CHARACTERIZATION OF LANDFILL LEACHATE AND TREATMENT PROPOSALS

Abstract

The landfill leachate is constituted by several substances that of difficult degradation. This study aimed to evaluate the leachate seasonal behavior at Maringá-PR landfill. The landfill leachate was collected in four seasons of the year and characterized by pH, EC, color, turbidity, COD, BOD, TOC, NH₃-N, NO₂^--N, NO₃-N, TS, TDS and TSS parameters. The leachate varied significantly over the year, presenting the most concentrated parameters in the summer, probably due to the previous season, which presented higher temperature and lower rainfall. The variability and complexity of the leachate evidenced its need for treatment before its discharge. Several treatment techniques were proposed, considering the inexistence of a universal process for the degradation of landfills leachates; however, the choice of the best combination depends on several factors inherent to leachate, climate, financial and legal.