Removal of manganese and zinc from Kahrizak landfill leachate using daily cover soil and lime

The possibility of in situ removal of heavy metals found in leachate generated at municipal solid waste landfills was studied through amendment of daily cover soil. Kahrizak landfill, which receives the waste generated at Tehran, was selected as the source of leachate and soil samples. Manganese and zinc were selected in this study. The soil sample taken from the Kahrizak site contained about 17% clay, which was presumed to have significant capability for removing manganese and zinc. This capability was assumed to be enhanced further through the addition of lime and consequently to improve the potential for chemical precipitation of the selected metals. The in situ removal experiment was accomplished through a set of seven columns filled with the sampled soil with varying contents of lime (i.e., from 0% to 6% by dry weight). Fresh leachate of low pH was added to the columns on a daily basis. Concentrations of manganese and zinc were measured in the influent and effluent during 40 days when biological clogging resulted in a condition of almost no outflow in the columns. The results indicated a substantial increase in removal efficiency through the addition of lime to the daily cover soil. Desorption resulting from the low pH of fresh leachate occurs at later stages compared to the column with no lime addition.