Inhibition and recovery in a fixed microbial film leachate treatment system subject to shock loading of copper and zinc

• Published in: Water research (Oxford) Vol. 41; no. 18; pp. 4129 - 4138
• Main Authors: Scullion, John, Winson, Michael, Matthews, Richard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: ammonium nitrogen; Applied sciences; biofilm; Biofilms; bioreactors; carbon; chemical concentration; chemistry; copper; Copper - chemistry; Copper–zinc; Environmental Restoration and Remediation; Environmental Restoration and Remediation - methods; Exact sciences and technology; Fixed biofilm; Inhibition–recovery; Landfill leachate treatment; landfill leachates; methods; microbial activity; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; Pollution; sorption; temporal variation; Wastes; wastewater treatment; Water Microbiology; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Water Pollutants, Chemical - chemistry; Water treatment and pollution; zinc; Zinc - chemistry; Fixed biofilm; Landfill leachate treatment; Copper–zinc; Inhibition–recovery; Copper-zinc; Waste dumping; Waste treatment; Treatment efficiency; Inhibition-recovery; Nitrogen; Mesoscale; Surveillance; Biofilm; Biological treatment; Leachate
• ISSN: 0043-1354; 1879-2448
• DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2007.05.043

The impacts of shock loadings of copper and zinc (up to 50 mg l −1) on the treatment efficiency of a mesoscale-fixed microbial film landfill leachate treatment system were investigated. Treatment inhibition and recovery were monitored in sequence over two 36 h experimental runs. The fate of added metals was also investigated. Copper, and to a lesser extent zinc, added to the treatment systems accumulated on the biofilm media. Increasing copper inputs (>10 mg l −1) progressively inhibited biological treatment of ammoniacal-nitrogen and carbon; this inhibition persisted into the recovery phase for nitrogen but not for carbon. Only the highest input of zinc affected media metal contents and carbon treatment rates; the latter inhibitory effect did not persist into the recovery phase. A small proportion of the metals accumulated on the biofilm media during the inhibition phase was released into the bulk leachate during the recovery experiment. These findings suggest a need to manage metal inputs into leachate treatment systems in order to ensure their continued efficacy.