Engineering operational efficiency analysis of Anammox process for mature landfill leachate

Abstract

The mature landfill leachate is a typical high ammonia nitrogen and low C/N wastewater, which is difficult to be treated for nitrogen removal. This study proposed a large-scale SBR-denitrification-Anammox treatment system for mature landfill leachate. Under the average treatment volume of 84.93 m3/d, this system achieved ammonium and total nitrogen removal rates of (92.5±4.9)% and (77.1±9.6)%, and nitrogen removal of (107.1±30.7) kg/d, respectively. SBR tank had the roles of nitrification, a small amount of denitrification, and organic matter removal, which provided substrate for the denitrification unit. The denitrification tank played the role of removing part of the total nitrogen and COD. Anammox unit was the most important leachate ammonia nitrogen, total nitrogen removal functional unit, to achieve a stable part of nitrosation coupled Anammox. In addition, the Anammox unit could further remove part of refractory organic matter for the integrated nitrogen removal by denitrification. Compared to nitrification and denitrification process, the treatment system of this study could save carbon source cost as 17.4 yuan/m3. This study revealed the feasibility, stability and economical efficiency of Anammox process for mature landfill leachate treatment, which could be technical guidance for the application of this process in the future.

Keywords

• mature landfill leachate
• biological nitrogen removal
• anammox
• engineering application