Anoxic, Zero-Headspace Titrations of Landfill Leachate

Leachate samples from an operating landfill were sampled periodically using a closed-system anoxic technique to avoid exposure of leachate to air. Anoxic, zero-headspace titrations were then performed on these samples. Buffering capacity results show the importance of this technique in proper characterization of leachate in-situ. Results, and their comparison to predicted curves using SURFEQL, a multiple-component chemical equilibrium program, enable identification and quantification of some buffering components, but buffering components around pH's 5 and 8 have not been conclusively identified or modelled.