A REVIEW OF LEACHATE TREATMENT TECHNIQUE

A major environmental impact of waste landfilling is the contamination caused by generated leachate, which includes soluble and suspended solids from various compounds. This study aims to critically review leachate treatment techniques that address various composition factors depending on the waste type and age. Methods such as biological treatments using activated sludge (AS), up-flow anaerobic sludge blankets (UASB), and sequencing batch reactors (SBR) are well-documented for removing ammonia and organic contaminants, with reported efficiencies exceeding 90% for COD and over 80% for ammonia. However, the effectiveness diminishes in mature leachate compared to younger forms. Additionally, physicochemical methods like activated carbon adsorption and reverse osmosis (RO) have demonstrated significant treatment capabilities. This paper discusses the efficiencies, advantages, and drawbacks of each technique, highlighting that combined approaches, such as AS paired with RO, can achieve nearly total removal of both COD and NH4-N. The findings assert that while complete elimination of leachate generation is unfeasible, optimizing treatment through a combination of methods presents a viable pathway for mitigating environmental impact.