A Review on the Fate of Emerging Contaminants in Landfill Leachate: Insights from Conventional Treatment Approaches
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Date
2026
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Abstract
Landfill leachate is a dark-colored,
complex liquid formed by the percolation of water
through municipal solid waste, containing diverse
array of emerging contaminants. Reported concen
trations include pharmaceuticals such as ibuprofen
(2–1,500 µg/L) and carbamazepine (up to 800 µg/L),
personal care products like triclosan (50–3,200 µg/L),
pesticides (50–1,200 µg/L), phthalates such as Di(2
ethylhexyl) phthalate (up to 5.3 mg/L), polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (20–600 µg/L), polychlorin
ated biphenyls (0.1–50 µg/L), per- and polyfluoro
alkyl substances (up to 6,200 ng/L), microplastics
(102–104 particles/L), and endocrine disruptors such
as bisphenol A (0.5–1,800 µg/L). These contaminants
persist in the environment, resist natural degradation,
Highlights
• Conventional treatments only partially remove emerging
contaminants (ECs) in leachate.
• EC removal depends on physicochemical properties and
applied treatment process.
• Fate of ECs includes adsorption, partial biodegradation,
and environmental persistence.
• Hybrid and integrated treatments achieve higher EC
removal than standalone methods.
• Treatment limitations indicate the need for optimized
hybrid systems and monitoring.
and thereby posing significant ecological and health
risks. The conventional biological treatments, includ
ing activated sludge and anaerobic digestion, achieve
only partial removal (20–60% for pharmaceuti
cals; < 30% for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances).
Physico-chemical processes such as coagulation-floc
culation, advanced oxidation, and membrane filtration
provide higher removal rates (60–95%) but remain
energy-intensive, costly, and prone to secondary pol
lution. There is no single treatment that ensures com
plete elimination, underscoring the inadequacy of tra
ditional methods. Recent advances, including hybrid
membrane bioreactors, advanced oxidation processes,
and bioelectrochemical technologies, achieve more
than 90% removal of selected contaminants. The study focuses on the occurrence and fate of emerg
ing contaminants in landfill leachate, evaluates the
performance of existing treatment technologies, and
compares regulatory frameworks across different
countries. The insights aim to guide the development
of sustainable and integrated strategies for effective
leachate management.