Effect of biochar addition on the removal of organic and nitrogen pollutants from leachate treated with a semi-aerobic aged refuse biofilter.

The effect of biochar on the removal of organic and nitrogen contaminants from leachate in a semi-aerobic aged refuse biofilter (SAARB) was investigated. A preset amount of biochar was mixed with the aged refuse to explore the enhancement ability of pollutant removal by characterizing the leachate effluent and gas. The results showed that biochar contributed to the removal of organic and nitrogen pollutants from the leachate and that increasing the amount of biochar added led to higher colour number, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, and total nitrogen removal efficiencies. Furthermore, the addition of biochar significantly increased the removal of large molecule organic pollutants from the leachate. The improved removal of organics was due to the considerable number of surface functional groups and the large surface area of the biochar, which effectively absorbed and removed a significant amount of the organic matter from the leachate. Biochar elevated the dissolved oxygen concentration in the semi-aerobic system, which facilitated the completion of the nitrification reaction. It also promoted denitrification by acting as a supplementary carbon source. The nitrous oxide (N