Spatial variability of nitrous oxide and methane emissions from an MBT landfill in operation : strong N2O hotspots at the working face

Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved..

Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) is an effective technique, which removes organic carbon from municipal solid waste (MSW) prior to deposition. Thereby, methane (CH4) production in the landfill is strongly mitigated. However, direct measurements of greenhouse gas emissions from full-scale MBT landfills have not been conducted so far. Thus, CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from a German MBT landfill in operation as well as their concentrations in the landfill gas (LFG) were measured. High N2O emissions of 20-200gCO2eq.m(-2)h(-1) magnitude (up to 428mgNm(-2)h(-1)) were observed within 20m of the working face. CH4 emissions were highest at the landfill zone located at a distance of 30-40m from the working face, where they reached about 10gCO2eq.m(-2)h(-1). The MBT material in this area has been deposited several weeks earlier. Maximum LFG concentration for N2O was 24.000ppmv in material below the emission hotspot. At a depth of 50cm from the landfill surface a strong negative correlation between N2O and CH4 concentrations was observed. From this and from the distribution pattern of extractable ammonium, nitrite, and nitrate it has been concluded that strong N2O production is associated with nitrification activity and the occurrence of nitrite and nitrate, which is initiated by oxygen input during waste deposition. Therefore, CH4 mitigation measures, which often employ aeration, could result in a net increase of GHG emissions due to increased N2O emissions, especially at MBT landfills.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2013

Erschienen:

2013

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:33

Enthalten in:

Waste management (New York, N.Y.) - 33(2013), 10 vom: 05. Okt., Seite 2099-107

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Harborth, Peter [VerfasserIn]
Fuss, Roland [VerfasserIn]
Münnich, Kai [VerfasserIn]
Flessa, Heinz [VerfasserIn]
Fricke, Klaus [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

GHG emissions
Gas flux
Journal Article
K50XQU1029
Landfill gas
MBT landfill
Methane
N762921K75
Nitrates
Nitrites
Nitrogen
Nitrous Oxide
Nitrous oxide
OP0UW79H66
Oxygen
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
S88TT14065
Solid Waste

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 05.05.2014

Date Revised 09.09.2013

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.wasman.2013.01.028

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM225445077