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Dynamic modeling of a full-scale membrane bioreactor performance for landfill leachate treatment

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Abstract

Leachate treatment is crucial in landfill management. As landfill ages, inert constituents and ammonia nitrogen concentration in leachate increases, which results in a decrease in biological treatability. In this study, a full-scale MBR treating leachate was dynamically modeled using ASM1. The investigated landfill has been serving for more than 25 years; thus, a decrease in biodegradable organic content and an increase in nitrogen content of the leachate is expected in the years ahead. The calibrated model predicted MLSS, effluent COD, and effluent TN concentrations with high accuracy. Following the calibration study, it was found that soluble inert COD and soluble inert organic nitrogen fractions were the primary reasons of high COD and TKN concentrations in the effluent, respectively. The validated model of the full-scale MBR system treating leachate can be a useful tool to understand the limitations of the system. Soluble inert constituents of the leachate that pass through the membrane necessiate additional treatment processes for discharge into surface water bodies.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to express their gratitude for support provided by ISTAC Inc.

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No funding was received for conducting this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department, Istanbul Technical University, Ayazaga Campus, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey

    Hazal Gulhan, Mustafa Evren Ersahin & İsmail Koyuncu

  2. School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Recep Kaan Dereli

  3. National Research Center on Membrane Technologies, Istanbul Technical University, 34469, Maslak, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mustafa Evren Ersahin & İsmail Koyuncu

Authors
  1. Hazal Gulhan
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  2. Recep Kaan Dereli
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  3. Mustafa Evren Ersahin
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  4. İsmail Koyuncu
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Correspondence to Hazal Gulhan.

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Gulhan, H., Dereli, R.K., Ersahin, M.E. et al. Dynamic modeling of a full-scale membrane bioreactor performance for landfill leachate treatment. Bioprocess Biosyst Eng 45, 345–352 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00449-021-02664-x

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