fall. While T. latifolia removes trace elements efficiently from landfill leachates, attention should also be paid to the negative effects of these elements on plant growth.