Optimisation of sanitary landfill leachate treatment in a sequencing batch reactor

Leachate generated in old landfills is a high-strength wastewater characterized by a low BOD/TKN ratio. Therefore, nitrogen removal can be achieved only if an external biodegradable COD source is provided for the denitrification process. Biological nitrogen removal via nitrite may represent a promising process for the optimization of nitrogen removal, in particular in the presence of a low biodegradable COD/TKN ratio. Nitrite build-up may be sustained by optimizing phase duration in SBRs switching nitritation process to denitritation once maximum concentration of nitrite has been reached.