Title: A review of the green approach to the treatment of solid waste leachate

Authors: P.A.K.C. Wijerathna; F. Sumaiya Idroos; Pathmalal M. Manage

Addresses: Centre for Water Quality and Algae Research, Department of Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka; Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka ' Centre for Water Quality and Algae Research, Department of Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka ' Centre for Water Quality and Algae Research, Department of Zoology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka; Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, 10250, Sri Lanka

Abstract: Rapid urbanisation and industrialisation related anthropogenic activities result in significant solid waste generation worldwide. Improper solid waste management practices cause the accumulation of landfill leachate in larger quantities, posing a serious hazard to ecosystems. Current physicochemical leachate treatment options have some drawbacks, including high operational costs, lower efficiency and environmental deterioration. Hence, the application of beneficial microbial communities for waste treatment has become a rapid moving, greener approach. Microbial degradation techniques such as membrane bioreactors, activated slug systems, sequencing batch reactors and lagoon systems are successfully applied to leachate treatments achieving more than 90% removal of COD, BOD and N-NH₃. Furthermore, novel studies on the applicability of extracellular enzymes rather than crude microbial biomass are considered a more practical approach for bioremediation. The present review summarises the different microbial technologies for leachate treatment and their recent research findings by evaluating the application feasibility of based on current knowledge.

Keywords: solid waste landfill leachate; biological treatments; bioremediation; microbial community; extracellular enzymes; organic contaminants.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2024.141626

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2024 Vol.35 No.2, pp.198 - 220

Received: 02 Jan 2022
Accepted: 01 Jul 2022
Published online: 27 Sep 2024 *

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