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Pilot-scale investigations on the fate and potential effects of disposable diapers codisposed with shredded municipal refuse were conducted using simulated landfills operated under leachate containment and recycle conditions. Carbon fourteen(14C)-labelled absorbent gelling material (AGM) was used to detect the possible loss of the diaper polymer to the gases and liquids generated during the various stages of landfill stabilization. Only a small quantity (<3%) of the total 14C appeared in either the leachate or gas phases. This indicated only minor degradation of the 14C-labelled AGM to either leachate soluble products or methane (CH4) or carbon dioxide (CO2). Retrieval of the diapers and waste after the completion of the landfill stabilization is scheduled to confirm this finding and complete a 14C mass balance. Moreover, the overall results indicated the effectiveness of landfill simulations for determining the fate and effects of codisposed post-consumer products throughout the sequential phases of landfill stabilization.

A highly absorbent consumer-product, polyacrylate-polymer material tagged with carbon-14 (14C), was dosed to a standard on-site aerobic wastewater treatment plant which contained a settling chamber, an aeration chamber, and an effluent chamber. Operation of the test plant was essentially the same as that of a control plant even under exaggerated conditions. About 97% of the polymer material was retained in solids deposited in the primary and aeration chambers, and effluent releases were minimal. The use of a 14C tagging procedure proved to be a successful method for studying the behavior of these complex materials. It may be useful to conduct a further study on retained solids to determine whether microbial decomposition of the polymer material occurs while they remain in typical plants. Notation AC-aeration chamber BOD,-biochemical oxygen demand, S-day technique COD-chemical oxygen demand E-effluent LS-liquid scintillation mCi-millicurie MLSS-mixed liquor suspended solids NSF-national sanitation foundation PC-primary chamber pCi-picocurie SL-sludge SN-supernate SS-suspended solids VSS-volatile suspended solids 57-refers to plant 57, the test plant 58-refers to plant 58, the control plant

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