Comparative Study of Biotreated Leachate Before and After Using AOPs Treatment for Removing COD, BOD, and Color

In this research, a comparative study of the treatment the biotreated (UASB- AERATED LAGOON) leachate effluent before and after using advanced oxidation processes the combined application of biotreated processes (UASB + aerated lagoon) and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for treating leachate effluent offers significant advantages. This integrated approach allows for efficient decolorization, outperforming the use of biotreated leachate alone. The UV/H₂O₂ process also yielded significant pollutant removal rates in biologically treated effluent, achieving up to 74% COD, 71% BOD and 52% color reduction. Among the AOPs studied, UV/H₂O₂ showed the highest decolorization efficiency, reaching up to 98%. Ozonation was particularly effective as a pretreatment for raw, untreated leachate, achieving substantial reductions 93% in color, 88% in BOD and 77% in COD. Additionally, ozonation of the initial leachate provided superior results in terms of decolorization, COD removal and BOD removal compared to other AOPs. The Photo-Fenton process emerged as the most effective AOP, delivering the highest removal efficiencies across all parameters, especially for COD (82%) and color (92%). Its efficacy is attributed to the synergy between UV light and the Fenton reaction, which generates abundant hydroxyl radicals. Notably, the photo-Fenton treatment achieved the highest BOD removal efficiency. The order of COD removal efficacy across AOPs was UV/H₂O₂ > UV > ozone > photo-Fenton. Although ozone proved highly effective for COD and color removal in the initial leachate, the performance of UV/H₂O₂ may have been influenced by the low pH level used. However, combining UV or H₂O₂ with ozone further enhanced decolorization rates. Overall, UV/H₂O₂ emerged as the most efficient AOP for both COD and color removal. Applying UV and H₂O₂ to biotreated leachate shows strong potential for industrial use. In conclusion, this study proposes combining biological processes with tailored AOPs for efficient landfill leachate treatment. Initial ozonation prepares raw leachate, while UV-based AOPs and the photo-Fenton process excel in later stages. Customizing AOPs based on leachate properties like pH and organic content boosts pollutant removal, reduces environmental risks and meets discharge standards, offering a scalable solution for leachate management.