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Enhancing filterability of activated sludge from landfill leachate treatment plant by applying electrical field ineffective on bacterial life

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate filterability enhancement of activated sludge supplied form a full-scale leachate treatment plant by applying DC electric field while keeping the biological operational conditions in desirable range. The activated sludge samples were received from the nitrification tank in the leachate treatment plant of Istanbul’s Odayeri Sanitary Landfill Site. Experimental sets were conducted as laboratory-scale batch studies and were duplicated for 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, and 5A of electrical currents and 2, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min of exposure times under continuous aeration. Physicochemical parameters such as temperature, pH, and oxidation reduction potential in the mixture right after each experimental set and biochemical parameters such as chemical oxygen demand, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen in supernatant were analyzed to define the sets that remain in the range of ideal biological operational conditions. Later on, sludge filterability properties such as capillary suction time, specific resistance to filtration, zeta potential, and particle size were measured for remaining harmless sets. Additionally, cost analyses were conducted in respect to energy and electrode consumptions. Application of 2A DC electric field and 15-min exposure time was found to be the most favorable conditions to enhance filterability of the landfill leachate-activated sludge.

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Acknowledgements

The financial support from Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), 1002 Short Term R&D Funding Program Project no: 115Y038 is acknowledged. This study is a part of this project. The authors are also grateful ISTAC Odayeri Solid Waste Landfill Plant for their collaboration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Yildiz Technical University, 34220 Davutpasa, Esenler, Istanbul, Turkey

    Gulizar Kurtoglu Akkaya, Ece Sagir, Mehmet Sinan Bilgili & Senem Yazici Guvenc

  2. R&D Department, Abacı Group, Prof. Dr. Alaeddin Yavasca Sk. 4/6, 34357 Besiktas, Istanbul, Turkey

    Elif Sekman & Selin Top

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  1. Gulizar Kurtoglu Akkaya
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  2. Elif Sekman
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  5. Mehmet Sinan Bilgili
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  6. Senem Yazici Guvenc
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Correspondence to Gulizar Kurtoglu Akkaya.

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Akkaya, G.K., Sekman, E., Top, S. et al. Enhancing filterability of activated sludge from landfill leachate treatment plant by applying electrical field ineffective on bacterial life. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 10364–10372 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-8661-x

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