Evaluation of the biodegradability and toxicity of landfill leachates after pretreatment using advanced oxidative processes.

Leachate from urban solid waste landfills is a complex mixture of organic and inorganic substances that cause damage to the environment, due to the high concentration of recalcitrant organic matter and toxicity. The objective of this study was to apply advanced oxidation processes (AOP), namely the dark Fenton and solar photo-Fenton processes, to young and old landfill leachates prior to biological treatment. The leachates were obtained from the Seropedica and Gramacho landfill sites, respectively, located in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.