Influence of Leachate Matrix on Oxidation Performance of Ozonation and AOPs

Landfill leachate is a critical environmental issue that should be adequately treated to prevent it from spreading to the environment. This study explored the influence of raw leachate matrix and treated leachate matrix on O3, O3/H2O2, and O3/PS performance. O3 and AOPs were conducted in a laboratory-scale batch reactor. The findings showed the degradation of p-cresol, COD, and humic substances was much slower in treated leachate matrix than in raw leachate matrix. However, color was found easier to remove in treated leachate. The results revealed a synergic effect between molecular O3 and dissolved organic matter in the raw leachate as the O3 performance was enhanced in the presence of raw leachate matrix, except for color removal. The highest degradation of more than 90% was achieved in O3/H2O2 to remove COD, p-cresol, and humic substances, although it is the most affected by the leachate matrix. This study provides vital insight into the notable performance of O3/PS in color removal regardless of the influence of leachate matrix, suggesting that the sulfate radical-induced oxidation outperformed O3 and O3/H2O2 in reducing nitrogen-containing compounds.