Overview on Landfill Leachate Characterization and Treatment Challenges
Landfill leachate is a highly charged and complex wastewater whose composition changes significantly with landfill age, typically categorized into young, intermediate, and mature types. In the specific case of Oujda Morocco, leachate management is further complicated by a waste typology characterized by a high organic fraction (74.2%) and high moisture content (64.4%). These conditions generate extremely strong leachates with elevated concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium, and total dissolved solids (TDS), representing a severe threat to regional water resources. Because single-stage conventional methods are no longer adequate to meet stringent environmental discharge standards, the recourse to integrated chemical-physical-biological processes is essential. The study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of landfill leachate classifications and their basic physicochemical characteristics; to introduce treatment technologies implemented globally and emphasizes the imperative of hybrid systems for managing highly concentrated effluents such as those produced in the Moroccan landfills. Furthermore, the research outlines a future study dedicated to optimizing an eventual combined treatment train specifically for the unique characteristics of Oujda's leachate.