Treatment of high strength leachate by biological nutrient removal processes

This study describes the performance of a pilot-scale A/O system with respect to not only conventional wastewater quality parameters, but also specific volatile and semi-volatile organics. Hydraulic loadings were increased from 1.0 to 3.0 m3/d in two stages. The leachate was characterized by highly variable BOD, COD, TKN, and NH3-N concentrations ranging from 540-7185, 2040-8470, 501-1294, and 321-1000 mg/l respectively with over 91% of the BOD and 95% of the COD in soluble form. Concentrations of VOCs primarily benzene, chlorobenzene, ethylbenzene, toluene, o-xylene, m and p-xylene, 1,1-dichloroethane, and trichloroethylene ranging from 0.2 to 81.4 μg/l were reduced to below detection levels in the A/O system. At the three loadings investigated in the study i.e. 1, 2, and 3 m3 /d, the system affected excellent removals of organics and nitrogen, with reductions of soluble BOD (SBOD), total BOD, soluble COD (SCOD), COD, TKN, NH3-N, and total nitrogen of 91-100%, 87-97%, 65-93%, 57-91%, 84-96%, 99.96-99.97%, and 81-90% respectively. At the various loadings investigated in this study, effluent concentrations of SBOD, BOD,COD, SCOD, TKN, NH3-N, and nitrates as low as 4, 56, 685, 608, 35.2, 0.6, and 28.8 mg/l respectively were routinely achieved. Furthermore, despite operating at high mixed liquor solids in the 5000-6500 mg/l range, and the adversely long hydraulic residence time in the clarifier of 2 days, effluent total and volatile suspended solids concentrations of about 50 and 30 mg/l were achieved. The A/O system was not only capable of achieving the required sewer discharge criteria but it also demonstrated the achievability of surface discharge criteria, thus eliminating the need for additional treatment at the municipal wastewater treatment facilities. The system operated in a very stable fashion resisting the wide fluctuations in influent quality. (author)