Application of an Integrated MBR‒Fenton Process in the Retrofit of a Municipal Solid Waste Leachate Treatment System: A Case Study of a Landfill Site in Hunan
Objective The sustainable management of mature landfill leachate represents a persistent environmental challenge due to its characteristically high salinity, elevated nitrogen concentration, and presence of recalcitrant organic compounds, which lead to extremely poor biodegradability. This problem is particularly acute for existing treatment facilities that require capacity expansion and process upgrades to meet increasingly stringent discharge standards while being constrained by severely limited available land. Conventional treatment schemes, which often rely on membrane concentration or standalone biological processes, frequently demonstrate inadequate denitrification efficiency under low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratios and generate secondary waste streams, such as reverse osmosis concentrates, which pose additional disposal challenges. This research is therefore motivated by the critical need to engineer, demonstrate, and validate a comprehensively integrated, highly efficient, and spatially optimized treatment train capable of overcoming these multifaceted technical and logistical barriers, ensuring reliable, long-term compliant operation for complex, aged leachate. Methods A novel and sophisticated treatment system centered on an integrated "Anoxic/Oxic Biological Treatment + Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) + Two-Stage Fenton Advanced Oxidation + Biological Aerated Filter (BAF)" process chain was designed and deployed for the full-scale retrofit and capacity expansion of a mature leachate treatment plant. The cornerstone of the spatial strategy was the innovative "three-layer superimposed configuration." This architectural approach vertically stacked all major process units, including equalization, two-stage anoxic/oxic (A/O) bioreactors, the MBR filtration skid, two-stage Fenton reaction and sedimentation trains, and the final BAF polisher, within a single, multistory comprehensive treatment facility. This design consolidated the entire process within a footprint of only 2 000 m2, achieved an approximately 80% reduction in land use compared to traditional spread-out horizontal layouts, and increased treatment capacity from the original 300 to 800 m3/d. A synergistic co-treatment strategy was implemented to address the carbon source deficiency that affected mature leachate treatment. This strategy involved the deliberate and controlled blending of biologically refractory mature landfill leachate with more readily biodegradable wastewater streams, specifically fresh leachate from municipal waste transfer stations and process effluent from a food waste treatment plant. These co-streams functioned as effective internal carbon sources, increased the overall C/N ratio of the system, and provided essential organic substrates that supported efficient biological denitrification in the anoxic zones. The performance of the core Fenton advanced oxidation process was systematically optimized through an extensive pilot-scale testing program. Based on foundational research and a controlled-variable methodology, the optimal operational window was empirically validated, with key parameters established as a narrow pH range of 3.5 to 4.0, an FeSO4·7H2O dosage of 16 to 18 mmol/L, and a critical H2O2/Fe2⁺ molar ratio of 1.3 to 1.5. A centralized automated control system was installed to ensure robust, stable, and synergistic operation of this complex multiunit process. This system provided continuous monitoring and precise regulation of key parameters, including dissolved oxygen levels, which were maintained at 0 to 0.5 mg/L in anoxic tanks and 2.0 to 4.0 mg/L in aerobic tanks, pH across various stages, and chemical dosing rates, facilitating optimal conditions for both biological and chemical treatment steps. Results and Discussions After commissioning, the retrofitted integrated system exhibited outstanding and highly stable treatment performance over an extended operational period. Comprehensive performance monitoring data confirmed remarkable removal efficiencies for the primary pollutants. CODCr removal consistently exceeded 99.2%, BOD5 removal was greater than 99.6%, and NH3‒N removal also surpassed 99.2%. The final treated effluent quality was reliably maintained well within the most stringent discharge limits, with TN concentrations stably controlled below 21 mg/L and TP below 0.5 mg/L, demonstrating full and consistent compliance with the Table 2 standards of GB 16889—2024. The incorporation of the two-stage Fenton process proved to be a critical differentiator because it effectively cleaved complex recalcitrant organic molecules into more biodegradable fragments, significantly enhanced the overall biodegradability of the leachate, and enabled high removal rates in the subsequent biological polishing stages. The strategic co-treatment of multiple wastewater sources produced substantial economic and operational benefits and reduced the external demand for purchased carbon sources, such as glucose and sodium acetate, by more than 70%, which directly resulted in significant and sustained operational cost savings. Energy optimization was another achievement. Through systemwide enhancements, including the adoption of high-efficiency magnetic bearing blowers for aeration, the plant-specific power consumption was reduced by approximately 20% compared to systems that used conventional Roots blowers. A detailed and holistic operational cost analysis showed that the direct treatment cost was successfully controlled at 92 CNY per ton of treated leachate. One of the most significant environmental advantages of this integrated configuration was the achievement of an exceptionally high water recovery rate greater than 95% without producing a concentrated brine stream, completely avoiding the persistent environmental and operational challenges and costs associated with the management, treatment, and disposal of membrane concentrates, such as recirculation to the landfill body. Conclusions This full-scale engineering application conclusively demonstrates that the integrated "biological + MBR + Fenton + BAF" process constitutes a technically robust, economically sustainable, and operationally reliable solution for the advanced treatment of mature landfill leachate, even under demanding conditions involving severe spatial constraints and highly unfavorable influent characteristics. The pioneering compact, three-dimensional design paradigm successfully decouples treatment capacity from physical footprint, providing a transformative strategy for the in situ upgrading and expansion of wastewater treatment infrastructure in space-limited settings. The synergistic coupling of advanced chemical oxidation with multiple biological treatment stages, strategically augmented by the internal sourcing of carbon from co-treated waste streams, provides a holistic and effective countermeasure to the core challenges of low C/N ratio and recalcitrant organic pollution. This integrated approach ensures high removal efficiencies, operational resilience, and economic advantages. Therefore, this study provides a comprehensive, validated, and highly replicable blueprint for the modernization and capacity expansion of leachate treatment facilities worldwide. It holds particular value for projects in densely populated and land-scarce urban environments and represents a substantial advancement with considerable practical significance and broad potential for dissemination.
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