**2. Characteristics of the Adana-Sofulu landfill and the plants used for remediation**

The Adana-Sofulu landfill is the first major landfill in Turkey at which scientifical planting rehabilitation has been conducted. The population of Adanais 2,026,319, and Adana Province is the political and economic center of the Cukurova region. Field experiments were conducted between 37°03'12"N and 37°03'12.1"N and between35°23'34.3"E and 35°23'35"E [8] (Figure 1).

The city of Adana is in the Mediterranean climate region, and during this study,plants were irrigated with leachate water and tap water during the drought season. Figure 2 shows temperatures and rainfall amounts, including the drought season, for the city of Adana [36]. The irrigation was conducted from May to September.

Until recently, there has been no urgent need for planting of landfill areas. Landfills were generally transformed into small copses within 20 years after the planting of populous species that would grow to a depth of 30 cm from the soil surface. In later years, however, toxic degradation products of waste compounds have created issues that have brought about the need for new planting strategies [37].

Typical plant remediation methods in landfill areas include "grassing" and "grassing and reforestation". In the grassing method, 20-cm class I and II soil layers are laid on wasteland, and a mixture of *Lolium*, *Dactylis*, *Poa, Agrostis*, *Cynodon*, *Trifolium*, *Medicago* and *Vicia* seeds are planted there. This method of rehabilitation of landfill areas is very common in England. In grassing landfill areas, trees are just an ornamental element. With the grassing and refor‐ estation method, it is important to determine the timing of landfill closures. With old landfill sites, there are no serious problems with the timing of planting. Soil that has been incubated in a fermentation process is laid on the waste site at a thickness of 30 cm, and grassing then begins with the seeding of *Lolium*, *Dactylis*, *Trifolium* and *Poa.* In this process, the grassy vegetation is first laid on the soil layer. After the vegetation has been established, the *Popu‐ lus* and *Salix* species are planted to begin reforestation [38, 39].

The Characteristics of Phytoremediation of Soil and Leachate Polluted by Landfills http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/61105 231

**Figure 1.** Map showing location of the Sofulu landfill [8] Figure1.Map showing location of the Sofulu landfill [8]

hill planted with plants indigenous to the area. The aim of the current study was to search for ways to use leachate water from solid waste landfill sites for irrigation of plant species that grow wild under normal climate conditions. The study focuses on the plant species *Alcea rosea* (hollyhock)*, Cynodon dactylon* (Bermuda grass) and *Melilotus officinalis* (yellow melilot). During the 2 years of the study, plants were irrigated with tap and leachate water under drought conditions. The wild plant species were determined in the hollyhock, Bermuda grass and yellow melilot parcels. After the experiment, populations of *E. coli*, total coliforms and fecal coliform bacteria in the soil samples were analyzed. Results showed that using leachate water to cultivate various types of plants affected total and fecal coliform

**2. Characteristics of the Adana-Sofulu landfill and the plants used for**

The Adana-Sofulu landfill is the first major landfill in Turkey at which scientifical planting rehabilitation has been conducted. The population of Adanais 2,026,319, and Adana Province is the political and economic center of the Cukurova region. Field experiments were conducted between 37°03'12"N and 37°03'12.1"N and between35°23'34.3"E and 35°23'35"E [8] (Figure 1).

The city of Adana is in the Mediterranean climate region, and during this study,plants were irrigated with leachate water and tap water during the drought season. Figure 2 shows temperatures and rainfall amounts, including the drought season, for the city of Adana [36].

Until recently, there has been no urgent need for planting of landfill areas. Landfills were generally transformed into small copses within 20 years after the planting of populous species that would grow to a depth of 30 cm from the soil surface. In later years, however, toxic degradation products of waste compounds have created issues that have brought about the

Typical plant remediation methods in landfill areas include "grassing" and "grassing and reforestation". In the grassing method, 20-cm class I and II soil layers are laid on wasteland, and a mixture of *Lolium*, *Dactylis*, *Poa, Agrostis*, *Cynodon*, *Trifolium*, *Medicago* and *Vicia* seeds are planted there. This method of rehabilitation of landfill areas is very common in England. In grassing landfill areas, trees are just an ornamental element. With the grassing and refor‐ estation method, it is important to determine the timing of landfill closures. With old landfill sites, there are no serious problems with the timing of planting. Soil that has been incubated in a fermentation process is laid on the waste site at a thickness of 30 cm, and grassing then begins with the seeding of *Lolium*, *Dactylis*, *Trifolium* and *Poa.* In this process, the grassy vegetation is first laid on the soil layer. After the vegetation has been established, the *Popu‐*

The irrigation was conducted from May to September.

*lus* and *Salix* species are planted to begin reforestation [38, 39].

need for new planting strategies [37].

populations in the soil.

230 Advances in Bioremediation of Wastewater and Polluted Soil

**remediation**

Figure2. Drought index of study area [36] **Figure 2.** Drought index of study area [36]

In the Sofulu landfill rehabilitation study, three plant species—*Alcea rosea* (hollyhock)*, Cynodon dactylon* (Bermuda grass) and *Melilotus officinalis* (yellow melilot)—were selected on the basis of their ecological characteristics including area of spread, the need for soil nutrient sand their tolerance to extreme temperatures. These plants require few nutrients. Each plant species has a different seed In the Sofulu landfill rehabilitation study, three plant species—*Alcea rosea* (hollyhock)*, Cynodon dactylon* (Bermuda grass) and *Melilotus officinalis* (yellow melilot)—were selected on the basis of their ecological characteristics including area of spread, the need for soil nutrient sand their tolerance to extreme temperatures. These plants require few nutrients. Each plant species has a different seed weight. To obtain equal numbers of seeds, we followed the recommended weights for plants. Accordingly, 80 g of *A. rosea*, 600 g of *C. dactylon* and 3 g of *M. officinalis* seeds were sown on each parcel. Figure 3 shows photographs of the three plant species [8].

*A. rosea* flower (hollyhock) (Original) *A.rosea* plant group in the plot (Original)

*M. officinalis* flower (yellow melilot)(Original) *M. officinalis* plant group in the plot (Original)

*C. dactylon* (Bermuda grass) (Original) *C. dactylon* covering in the plot (Original)

**Figure 3.** Photographs of plant species in the plots
