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Performance of a Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) Augmented Activated Sludge Process Treating Semi-Aerobic Leachate
Aghamohammadi, N.; Hamidi, A. A.; Hasnain, Isa M.; Zinatizadeh, A. A.; Nasrollahzadeh Saravi, H. & Ghafari, Sh.
Abstract
Semi-aerobic leachate is characterized by organic matter (COD, BOD) which is relatively
low in concentration and difficult to biodegrade. In conventional treatment systems, the low
biodegradability is attributed to partial stabilization of leachate at the landfill. Biological treatment
of leachate in Malaysia is not well established and any important data for the treatment process is
not available. The behavior of microbes is unknown for semi aerobic leachate. This research was
conducted to establish some of the important data in the biological treatment of semi-aerobic leachate
with and without the influence of powdered activated carbon (PAC). For the present study, semi
aerobic leachate was collected from Pulau Burung Landfill Site (PBLS), Nibong Tebal, Penang,
Malaysia. The experiment involved operating two 16 L laboratory-scale activated sludge reactors
in parallel at room temperature and adjusted to pH of 6.5±0.5. One of the reactors was supplemented
with powdered activated carbon (PAC) of 75-150 μm size to observe its effect on leachate
biodegradation. The results showed enhanced reactor performance due to PAC addition COD, NH4-
N, NO3-N, TKN, BOD and colour removals was higher.
Keywords
Semi-aerobic leachate, powdered activated carbon, activated sludge process
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