Treatment of mature landfill leachate by a continuous modular internal micro-electrolysis Fenton reactor

A modular internal micro-electrolysis Fenton reactor (MIME-Fenton) was specifically designed in order to facilitate the performance of internal micro-electrolysis (IME) technology in the treatment of mature landfill leachate. Excellent COD removal efficiency of 90.9 % by the new reactor of mature landfill leachate was observed in bench-scale treatment, which is 193–399, 415–551, and 226–457 % higher than that of conventional treatments of electrolysis, coagulation–sedimentation, and Fenton, respectively. The innovative concept behind the excellent performance is the novel two-step treatment, similar to the anaerobic–aerobic activated sludge method. It is based on a combination effect of reductive IME and oxidative IME with aeration processes and the integration of electro-aggregation and electro-coagulation. Initial pH and air flow rate were optimized, and the effect of auxiliary in situ regeneration of ferrous iron and generation of H₂O₂ was further investigated. The reactor was also particularly efficient in removal of color and HA, and in improvement of the BOD₅/COD ratio. All these results show that the MIME-Fenton reactor, a new approach of IME, is promising for mature landfill leachate treatment because it is efficient and easy to operate.