Rafaela’s landfill leachate treatment applying hybrid constructed wetland

Abstract

Anaerobic decomposition of organic waste in landfills produces biogas and leachate, which treatment and final disposal represent a significant environmental challenge. This study evaluates the efficiency of a hybrid constructed wetland for removing contaminants from leachate. The system consists of a vertical subsurface flow wetland and a horizontal subsurface flow wetland arranged in series. Four mesocosms were installed in a greenhouse, using Typha domingensis as macrophyte and autoclaved aerated concrete and sand as the substrates. Physicochemical parameters were measured before and after treatment, achieving removal efficiencies: 43% for suspended solids, 64% for chemical oxygen demand, 89% for biological oxygen demand, 93% for total phosphorus, 98% for ammonium, and 86% for total Kjeldahl nitrogen. The results demonstrate that this hybrid constructed wetland is an effective and sustainable solution for leachate treatment, significantly improving the quality of the final effluent.