Treatment of leachate through constructed wetlands using Typha angustifolia in combination with catalytic ozonation on Fe-zeolite A

Abstract

Leachate control and management is a major challenge faced during solid waste management as it may pollute surface and groundwaters. In the current research, constructed wetlands (CWs) vegetated with Typha angustifolia plant in combination with catalytic ozonation by ferrous (Fe)-coated zeolite A was studied for the treatment of leachate. The CWs treatment with 9 days detention reduced the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) up to 75.81% and 69.84%, respectively. Moreover, total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solids (TDS), and total kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) removal of 91.16%, 33.33%, and 25.22% were achieved, respectively. The Fe-coated zeolite A catalytic ozonation further reduced the COD up to 90.7%. Comparison of the processes showed the effective performance of the combined process (CW/O₃/Fe-zeolite) with 97.76% COD reduction of leachate. It is, therefore, concluded that the studied combined process (CW/O₃/Fe-zeolite A) was more efficient as compared with single ozonation and CW alone, hence it can be implied for the leachate treatment in real conditions.

Keywords:

• Ozone
• leachate
• zeolite
• Typha angustifolia

Acknowledgments

The collaboration between IEER UET Lahore and Beijing Forestry University is gratefully acknowledged.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).