Waste Management & Research 183 Waste Manage Res 2006: 24: 183–194 Printed in UK – all right reserved Copyright © ISWA 2006

The performance of a natural treatment system for landfill leachate with special emphasis on the fate of organic pollutants A natural treatment system for the treatment of leachate was studied at Moskogen landfill in southern Sweden. This facil-ity consists of three consecutive ponds and a soil–plant (SP)-system. A test area, receiving water from the third pond with the same hydraulic load as the SP-system, was used for esti-mation of the latter system. Quality parameters including biochemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, ammo-nium, nitrate, orthophosphate, and total suspended solids along the treatment line were determined as well as soluble metals (Cu, Cd, Zn, Cr, Ni, and Pb). In addition a thorough investigation along the treatment line has also been per-formed concerning volatile organic compounds and semi-vol