Utilization of Modified Clay as a Low-cost Adsorbent for Landfill Leachate Treatment

The generation of leachate is one of the main problems of municipal solid waste disposal, which can lead to a severe threat to surface and groundwater. In this research, landfill leachate was treated through modifiying bentonite with HDTMA-Br (Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide). The effects of surfactant intercalating quantity, pH, contact time, and adsorbent dose was investigated  in a batch experiment. Raw and modified clay was also characterized using different techniques including Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The optimization experiment revealed that 50 min of equilibration, 50g.L-1 of dosage and pH= 3, for the clay loaded with a capacity of 1.0 CEC (cation exchange capacity), were the optimum condition for COD removal of landfill leachate. The maximum turbidity reduction rate was 92.1%, at a pH  of 11, absorbent dosage of 40 g.L-1, and the contact time of 30 min. The findings of this research showed that this modified clay could be used as an affordable adsorbent for reducing COD and turbidity from landfill leachate.