Testing the Effectiveness of Pollution Control Measures at the South Dade Landfill: The Reduction of Un-ionized Ammonia in Landfill Leachate

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the pollution control measures in place at the South Dade Landfill, located in Miami, Florida. Pollution control measures in place at the landfill include the lining and capping of landfill cells, a landfill wetland retention basin and a groundwater remediation interceptor trench (GWRIT). This study was performed over a ten (10) month span beginning in October, 2002 and ending in July, 2003. This study dealt specifically with the effectiveness of the GWRIT and landfill wetlands in reducing the amount of un-ionized ammonia (NH3) in the landfill leachate. Through the analysis of surface water and groundwater surrounding the landfill, it was concluded that the pollution control measures reduced levels of un-ionized ammonia by 98% of the concentration of NH3 found in the landfill\u27s leachate