International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 05 Issue: 04 | Apr-2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

THE LEACHATE TREATMENT BY USING NATURAL

COAGULANTS (PINE BARK AND CHITOSAN)
M.Nithya1, M.Abirami2
1PG Scholar, Erode Sengunthar Engineering College, Perundurai, Tamilnadu, India.
2Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Erode Sengunthar Engineering College, Perundurai,
Tamilnadu, India.
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Abstract-Leachate is a concentrated liquid that originates leachate will undergo screening process in purpose of
from the solid waste at the dumping sites. Release of leachate removing suspended, huge and hard materials from entering
to the environment without any treatment may pollute the the treatment plant. Then, screened leachate will undergo
soil, and both surface and ground water. Coagulation is a most grit separation process before the treatment with chitosan
common method used for the removal of soluble metals. and pine bark treatment with chitosan and pine bark will
Natural coagulants are effective in the treatment of both reduce heavy metal ions concentration in leachate. By
wastewater and Leachate. In this study, leachate collected reducing the concentration of heavy metal ions, leachate is
from the waste dumped site were treated with different safer to direct to wastewater treatment plant. In wastewater
natural coagulants such as chitosan and pine bark in order to treatment plant, leachate will undergo other treatment as
remove the heavy metals present and also to reduce its experienced by sewage. After undergo several treatment
turbidity. The nearby pond water also collected to check process in wastewater treatment plant, the leachate now
whether it is contaminatedwith leachate. The Municipal becomes decontaminated and is safe to be discharge to the
Landfill Leachate and nearby Pond water was analyzed for water works or to the rivers. Heavy metals are the metals
different Physico-Chemical parameters such as pH, whose density is greater than 5 g/cm3, e.g. Iron (fe), copper
Temperature, TDS, BOD, COD, Total Alkalinity, Chlorides. On (cu), zinc (zn), mercury (Mg), manganese (Mn), and others.
the basis of turbidity, the result of coagulation showed that Iron concentration in leachate is normally contributed to by
natural coagulants was most efficient under acidic and iron-base material waste, such as concentration materials,
neutral conditions. At the coagulant dosage of chitosan paints, pigments, color compounds, polishing agents and
0.6g/mL removal of Turbidity is 85.2% and at the optimum pH electrical materials. Different types of solid waste, will
6 the maximum removal of turbidity was 91.3% and for the contribute to different type of metal ions. The efficient
pine bark dosage of 4g/mL removal of turbidity is 83.3% and methods of heavy metal ions removal from wastewater and
at optimum pH 7 the removal of turbidity was 85.2%. The leachate are adsorption, chemisoption and biosorption. The
present investigation also deals with analyzed of the heavy most popular adsorbates, reported in the literature are gels
metals concentration before and after treatment in municipal of silicic acid, activated carbon, zeolites, tree bark, biomass,
solid waste leachate. The analytical analysis revealed that the lignin, dried mushrooms and chitosan. Chitosan is a
leachate showed higher concentration of heavy metals viz.,As, derivative of chitin. It is found in the insect’s shells, fungi cell
Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg and Ni. Treatment with the natural coagulants walls and in the shells of crustaceans. Commercial value of
have shown higher removal efficiency of metals and Turbidity. chitosan is its affinity to heavy metal. In the previous
research, chitosan has been found to be effective at removing
Keywords: Coagulation, Heavy metals, Leachate, Natural heavy metal from water sources. Most important thing is
Coagulants, Turbidity. chitosan is 100% biodegradable compound. So, it doesn’t
bring pollution to the environment. In wastewater
1. INTRODUCTION treatment, chitosan is used as an effective
coagulant/flocculant alternative to conventional inorganic
The use of landfill to manage solid waste has produced a coagulants such as alum and ferric chloride. Chitosan is
hazardous liquid named as “leachate”. Leachate can be capable for binding the negatively charged particles, heavy
defined as a liquid that is generated when water or another metals and oils. Bark is widely used as adsorbent material
liquid comes in contact with waste. Leachate is a for organic pollutants, and since 1980 investigated as a
contaminated liquid that consists of different organic and possible adsorbent for heavy metals. Studies covered all the
inorganic compounds that may be either dissolved or heavy metals of concern and bark from different sorts of
suspended. As a contaminated liquid, leachate poses trees. Most of the papers describe batch experiments with
potential pollution to both groundwater and surface water one metal solutions and changes in pH conditions.
and also it will contaminate the soils in areas adjacent to
landfill sites. There are many methods used to treat leachate 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
from the landfill. The treatment can be carried out on or off
site by physical, chemical or biological methods. For this The materials used in this project are categorized according
study, it will be focus on leachate treatment by a natural to the nature of the use, they are,
polymer named “chitosan”and “pine bark”. First, collected

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 05 Issue: 04 | Apr-2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

 Sample collection
 Materials required
 Physico-Chemical parameters analysis
 Treatment using natural coagulants

Fig 2: Crustaceans shells Chitosan powder

PINE BARK

Pine bark is the one of the most investigated materials and

showed good adsorption properties for lead, copper,
cadmium and nickel. Comparison of sorption properties of
several coniferous barks has been done. Eucaliptus and
Fig 1: Dumping site Leachate collection Yohimbe bark were also showed to be efficient in adsorption
of metal ion. Several studies were carried out with
METHODOLOGY chemically pretreated pine bark , a few of these studies
showed decreasing sorption capacity of pre-treated bark
SAMPLE COLLECTION compared to crude bark. Adsorption capacity of bark is
attributed to its high tannins content. Tannins are a group of
The municipal leachate is collected from dumping site
water-soluble phenolic compounds having molecular weight
located at sadhuperi in vellore. And to check contamination
between 500 and 300 giving usual phenolic reactions, and
of leachate, water is collected from the pond just opposite to
having special properties such as ability to precipitate
the dumping site. In sadhuperi both degradable, non-
alkaloids, gelatin, and other proteins. Molecular weights as
degradable wastes and e-waste (electronic waste) are
high as 20000 have been reported. Approximately empirical
dumped in the same place without segregation which will
formula of tannic acid, or gallotannic acid which is most
contain heavy metals, oils, etc., The collected municipal
often referred as “tannin” is C76H52O46. The polyhydroxy
Leachate and water sample were taken in clean plastic
polyphenol groups of tannins are thought to be the active
containers and stored in refrigerator at -40C. The initial
species in the metal sorption process. Ion exchange takes
parameters were immediately analyzed Then, water were
place as metal cations displace phenolic hydroxyl groups,
analyzed for the initial parameters such as pH, electrical
forming a chelate. Pine bark produced for adsorption of oil
conductivity, chlorides, total alkalinity, total hardness, and
spills. This bark contains 90% of pine bark and 10% of wood
iron.
fibre. It was additionally ground before use in the column
MATERIALS experiments. Packed in the column, bark showed good
kinetic characteristics.
The materials used in this project are categorized according
to the nature of the use, they are,

 Glassware
 Chemical reagents
 Natural coagulants

CHITOSAN

Chitosan is a derivative of chitin. It is found in the insect’s Fig 3: Pine tree Pine bark powder
shells, fungi cell walls and in the shells of crustaceans.
Commercial value of chitosan is its affinity to heavy metal. In COAGULATION -FLOCCULATION PROCESS
the previous research, chitosan has been found to be
effective at removing heavy metal from water sources. Most Jar test is the most widely used experimental methods for
important thing is chitosan is 100% biodegradable coagulation-flocculation. A conventional jar test apparatus
compound. So, it does not bring pollution to the was used in the experiments to coagulate sample of turbid
environment. In wastewater treatment, chitosan is used as water using natural coagulant. It was carried out as a batch
an effective coagulant/flocculant alternative to conventional test, accommodating a series of six beakers together with
inorganic coagulants such as alum and ferric chloride. six-spindle steel paddles. Before operating the jar test, the
Chitosan is capable for binding the negatively charged sample was mixed homogenously and the procedure is as
particles, heavy metals and oils. follows:

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
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Fig 4 :Treatment of Leachate using Coagulation Fig 5: Chitosan Powder dosage Vs Removal of
process Turbidity %

Procedure of Coagulation Process: Determination of optimum pH

 Take 500ml of sample in each of the 6 beakers. The optimum pH was determined at a pH of 6 and the
turbidity removal was 91.3%. It was found that the
 Add varying doses of coagulants (natural and percentage of turbidity removal was suddenly increased
chemical) of 0.05 to 5 gm/ml in different beakers from pH 5 to 6 and the percentage of turbidity removal was
simultaneously. gradually decrease with decrease respect to the pH.

 Switch on the motor and adjust the speed of paddles

to about 100rpm and rapid mixing is done for 1-2
minutes.

 Reduce the speed of paddles to about 30 to 40rpm

and continue slow mixing for 20 minutes. This
corresponds to process of flocculation.

 Switch off the motors and allow it to settle for20-60

minutes. This corresponds to sedimentation or
settling of impurities.

 Collect the supernant from each beaker with the

help of pipette, without disturbing the sediment and
measure the percentage of turbidity removal using Fig 6: pH Vs Removal of turbidity (%) of Chitosan PINE
Turbidity meter. BARK

 Turbidity removal corresponding to various doses The volume of sample 500ml taken at different dosage
of natural coagulant measured and the least dose 2,4,6,8,10 gm/ml using pine bark as natural coagulant in jar
producing maximum removal was designated as test apparatus, the maximum amount of removal percentage
optimum coagulant dose. obtained was 83.3% at 4gm/ml.

 Optimum system pH was found by adding optimum

coagulant dose and the pH of the sample was varied
from 5 to 9 and the pH value producing maximum
turbidity removal (optimum pH) was determined.

TREATMENT USING NATURAL COAGULANTS

CHITOSAN POWDER

From this, volume of sample 500ml taken at different dosage

0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8,1 gm/ml using, the percentage of turbidity
removal was found to be increased with increase in the
dosage level. The maximum amount of removal percentage
obtained was 85.2% at 0.6g/mL
Fig 7 :Pine bark dosage Vs Removal of Turbidity %

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Volume: 05 Issue: 04 | Apr-2018 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Determination of optimum pH [3] Afshin Maleki, Mohammad Ali Zazouli, Hassan Izanloo
and Reza Rezaee(2009) “Composting Plant Leachate
The optimum pH was determined at a pH of 7 and the Treatment by Coagulation-Flocculation Proces”,.
turbidity removal was 85.2%. It was found that the American-Eurasian J. Agric. & Environ. Sci., 5 (5), pp.
percentage of turbidity removal was gradually increased 638-643.
from pH 5 to 9 and then the % of turbidity removal was
gradually declined. [4] APHA (1995) standards methods for the examination of
water and waste water, American public Health
Association, American water works Association and
water pollution control Federation, 19th end,
Washington, D.C. 6

[5] Awasthi A.K., Amit Pandey, Pandey A.K. and Jamaluddin,

(2013)“Comparative study on heavy metal
characteristics of leachate from municipal solid waste in
central india”, IJSIT, 2(5), pp. 390-396.

[6] Barjinder Bhalla, M.S. Saini, M.K. Jha (Nov 2012)

International Journal of Engineering Research and
Applications (IJERA) ,Vol. 2, Issue 6, Characterization of
Leachate from Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfilling
Sites of Ludhiana, India: A Comparative Study.
Fig 8 : pH Vs Removal of turbidity (%) of pine bark
[7] Chauvet c(.2003) Treatment of contaminated leachate
3. CONCLUSION with natural and rest product adsorbent materials
masters thesis 2003:21,water environmental transport
The conclusions were drawn from the present studies on the chalmers university of technology ,goteborg sweden
removal of turbidity of the natural coagulant. From the
study, it clearly shows that the natural coagulant (Chitosan [8] Chian, E.S.K., Dewalle, F.B.,(1976). Sanitary landfill
powder and pine bark) are effective in the removal of leachates and their treatment .J. Environ. Eng. Div. ASCE
turbidity .Therefore, the need for economical, effective and 102 (EE2), pp.411-431.
safe method for disposal of pollutant in leachate has resulted
in coagulation process. Thus, the environmental pollutions
can be reduced by adapting coagulation all over. The absence
of proper management system and lack of adequate capacity
for final deposition of solid waste has been a serious
problem in urban areas. Developing countries like India have
not been able to adequately address these problems due to
high cost involved. This seems to be one of the reasons why
contaminated dumpsites are often shut down for natural
recovery of the site. Though there is a scarcity of data on
physicochemical status of shut down dumpsites. The data
recorded in this study support the assertion that most shut
down dumpsites in heavily urbanized society may have been
contaminated significantly due to on going human activities.
This underlines the need for appropriate authority to further
monitor shut down dumpsites alongside remediation
process that may be initiated.

REFERENCE
[1] A.Idris, B.Inane, M.N.Hassan (2004) “Overview of waste
disposal and landfills/dumps in Asian countries”,
Material Cycles and Waste Management, 16, 2004, 104-
110.

[2] A.Kansal (2002) “Solid waste management strategies for

India”, Indian Journal of Environmental Protection,
22(4), 2002, 444-448.

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