Semi-Aerobic Landfill Leachate Treatment Using Carbon–Minerals Composite Adsorbent

Inorganic and organic pollutants continue to pose major problems in receiving water bodies. To overcome such problems, a new composite adsorbent material combining excellent properties of activated carbon, zeolite, and low cost adsorbents, that is, limestone and rice husk ash, was fabricated. The study also determined the capability of the new composite media to remove contaminants from semiaerobic stabilized landfill leachate. The process of identifying the optimum composition of the new adsorbent was carried out using batch technique. Further, isotherm study and regeneration of the media were investigated. Results indicated that there was favorable adsorption by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. However, Langmuir isotherms were slightly better fitted for ammonia, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and color removal in terms of regression coefficients (R2). According to the Langmuir model, adsorption capacity of ammonia, COD, color, and iron reached 37.59 mg/g, 22.99 mg/g, 43.67 Pt-Co/g, and 0.12 mg/g, respectively. In addition, adsorption efficiency relative to fresh media, adsorption capacity for regenerated media to ammonia, COD, color, and iron reached 149.45%, 60.94%, 47.52%, and 75.0%, respectively.