Nondestructive test to track pollutant transport into landfill liners

Over the last decade, waste disposal has become a particularly sensitive issue in Algeria. New legislation concerning landfill liner design has been adopted. Traditional methods of landfill liner characterization involve soil sampling and chemical analysis, which are costly, destructive and time-consuming. New techniques are currently being investigated that aim to provide nondestructive liner characterisation. This paper details technical aspects associated with electrical conductivity measurements within landfill liners and presents experimental work to show the direct application of electrical techniques to track ionic movement through a sand bentonite liner under chemically induced flow. Samples of sand bentonite were mixed and compacted with NaCl electrolytes at different concentrations. The electrical conductivities of compacted specimens were measured with a two-electrode cell. The effects of frequency and electrolyte concentration on the conductivity measurement were explored. The relationship between the soil electrical conductivity and the NaCl electrolyte concentration in interstitial pore fluid was determined. The conductivity measurements were used to quantify the pore fluid concentration and effective diffusion coefficient of sand bentonite liners. It is concluded here that the electrical conductivity of compacted specimens depends mainly on the salt concentration in the pore fluid, and that this approach could therefore be used to track ionic movement through liners during diffusion.     

垃圾渗滤液有机污染组分在包气带中衰减规律的模拟研究

用若干土柱模拟试验研究了垃圾渗滤液有机污染组分在不同岩性、不同厚度包气带介质中的运移规律,并计算了有机污染组分在包气带中运移的有关水化学迁移参数(阻滞因子R和水化学迁移率E).结果表明,有机污染组分在不同岩性介质中的R值顺序为:粘土＞亚粘土＞砂土,在相同岩性中随着厚度的增加R呈正相关增大.从而为评价和预测垃圾场对地质环境影响提供技术参数,并为垃圾场的选址提供理论依据.     

Biogeochemistry of landfill leachate plumes

The literature has been critically reviewed in order to assess the attenuation processes governing contaminants in leachate affected aquifers. Attenuation here refers to dilution, sorption, ion exchange, precipitation, redox reactions and degradation processes. With respect to contaminants, focus is on dissolved organic matter, xenobiotic organic compounds, inorganic macrocomponents as anions and cations, and heavy metals. Laboratory as well as field investigations are included. This review is an up-date of an earlier comprehensive review. The review shows that most leachate contamination plumes are relatively narrow and do not in terms of width exceed the width of the landfill. The concept of redox zones being present in the plume has been confirmed by the reported composition of the leachate contaminated groundwater at several landfills and constitutes an important framework for understanding the behavior of the contaminants in the plume as the leachate migrates away from the landfill. Diverse microbial communities have been identified in leachate plumes and are believed to be responsible for the redox processes. Dissolved organic C in the leachate, although it appears to be only slowly degradable when the volatile organic acids are gone, apparently acts as substrate for the microbial redox processes. Several xenobiotic organic compounds have been found to be degradable in leachate contaminated groundwater, but degradation rates under anaerobic redox conditions have only been determined in a few cases. Apparently, observations in actual plumes indicate more extensive degradation than has been documented in the laboratory. The behavior of cations in leachate plumes is strongly influenced by exchange with the sediment, although the sediment often is very coarse and sandy. Ammonium seems to be subject to anaerobic oxidation, but the mechanisms are not yet understood. Heavy metals do not seem to constitute a significant pollution problem at landfills, partly because the heavy metal concentrations in the leachate often are low, and partly because of strong attenuation by sorption and precipitation. Although complexation of heavy metals with dissolved organic matter is significant, the heavy metals are in most cases still strongly attenuated in leachate-polluted aquifers. The information available on attenuation processes has increased dramatically during the last 15 a, but the number of well-documented full scale leachate plumes are still few and primarily from sandy aquifers. Thus, the diversity of attenuation processes in leachate plumes is probably not yet fully understood. Apparently, the attenuation processes in leachate plumes may for many contaminants provide significant natural remediation, limiting the effects of the leachate on the groundwater to an area usually not exceeding 1000 m from the landfill.     

Fate and transport of pollutants through a municipal solid waste landfill leachate in Sri Lanka

This study focuses on the characterization of leachate generated from Gohagoda dumpsite in Kandy, Sri Lanka, assessment of its spatial and temporal variations, and identification of subsurface canals and perched water bodies in the wetland system affected by the leachate flow. Leachate samples were collected monthly throughout dry and rainy seasons from different points of the leachate drainage channel over a period of 1 year and they were tested for quality parameters: pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, total dissolved soils, alkalinity, hardness, total solids, volatile solids, total suspended solids, volatile suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), chemical oxygen demand, nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen, phosphates, ammonium-nitrogen, chloride, dissolved organic carbon, total organic carbon and heavy metals. Sequential soil extraction procedures were performed for the characterization of leachate-affected local soil. A geophysical survey using direct current resistivity technique was conducted at locations downstream of the dumpsite. Leachate characteristics indicated that the leachate is in the methanogenic phase and the results strongly suggest that the leachate may be polluting the river where the leachate is discharged directly. Leachate exceeds the allowable limits of Sri Lankan wastewater discharge standards for many of the parameters. Significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed for most of organic and inorganic parameters among all sampling locations. Many parameters showed a negative correlation with pH. The affected soils showed high heavy metal concentrations. Resistivity study confirmed a confined leachate flow at the near surface with few subsurface canals. However, no separate subsurface plume movement was observed. The results of this research can effectively be used for the establishment of an efficient and effective treatment method for the Gohagoda landfill leachate.     

Removal of trace elements from landfill leachate by calcite precipitation

Spontaneous precipitation of secondary calcite (CaCO₃) has been observed in 25 samples of landfill leachate-polluted stream waters. During the 6-month precipitation experiment, the formation of calcite acts as a principal trace-element scavenging process. The concentrations of Fe, Sr, Ba and Mn and other trace elements in solution significantly decreased as calcite formed during the experiments. The PHREEQC-2 geochemical code indicated high supersaturation of the initial leachate-polluted waters with respect to calcite. The chemical/mineralogical study (SEM/EDS, XRD, ICP MS) revealed that this newly formed calcite contains considerable amounts of metals and metalloids removed from solution. Such a geochemical process can be considered to be important for spontaneous decontamination in landfill-affected environments (stream sediments, soils) or landfill technical facilities (settling basins). This removal takes place especially during dry periods with low rain precipitation, when the landfill waters exhibit both higher alkalinity and higher trace element concentrations.     

Speciation of trace metals in leachate from a MSWI bottom ash landfill

Trace metal concentrations and speciation were determined in leachate from a municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ash landfill both experimentally and by thermodynamic model calculations. Total dissolved Cr, Sb and W concentrations determined directly by ICP-MS were up to two orders of magnitude higher than that determined upon preconcentration by anin-situ solid phase extraction technique based on 8-HQ cation exchanger which indicates oxyanion complex formation of these metals in the leachates. Speciation modeling suggests that a similar difference for Cu is caused by organic complexation. Lead and Zn concentrations determined by both methods were fairly comparable but very low, in the range 4–60 nmol l⁻¹. The low mobility of both metals can be modeled by assuming adsorption onto Fe-oxyhydroxides oxycoprecipitation with Ca-silicate hydrate phases. The resulting high retardation coefficients between 500 and 800 indicate that scavenging by these secondary weathering products in the MSWI bottom ash deposit can cause an efficient immobilization of both Pb and Zn.     

Attenuation of landfill leachate at two uncontrolled landfills

Attenuation characteristics of landfill leachate were examined for two uncontrolled landfills in Korea. The two landfills containing municipal wastes without appropriate bottom liner and leachate treatment system have different landfill age, waste volume, and most importantly different hydrogeologic settings. One landfill (Cheonan landfill) is situated in an open flat area while the other (Wonju landfill) is located in a valley. Variations of various parameters including dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved oxygen (DO), alkalinity, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), redox potential (ORP), ammonia (NH₃), nitrate (NO₃⁻), sulfate (SO₄²⁻), and chloride (Cl⁻) were examined along groundwater flow path. All these parameters were analyzed every month for a year. In the interior of the landfills, typical anaerobic conditions revealed by low DO and NO₃ concentrations, negative ORP values, high NH₃, alkalinity, and Cl⁻ concentrations were observed. Generally, higher levels of contaminants (DOC, NH₃, and Cl⁻) were detected in the dry season while they were greatly lowered in the wet season. Significantly, large decrease of Cl^- concentration in the wet season indicates that the dilution or mixing is one of dominant attenuation mechanisms of leachate. But detailed variation behaviors in the two landfills are different and they were largely dependent on permeability of surface and subsurface layers. The intermediately permeable surface of the landfills receives part of direct rainfall infiltration but most rainwater is lost to fast runoff. The practically impermeable surface of clayey silt (paddy field) at immediately adjacent to the Cheonan landfill boundary prevented direct rainwater infiltration and hence redox condition of the ground waters were largely affected by that of the upper landfill and the less permeable materials beneath the paddy fields prohibited dispersion of the landfill leachate into down gradient area. In the Wonju landfill, there are three different permeability divisions, the landfill region, the sandy open field and the paddy field. Roles of the landfill and paddy regions are very similar to those at the Cheonan. The very permeable sandy field receiving a large amount of rainwater infiltration plays a key role in controlling redox condition of the down gradient area and contaminant migration. This paper reports details of the attenuation and redox conditions of the landfill leachates at the two uncontrolled landfills.     

Numerical modelling of lumpy clay landfill

Two trial motorway embankments built on a landfill consisting of clayey lumps were monitored over the period of 3 and 5 years, respectively. The subsoil of the embankment was instrumented by hydrostatic levelling profiles, pore pressure transducers and depth reference points installed in boreholes. An advanced constitutive model for clays (hypoplastic model for clays with meta‐stable structure) was used for numerical modelling of both case histories. Basic hypoplastic model for clays was calibrated using isotropic compression tests and triaxial compression tests on reconstituted clay. Three additional model parameters describing the effects of lumpy structure were calibrated using oedometer tests on specimens prepared from scaled‐down lumpy material (material with smaller size of clay lumps). The performance of the model was evaluated by comparison with the results of the centrifuge model of self‐weight consolidated landfill. Finally, the hypoplastic model was used for simulation of both trial embankments and the results were compared with in situ measurements. The degradation of the lumpy structure of the upper layer of the in situ landfill due to weathering was back analysed using monitoring data. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

垃圾渗滤液处理技术的新进展

城市垃圾渗滤液是一种成分复杂,有机物、氨氮浓度高的难处理废水.有关垃圾渗滤液的研究已成为国内外环保领域研究的热点,根据国内外最新研究进展,分析了垃圾渗滤液处理技术的现状及发展趋势,重点介绍了化学法、物化法、物化生联合法以及土地处理法等多种处理方法.并对处理工艺的选取提出了一些建议.     

不同条件对蒸发法处理垃圾渗滤液效果的影响

利用蒸发法对中老龄垃圾渗滤液进行处理,通过定时分批对蒸发后的渗滤液进行取样测定,研究在不同蒸发温度、不同风速条件下渗滤液在蒸发过程中pH 值、有机物及氨氮含量的变化规律。结果表明: 蒸发浓缩液中pH 值变化幅度不大; 渗滤液中有机污染物在不同的蒸发条件下总量在减少,但减少量不大; 在蒸发温度为25℃,风速为1. 5 m/s 的条件下氨氮的去除效率为37%。     

Dissolved pollutant transport in tailings ponds

Water and dissolved ion transport in mineral tailings was studied at laboratory scale with three different tailings samples. Percolation rate, determined in column experiments, depends mainly on the granulometric distribution of the solid and varies between 3.0×10^–4 cm/s for a tailings sample with coarser particles (d₉₀>700 m) to 4.0×10^–5 cm/s for the tailings sample with higher content of fine particles (d₉₀<200 m). In stationary conditions, the ascending rate of water by capillarity through the solid bed is controlled by the evaporation rate at the top surface of the tailings. Rates between 2.6×10^–5 cm/s (2.2 mm/day) and 8.1×10^–5 cm/s (7.0 mm/day) have been obtained under forced evaporation at 40 °C. Ion transport in the percolation process is mainly controlled by the hydraulic diffusion of the solution through pores in the solid bed. In the capillarity process, ion transport is controlled by chemical diffusion of the dissolved ion in the ascending solution.     

Chemical quality and indicator parameters for monitoring landfill leachate in Illinois

Evaluation of analyses of leachate for inorganic constituents, from selected landfills in Illinois indicates that leachate quality is variable and is strongly affected by waste type and cover material. Twenty parameters were detectable in all samples, but selenium was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. More than 98% of the mean leachate composition was comprised, in descending order, of total alkalinity (bicarbonate plus carbonate), sulfate, sodium plus potassium, calcium plus magnesium, chloride, and iron plus managese. Excluding iron, trace metals contributed less than one percent to the total; of these, copper, zinc and boron were most significant. Based on milliequivalents per liter of major constituents, approximately 73 percent of the cations and 92% of the anions fall within the concentration range of potable waters. Heavy metals, organics, suspended matter, microorganisms, odor and color are among the objectionable qualities of leachate which should not be present in potable waters. In assessing the impact of leachate on ground-water quality, use of indicator parameters in place of comprehensive analyses for routine water samples is frequently desirable in the interest of both time and economics. Availability, mobility, persistence, analyticity and contrast of concentrations in leachate and ground water are important factors to consider in selection of an indicator. Boron, iron, ammonia and total dissolved solids appear to be reliable parameters for indicating ground-water pollution by leachate. Chloride and hardness may also be useful under certain conditions. Sulfate was the least reliable parameter considered. Although many of the trace elements in leachate exceed Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Public Water Supply Standards in more than 50% of the samples, these elements are most useful as indicators when a waste rich in trace elements is deposited in a landfill of unfavorable hydrogeology.     

Simulation of groundwater flow and contaminant transport at a landfill site using models

Numerical and analytical modelling studies were conducted for the analysis of groundwater flow and contaminant transport at the Innisfil landfill site in the Town of Innisfil, County of Simcoe, in Ontario, Canada. Previously conducted field studies categorized the upper stratigraphy at the site into three units: upper sand unit, upper silt/clay unit and Intermediate Sand unit. Essentially horizontal groundwater movement in the two sand units and vertical downward flow in the silt/clay unit were reported by the field hydrogeologists. In the following, application of three computer models (FLOWPATH, USGS MOC and POLLUTE) for the simulation of the groundwater flow and contaminant transport processes at the Innisfil landfill site is described. The paper focuses on the calibration of groundwater flow and contaminant transport systems, and demonstrates how the insight gained during the contaminant transport calibration was used to improve the initial groundwater flow characterization of the hydrogeological system.     

岩溶地区垃圾渗透液中36种挥发性有机物的测定

应用吹扫捕集-气相色谱-质谱法测定岩溶地区垃圾渗透液中36种挥发性有机物（VOCs）的含量。获取样品溶液5 mL于吹扫瓶中,利用TELEDYNE TEKMAR型吹扫捕集直接进样,经DB-VRX毛细管色谱柱分离、电子轰击电离（EI）全扫描检测,选择特征离子,再用外标法进行定量测定。结果表明:36种挥发性有机物的质量浓度在1～100 μg·L-1 范围内,与其峰面积呈线性关系,方法检出限在0.03～0.27 μg·L-1 之间,加标回收率在88%～110%之间,相对标准偏差（n=7）在2.32%～6.51%之间。      

Assessment of the leachate movement in a sealed landfill using geophysical methods

This paper describes a case study concerning the use of integrated geophysical methods applied to environmental assessment. The study is focused on an old municipal solid waste sealed landfill site, located in Gaeiras, Central Portugal. The problem is related with leachate overproduction in this domestic and industrial waste landfill that became an environmental problem with urgent assessment, so that a solution could be planned. Due to the lack of accurate information regarding the shape, history and development of the landfill, the use of a set of classical geophysical methods was the option, since they are non-invasive and non-destructive. The available area was small, almost restricted to the landfill area. To conduct this assessment, electromagnetic RF-EM and Geonics EM34, spontaneous potential (SP), vertical electrical soundings (VES) and magnetic prospecting surveys were planned to understand the various problems that could be related with the leachate overproduction. The joint use of these classical geophysical methods was targeted to investigate bedrock depth and structure (RF-EM, EM34 and VES), waste and leachate characteristics (EM34 and magnetics) and groundwater flow (SP) in the landfill. Geophysical results were correlated with hydrogeological information, integrated and interpreted, using geographic information system tools. The results obtained were important to understand the geological mechanisms that are responsible for leachate overproduction and to suggest remedial measures.     

可渗透反应墙处理垃圾渗滤液的实验研究

文章以垃圾渗滤液为研究对象,分别用铁粉、改性膨润土、活性炭及其混合物为反应介质,设计4种不同介质配比的PRB反应器进行实验研究。结果表明,PRB对垃圾渗滤液有较好的处理效果,其中,以还原铁粉、改性膨润土为介质的反应器,对氨氮的去除效率最大为97.58%,以还原铁粉、活性炭为介质的反应器对COD的去除效率为84.87%,对总磷的去除效率最大为80%。     

垃圾填埋场渗滤液及对地下水污染研究进展

在查阅国内外相关文献的基础上,综述了垃圾填埋场渗滤液的产生、危害、污染特性、产生量和影响因素以及为防止地下水污染而采取的防渗措施,并系统阐述了国内外渗滤液污染物在地下水中迁移转化研究取得的成果和垃圾生态填埋技术研究现状,指出了我国填埋场目前研究中存在的主要问题和未来在该领域需重点研究的课题和一些新思路.     

Interaction of phenanthrene with dissolved organic matter and its fractions from leachate of different landfill ages

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in leachate from landfills of three different ages (0, 5, and 10?year) was partitioned into hydrophobic acid, hydrophobic neutral, and hydrophilic matter fractions using the fractionation method employing XAD-8 resin. The spectroscopic characteristics of these fractions were determined through constant-wavelength synchronous fluorescence spectrometry (CWSFS). The interaction characteristic of phenanthrene with these fractions was determined through the fluorescence quenching method and CWSFS. The results revealed that the composition of DOM became complex with the increase in landfill age. The partition coefficients (K _doc) for the three DOM samples of different landfill ages are in the order 10?a DOM?>?5?a DOM?>?0?a DOM. The hydrophobic fraction showed the highest K _doc value among the DOM fractions. Lower linearity Stern?CVolmer plots were observed in 10?a DOM and its hydrophobic fractions. CWSFS spectra showed that a special site was fully occupied with the addition of the quencher. Desorption was found in some fractions. Therefore, CWSFS is a sensitive tool for the detection of DOM-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon interaction.     

滨海含水介质胶体对垃圾渗滤液氨氮的吸附特征

根据天津含水介质的结构和组成,选择代表性的2种含水介质,分析了土样和胶体的主要物理和化学性质,系统测定不同胶体对氨氮吸附的动力学曲线和吸附等温线,并分析了胶体粒径、ζ电位、电泳淌度对吸附作用的影响。结果表明,含水介质胶体对氨氮的吸附动力学过程为对数曲线,其平衡时间约为20~24 h;不同胶体的吸附等温线均为直线型理想吸附,并且当水相中氨氮浓度低于一定浓度时,不但不产生吸附,反而使胶体中的残留氨氮释放出来;胶体颗粒细,比表面积大,表面能大,吸附能力就越大;胶体的ζ电位和淌度愈高,胶体的稳定性愈大,与铵离子接触的机会多,容易吸附铵离子。     

垃圾填埋场抽水试验及降水方案设计

垃圾填埋场中的渗滤液水位过高会引发一系列环境和稳定问题,工程上可用竖井抽水降低渗滤液水位。通过在填埋场现场进行抽水试验,确定垃圾土的渗透系数和抽水影响半径,在此基础上对填埋场降水的瞬态流问题进行有限元模拟,分析了抽水井口径和间距对填埋场降水的影响,提出了降水方案的设计步骤和方法。抽水试验表明,现场垃圾的渗透系数约为3.6×10-4cm/s,抽水影响半径约为20m。数值分析表明,井径的变化对于降水效果影响不大,而合理选择抽水井间距对降水十分关键。进行抽水方案设计时,应首先根据工期和降水幅度要求计算井间距,按井的出水速度选择水泵,再根据水泵确定井径,最后根据井径和过滤层形式确定钻孔尺寸并选择钻机。