The SHARON process in the treatment of landfill leachate

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to study the partial nitrification of the nitrogen present in a landfill leachate applying the SHARON process in order to obtain a suitable effluent to the ANAMMOX process. As a first step, the SHARON reactor was fed anaerobically pre-treated leachate at an ammonium concentration of 2,000 mg N/L (1.1 kg N/m3 d). In such conditions, the average ammonium and nitrite concentrations in the effluent were 775 mg N/L and 1,225 mg N/L, respectively. During this period the COD removal was very low since most of the biodegradable organic matter was removed in the anaerobic pre-treatment. Afterwards, the SHARON reactor was fed leachate without a previous treatment and the efficiency of the partial nitritation diminished. As well, the COD removal increased, achieving a percentage around 28%.