Garbage enzyme-mediated treatment of landfill leachate: A sustainable approach

[Display omitted] •Garbage enzymes increase the bioavailability of organics in leachate.•sCOD removal efficiency from landfill leachate using four different garbage enzymes.•Better solubilization and sCOD removal at 27 °C than at higher temperatures. The study evaluates the soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) removal efficiency from landfill leachate by treating it with four different garbage enzymes at two temperatures (room temperature 27 ± 3 °C and higher temperature 42 ± 3 °C). The four different garbage enzymes were prepared by fermenting fruit peels such as pineapple, banana, orange, and lemon peels and treated with landfill leachate at different mixing ratios of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The results show that garbage enzymes made from orange (10%) and lemon (15%) have maximum sCOD reduction of 68.24% and 67.89%, respectively, at room temperature. The maximum solubilization was found in the pineapple and lemon garbage enzyme at 5% concentration. The samples kept at room temperature showed better solubilization and sCOD removal compared to the samples at higher temperatures. The study demonstrates that the garbage enzyme could be used to increase the bioavailability of organics in leachate.