Treatment Efficiency by means of a Nonthermal Plasma Combined with Heterogeneous Catalysis of Odoriferous Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions from the Thermal Drying of Landfill Leachates
The objective of the present work was to assess the odoriferous volatile organic compounds depuration efficiency of an experimental nonthermal plasma coupled to a catalytic system used for odor abatement of real emissions from a leachate thermal drying plant installed in an urban solid waste landfill. VOC screening was performed by means of HRGC-MS analysis of samples taken at the inlet and at the outlet of the nonthermal plasma system. Odor concentration by means of dynamic olfactometry, total organic carbon, mercaptans, NH3, and H2S were also determined in order to assess the performance of the system throughout several days. Three plasma frequencies (100, 150, and 200？Hz) and two catalyst temperatures (150°C and 50°C) were also tested. Under conditions of maximum capacity of the treatment system, the results show VOC depuration efficiencies around 69%, with average depuration efficiencies between 44 and 95% depending on the chemical family of the substance. Compounds belonging to the following families have been detected in the samples: organic acids, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, pyrazines, and reduced sulphur compounds, among others. Average total organic carbon removal efficiency was 88%, while NH3 and H2S removal efficiencies were 88% and 87%, respectively, and odor concentration abatement was 78%. 1. Introduction When rain water percolates through the solid waste of a landfill there is a process of dissolution and transport of water soluble elements and organic and inorganic substances, such as heavy metals, ammonium, inorganic anions, and volatile and semivolatile organic compounds, constituting a current that may end up reaching and significatively affecting the aquifers located in the peripheral areas of the facility and, therefore, potentially create risks to the environment and to human and animal health. A detailed summary of the composition of the leachates of urban solid waste (USW) landfills is included in [1], with data from the LEACH 2000 USA database. Different approaches have been developed for the leachate treatment in order to mitigate the possible impact of USW landfills [2–4]. The methods that are most often implemented (whether alone or in combination) are in-landfill recycling in order to increase the moisture of the waste that is being deposited and combined treatment with domestic sewage, aerobic and/or anaerobic biodegradation, chemical oxidation (including advanced oxidation), adsorption, precipitation, air stripping, microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis. As an alternative to the mentioned
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