Abstract
This research explores the use of UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy for rapid monitoring of organic compounds in leachates and performs a systematic comparison of the biodegradation associated evolution of different organic compounds of leachates collected from two UK MSW landfills L1 and L2. Spectroscopic techniques are used to characterize the aromatic compounds and to study the evolution of humic, fulvic and protein like compounds which is compared with the well established organic strength estimation techniques dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD). The biodegradation of different leachates as estimated from the reduction of different organic compounds using spectroscopy show an excellent agreement with the biodegradability assessed by the conventional methods DOC and COD indicating that characterization of landfill leachates using spectroscopic methods are reliable. It is also found that leachates collected from treatment plant and phase 4 of landfill L1 (L1 (LTP) and L1 (P4) respectively) and phase 2 of landfill L2 (L2 (P2)) are less biodegradable and contain aromatic ring of more condensed form than those for leachates collected from treatment plant of landfill L2 (L2 (LTP) and L2 (FE)) which indicate a relatively rigorous treatment requirement for L1 (LTP), L1 (P4) and L2 (P2) leachates to meet the effluent standard.
