Phenols in municipal solid waste leachates and their attenuation by clay soils

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill leachates retain large quantities of natural phenols in solution, whether they are young or old. Their levels fluctuate as a function of solution pH and total organic carbon (TOC) content. The 4-aminoantipyrine method is a good, relatively fast method to identify “total” phenols in these waste waters. Natural phenols migrate through 10 cm of clay soils in seven pore volume displacements or fewer, especially when accompanied by large TOC levels and low pH values. Aeration of solid waste leachates proved to be effective for lowering the levels of phenols, whether natural or enriched. Humic and fulvic acids in leachates may be responsible for the apparent selective disappearance of enriched phenols from MSW leachate solution.