Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills
Leachate management remains one of the key technological challenges in landfill operations. There is a growing need for methods that can effectively treat leachate directly at its source. One promising approach is the vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP), which integrates constructed wetlands...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Water Resources and Industry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212371725000046 |
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| author | Aleksandra Wdowczyk Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska Jacek Chęcmanowski Krzysztof Kierzek Paweł Wiercik |
| author_facet | Aleksandra Wdowczyk Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska Jacek Chęcmanowski Krzysztof Kierzek Paweł Wiercik |
| author_sort | Aleksandra Wdowczyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leachate management remains one of the key technological challenges in landfill operations. There is a growing need for methods that can effectively treat leachate directly at its source. One promising approach is the vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP), which integrates constructed wetlands with conventional activated sludge treatment. Given the limited research on V-ASP systems, this study explored the potential of low-cost adsorbent materials—zeolite and sunflower husk biochar—to enhance leachate treatment. The absorption properties of these materials in various V-ASP configurations were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to better understand the mechanisms involved in pollutant removal. For most of the parameters analysed (Chemical Oxygen Demand, total nitrogen, organic nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrites, sulfates, chlorides, Zn, Cu, Ni), the best reductions were achieved with zeolite substrates at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 14 days. Ammonium nitrogen removal was highly efficient, maintaining rates between 99 % and 99.8 % throughout the entire experimental period. Total nitrogen removal varied, with a minimum reduction of 13.1 % and a maximum of over 74 %. FTIR spectra confirmed alterations in the functional groups and surface characteristics of zeolite and biochar, evidenced by shifts in the bands of functional groups due to absorption. These findings could help improve leachate management strategies and aid in designing treatment systems that can be deployed directly at landfill sites. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c32e45ed494946f28150dc60d9875da2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2212-3717 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
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| series | Water Resources and Industry |
| spelling | doaj-art-c32e45ed494946f28150dc60d9875da22025-08-20T02:02:24ZengElsevierWater Resources and Industry2212-37172025-06-013310028010.1016/j.wri.2025.100280Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfillsAleksandra Wdowczyk0Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska1Jacek Chęcmanowski2Krzysztof Kierzek3Paweł Wiercik4Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Department of Environmental Protection and Development, Pl. Grunwaldzki 24, 50–363, Wrocław, Poland; Corresponding author.Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Pl. Grunwaldzki 24, 50–363, Wrocław, PolandWrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Advanced Material Technologies, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, PolandWrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Process Engineering and Technology of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370, Wroclaw, PolandWrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Environmental Engineering, Pl. Grunwaldzki 24, 50–363, Wrocław, PolandLeachate management remains one of the key technological challenges in landfill operations. There is a growing need for methods that can effectively treat leachate directly at its source. One promising approach is the vegetation-activated sludge process (V-ASP), which integrates constructed wetlands with conventional activated sludge treatment. Given the limited research on V-ASP systems, this study explored the potential of low-cost adsorbent materials—zeolite and sunflower husk biochar—to enhance leachate treatment. The absorption properties of these materials in various V-ASP configurations were analysed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) to better understand the mechanisms involved in pollutant removal. For most of the parameters analysed (Chemical Oxygen Demand, total nitrogen, organic nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrites, sulfates, chlorides, Zn, Cu, Ni), the best reductions were achieved with zeolite substrates at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 14 days. Ammonium nitrogen removal was highly efficient, maintaining rates between 99 % and 99.8 % throughout the entire experimental period. Total nitrogen removal varied, with a minimum reduction of 13.1 % and a maximum of over 74 %. FTIR spectra confirmed alterations in the functional groups and surface characteristics of zeolite and biochar, evidenced by shifts in the bands of functional groups due to absorption. These findings could help improve leachate management strategies and aid in designing treatment systems that can be deployed directly at landfill sites.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212371725000046Leachate treatmentSubstrateVegetation-activated sludge processFourier transform infrared spectroscopyScanning electron microscope |
| spellingShingle | Aleksandra Wdowczyk Agata Szymańska-Pulikowska Jacek Chęcmanowski Krzysztof Kierzek Paweł Wiercik Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills Water Resources and Industry Leachate treatment Substrate Vegetation-activated sludge process Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy Scanning electron microscope |
| title | Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| title_full | Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| title_fullStr | Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| title_short | Assessment of changes occurring in biochar/zeolite substrates used in the vegetation-activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| title_sort | assessment of changes occurring in biochar zeolite substrates used in the vegetation activated sludge process in the treatment of leachate from landfills |
| topic | Leachate treatment Substrate Vegetation-activated sludge process Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy Scanning electron microscope |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212371725000046 |
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