Title: Constructed wetland - an easy and cost-effective alternative for the treatment of leachate

Authors: M.G. Prathap; J.S. Sudarsan; Moitraiyee Mukhopadhyay; D. Justus Reymond; S. Nithiyanantham

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Saveetha Engineering College, Chennai, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram District, Tamil Nadu, India ' School of Physical Sciences and Femtotechnology (Applied Energy Resource Divisions), SRM University, Kattankulathur, Kancheepuram District, India

Abstract: Constructed wetlands have been used widely for the treatment of municipal, industrial and agricultural wastewater, as well as for urban storm water. Dumps and landfills are a threat to water supplies when water percolates through waste, picking up a variety of toxic substances. This contaminated water is called leachate and is produced when the waste becomes saturated with water. Treatment of landfill leachate has become one of the most important environmental problems due to fluctuating composition and quantity as well as high concentrations of specific pollutants.3set-ups - horizontal, vertical and integrated using Typha sp. as vegetation were constructed and were studied. The leachate for the experiment was taken by composite sampling from Perungudi Dumping Yard, Chennai, India. Based on pot culture study a dilution ratio of 1:2 (leachate: domestic wastewater) was adapted. The BOD and COD were found to be reduced by 70-75% and 72-76% respectively. It was also deduced that integrated set-up was more efficient.

Keywords: leachate treatment; landfill leachate; biological oxygen demand; BOD reduction; chemical oxygen demand; COD reduction; Typha sp; constructed wetlands; environmental pollution; India; vegetation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETP.2015.074159

International Journal of Energy Technology and Policy, 2015 Vol.11 No.4, pp.371 - 379

Received: 31 Mar 2015
Accepted: 12 May 2015

Published online: 13 Jan 2016 *

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