Redox effects on heavy metal attenuation in landfill clay liner

Landfill leachate is characterized by high organic compounds that can be used by microorganisms as nutrients and induce a series of redox reactions. Thus, redox potential as well as pH is considered to have an effect on the behavior of contaminants in leachate from landfill sites. Modified batch tests, cultivating the native microorganisms in soil specimens, were conducted to evaluate the bacteria-induced redox and pH effects on the natural attenuation mechanisms of heavy metal in the bottom clay liner of landfills. The marine clay sampled from Osaka Bay, Japan was used as a natural clay liner material due to the consideration that some of the solid waste landfill sites in Japan are located in coastal areas. Iron and zinc were selected as target pollutants. Test results show that both pH and redox potential indicated a combined effect on the solubility of zinc and iron. Under the denitrification and Fe(III) reduction conditions, zinc was soluble and its solubility was only controlled by pH. When pH increased higher than 7.2, zinc precipitated as hydroxides and adsorbed on soil particle surfaces. Under the sulfate reduction condition, the formation of zinc sulfides became another attenuation mechanism. Iron was insoluble under the aerobic and denitrification conditions in natural pH conditions. Elevated levels of soluble iron were observed in moderately reduced and highly reduced conditions. A combination of nearly neutral pH and extremely low redox potential condition in landfill site tends to promote the insolubilization of zinc but the solubilization of iron.