Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) enhanced Fenton process for landfill leachate nanofiltration: Organic matter removal and membrane fouling alleviation

This study investigated a sustainable approach through dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) enhanced Fenton technology coupling nanofiltration (NF) process for landfill leachate treatment. The DBD/Fe(II)/H 2 O 2 system exhibited significant synergistic effects, removing 55.07 % of TOC and 53.79 % of UV 254 within 60 min, respectively. Additionally, the DBD/Fe(II)/H 2 O 2 system demonstrated exceptional performance in removing fluorescent substances and large molecular organic compounds, thereby reducing the formation of cake layer on the nanofiltration membrane. Moreover, membrane flux increased by 2.34 times, with reversible and irreversible resistances decreasing by 75.79 % and 81.55 %, respectively. Quenching experiments revealed ·OH as the primary active species for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) degradation in the DBD/Fe(II)/H 2 O 2 process. The degradation pathway of PFOA was also elucidated via capillary electrophoresis-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. Correlation analysis indicated that TOC and EEM were the primary fouling factors. Lastly, through an assessment of energy consumption, economic costs, and carbon dioxide emissions, the advantages and practical application potential of the DBD/Fe(II)/H 2 O 2 system were demonstrated. In summary, the DBD/Fe(II)/H 2 O 2 system emerges as a feasible strategy for NF pretreatment, holding immense potential for treating landfill leachate.