Constituents of Organic Pollutants in Leachates from Different Types of Landfill Sites and Their Fate in the Treatment Processes.

Abstract

Constituents of organic pollutants in leachates from different types of landfill sites were measured by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry(GC/MS). The leachates contained various volatile and semi-volatile compounds, some of which were regarded as endocrine disrupting chemicals. The leachate from a site filled with more plastic waste contained more micropollutants such as plastic additives than the leachate from a site filled mainly with incinerator ash waste. These micropollutants were decreased in their concentrations along the treatment processes of the leachates. Leachates from least controlled sites where only non hazardous industrial wastes can be dumped legally also contained micropollutants. The changes in the concentration along with the age of the sites were explained by water-octanol partitioning coefficient. (author abst.)