ROBERT A. EVANGELISTA

REVERSE OSMOSIS, POWDERED ACTIVATED CARBON (PAC) with MICROFILTRATION, and ENHANCED OXIDATION with ULTRA VIOLET (UV) LIGHT, OZONE, and/or HYDROGEN PEROXIDE to TREAT an INDUSTRIAL LANDFILL LEACHATE

HOME Please click the camera icons cameraicon27 to view photos.

The Pollution Abatement Services (PAS) was an industrial waste treatment facility located in Oswego, NY. PAS had highly toxic soil that was isolated by a slurry wall and a cap. However, water accumulated within as noxious leachate, and leaked and poisoned an adjacent stream, which flowed into Lake Ontario. To prevent leakage, the leachate was regularly pumped and transported for off-site treatment.

 

The objective of this project was to evaluate three environmental technologies---reverse osmosis (RO), powdered activated carbon with microfiltration, and enhanced oxidation with ultra violet light (UV) and ozone and/or hydrogen peroxide---to decontaminate the leachate on site. On-site treatment reduces the amount of liquid waste disposed off site and its associated risks and costs. cameraicon cameraicon1

 

Because the leachate affected an international body of water, as project engineer I assembled a joint US-Canadian team of engineers and scientists to tackle this project, with the support of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environment Canada.

 

Pretreatment System

To minimize the possibility of the potent leachate fouling the treatment technologies, I created a pretreatment system cameraicon2 using hydroxide precipitation cameraicon3 and flocculation, cameraicon4 lamella clarification, cameraicon5 and a sequential cartridge filtration "polish." cameraicon6 The visual results were dramatic! cameraicon7 The unlabeled jar on the right is underflow from the lamella clarifier.

 

Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC) with Microfiltration

Lab tests showed PAC with microfiltration plugged; this technology cameraicon8 cameraicon9 was eliminated from consideration for field pilot-scale tests.

 

Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis cameraicon10 cameraicon11 allows the leachate’s water to migrate or permeate through a semi-permeable membrane relatively contaminant free. cameraicon12 Contaminants are retained and concentrated behind the membrane cameraicon13 in what is called the retentate or concentrate. The RO unit was operated at different conditions cameraicon16 and the permeate was sampled cameraicon14 for chemical analyses, since it was the liquid that would be discharged directly into surface water.

 

Enhanced Oxidation

Enhanced oxidation uses strong UV light in combination with ozone, and/or hydrogen peroxide. cameraicon15 The enhanced oxidation unit was operated cameraicon17 at different conditions cameraicon18 to harness the synergistic oxidizing power of UV light, ozone, and/or hydrogen peroxide to destroy pollutants. cameraicon19

 

Results

The analytical results of reverse osmosis and enhanced oxidation treatment demonstrated that these technologies were very successful in removing a wide range of chemicals of concern from an industrial landfill leachate. Sufficient contaminants were removed to allow treated leachate to meet New York State’s requirements for discharge into Lake Ontario. cameraicon20 cameraicon21 cameraicon22

 

The visual results of enhanced oxidation treatment were encouraging. cameraicon23 On the other hand, the visual results for reverse osmosis treatment were remarkable. cameraicon24 RO transformed a noxious leachate into crystal clear liquid permeate. I even demonstrated that the RO permeate was drinkable. cameraicon25 cameraicon26 (Kids, don’t do this at home!)

 

More Information.

H. Whittaker, T. Kady, R. Evangelista, and C. Goulet, Reverse Osmosis and Ultraviolet Photolysis/Ozonation Testing at the PAS Site, Oswego, NY, 1989. PDF 1.4 MB

C. Goulet, H. Whittaker, R. Evangelista, and T. Kady, Reverse Osmosis: On Site Treatability Study of Landfill Leachate at the PAS Site in Oswego, NY. Forum on Innovative Hazardous Waste Treatment Technologies: Domestic and International Conference Proceedings, Atlanta, GA, 1989. PDF 1.6 MB

R. Evangelista, Pilot-Scale Engineering Study, Pollution Abatement Services Site, Oswego, NY, Draft Report, Volume 1. Prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1989. PDF 12.2 MB

R. Evangelista, Project Status Presentation to Region II for Pollution Abatement Services Site, Oswego, NY. Prepared for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1988. PDF 8.9 MB

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