In: Civil Engineering
] Landfill A has been used for 25 yr, while landill B has been used for 10 yr. Landfill A has ____________ pH, ____________ COD, and ________ nitrate than B
Landfill A has less pH, less COD, and more nitrate than B.
Because of following reasons....
1) Firstly aerobic bacteria and fungi, which are dominant, deplete the available oxygen from the surroundings to effect oxidation of organic matter and the oxygen inside the landfill increases which results in decrease of COD. As landfill A has been used for more time than landfill B and hence landfill A will contain more fully decomposed matter which decreases its COD.
2) After aerobic respiration, anaerobic and facultative bacteria develop to decompose the organic matter; and H2 and CO2 gases are thus evolved through acidogenic activity which increases acidity of the landfill and decreases pH. As landfill A has been used for more time than landfill A, it has more acidity and landfill A has less pH than landfill B.
3) Nitrates represents fully decomposed organic matter and as landfill A has been used for more time it would contain more fully decomposed organic matter than B and hence landfill A has more nitrate than landfill B.