Biogas Emissions Research Articles

Сравнительная оценка эмиссии биогаза и химического состава фильтрационных вод на свалках/полигонах твердых коммунальных отходов в Арктической зоне и субъектах средней полосы России

The authors present the results of a comparative assessment of biogas emissions and chemical composition of filtration waters at facilities of accumulated environmental harm — dumps/landfills of solid municipal waste located in the Arctic and non-Arctic regions of Russia. The analysis shows that biogas emissions at the Arctic sites are approximately 19—23.5 times lower than at sites in constituent entities of the Russian Federation not part of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Sites of accumulated harm in terms of chemical composition of filtration waters and biogas emissions, depending on the stage of biochemical destruction of waste, are in the 4th—5th stages of biodegradation and destruction of waste (phases of stable methanogenesis and assimilation). The authors suggest executive authorities of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as design organizations to use the research results in the development of measures and technical solutions for the elimination of decommissioned dumps/landfills of solid municipal waste.

Influence of Aeration, Introduction of Probiotics, and Supply of Water on Landfill Gas Production—Study of Models

When municipal solid waste (MSW) is placed in a landfill, it undergoes anaerobic decomposition, leading to the production of landfill gas, which primarily consists of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Reducing methane emissions is essential in the fight against climate change. It must be implemented at global and European levels, as set out in 2030 in the impact assessment of the climate goal plan. This assessment states that to achieve the goal by 2030 and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55%, the methane emissions must be reduced, considering the goals of the Paris Agreement. The Glasgow Climate Pact includes a global mitigation target of the year 2030: to reduce CO2 emissions by 45%, and the emissions of methane and other greenhouse gasses. For that purpose, looking for new, more advanced ways of managing such waste is necessary. The main objective of this experimental study was to evaluate the influence of aeration, probiotic introduction, and water supply on the production of landfill gasses (CO2, CH4, N2, H2, etc.) in five different landfill models during the management of MSW and to propose the best solutions for reducing environmental pollution. The results of the research showed that the first and second models of landfills, using only anaerobic conditions, can be used for the treatment of MSW for the production of biogas (CH4, CO2), as up to 40–60% of it was released during the 120-experiment period. The third landfill model can be applied in old, already closed landfills, where the rapid stabilization and aeration of MSW are required to minimize pollutant emissions (N2, etc.) and unwanted odors and shorten biodegradation processes. The results of the fourth and fifth landfill models, in which aerobic–anaerobic conditions were applied, showed that the developing nitrification–denitrification processes resulted in complete nitrogen removal (from 20% to 0%), and overall waste stabilization improved the biodegradation of the MSW. Later, relatively good (on average, 30%) results of biogas (CH4, CO2) emissions are achieved during anaerobic condition formation results. Summarizing all experiment results of all landfill models for the further evaluation of the processes, all models can be applied in real practice depending on where they will be used and what result they want to achieve.

The Impact of Commercial Sectors on Environmental Quality: A Case Study of Tabriz's Ecosystem and Financial Landscape

Commercial sectors play a crucial role in the national economy by facilitating resource accumulation through both small and large savings, optimizing the distribution of financial resources, and directing them towards the costs and investment requirements of productive sectors. Most research exploring the link between economic growth and environmental factors is grounded in the Kuznets hypothesis. The findings indicate a unidirectional relationship between financial development and gas emissions. Specifically, the ratio of domestic credit to the private sector, expressed as a percentage of GDP, positively influences financial markets and significantly impacts biogas emissions in selected middle-income nations. Consequently, the hypothesis asserting a significant relationship between domestic credit to the private sector (as a percentage of GDP) and environmental gas emissions cannot be dismissed. Additionally, the ratio of traded stocks to the volume of stock market transactions, serving as a capital market indicator, has a positive and significant effect on emissions, reinforcing its role as an environmental quality indicator in the co-gas group of the two selected middle-income countries. Thus, the hypothesis regarding the significant relationship between the ratio of traded stocks and gas emissions as an environmental quality indicator remains valid. Based on the findings of this study, several recommendations are proposed: Reducing government size to foster greater non-governmental sector participation, enhancing public awareness across various demographics through media to mitigate environmental pollution, discouraging foreign investment in polluting industries, and promoting the establishment and development of environmental protection organizations through training and resource allocation.

4D Models Generated with UAV Photogrammetry for Landfill Monitoring Thermal Control of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Landfills

The management of the increasing volume of municipal solid waste is an essential activity for the health of the environment and of the population. The organic matter of waste deposited in landfills is subject to aerobic decomposition processes, bacterial aerobic decomposition, and chemical reactions that release large amounts of heat, biogas, and leachates at high temperatures. The control of these by-products enables their recovery, utilization, and treatment for energy use, avoiding emissions to the environment. UAVs with low-cost thermal sensors are a tool that enables the representation of temperature distributions for the thermal control of landfills. This study focuses on the development of a methodology for the generation of 3D thermal models through the projection of TIR image information onto a 3D model generated from RGB images and the identification of thermal anomalies by means of photointerpretation and GIS analysis. The novel methodological approach was implemented at the Meruelo landfill for validation. At the facility, a 4D model (X,Y,Z-temperature) and a 13.8 cm/px GSD thermal orthoimage were generated with a thermal accuracy of 1.63 °C, which enabled the identification of at least five areas of high temperatures associated with possible biogas emissions, decomposing organic matter, or underground fires, which were verified by on-site measurements and photointerpretation of the RGB model, in order to take and assess specific corrective measures.

ЛАСТАНҒАН АЙМАҚТАРДАН БӨЛІНЕТІН БИОГАЗДАРҒА ЭКОЛОГИЯЛЫҚ БАҒА БЕРУ

The article writes about the negative impact on the environment of greenhouse gases, that is, biogas emissions that accumulate in the territories on the basis of landfill pollution. The ways of proper disposal of wastes increasing from year to year due to their efficient use are proposed.

Methane biofiltration for the treatment of a simulated diluted biogas emission containing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide

Fugitive methane emissions impair the physical and chemical stability of the atmosphere. Biological systems, such as biofilters, have been proposed as a feasible technology for the abatement of CH4 in diluted emissions (<5% [CH4]). Other gases, such as NH3 and H2S, are also present in these emissions; and they could be detrimental for the performance of biological CH4 abatement strategies. The objective of this work was to establish the magnitude of the impact on the biofiltration of CH4 due to the presence of NH3 and H2S.A methane biofiltration system operating at load of 10 gCH4m-3h−1 was affected by the presence of NH3 and H2S in a synthetic diffuse stream, where the elimination capacity (5.5 gCH4m-3h−1) and efficiency (55%) varied significantly. A combination of 100 ppmv of NH3 and 100 ppmv of H2S decreased the capacity by 17% with respect to the unexposed biofilter while 500 ppmv of NH3 and 300 ppmv of H2S shrink the capacity by 26%. Separately, H2S decreased the methane elimination capacity by 11% under 150 ppmv and 20% when 300 ppmv was supplied. In the case of NH3, the presence of 100 ppmv and 300 ppmv of NH3 increases the methane elimination capacity by 35% and 16%, respectively. A reduction of 32% in the elimination capacity was observed under 1000 ppmv of NH3. We contribute with numerical evidence by which methane biofiltration was affected by secondary gases on a concentration range similar to those in waste methane diffuse stream, establishing the concentration ranges of H2S and NH3 at which it is possible to optimize the process of methane biofiltration and under which performance could be reduced.

Agricultural Plant Residues as Potential Co-Substrates for Biogas Production

Plant biomass can be used in many directions for bioenergy production. Biogas can be produced from a most diverse group of substrates compared to liquid or solid biofuels. The choice of substrates and technologies is crucial because it will allow getting the expected results. Not without significance is also the price and availability of substrates. Therefore, waste and residues are increasingly being used. Accordingly, the aim of the review was to analyze the potential of biogas production from agricultural plant residues and the effectiveness of using this feedstock as a co-substrate in anaerobic digestion. In this article, selected agricultural plant residues are collected, and their advantages and disadvantages as substrates for biogas production are described. Moreover, the effective technology of biogas production by anaerobic digestion on an industrial scale and calculations to obtain biogas and methane efficiency of the substrates are also included. In addition, the summarized biogas efficiency of selected plant agricultural waste under mesophilic conditions studied by many researchers is shown. On the basis of the analyzed results of this research, it can be concluded that agricultural plant residues have great potential as co-substrates for biogas production. It is important to experimentally determine both the biogas and the methane efficiency of the substrate, representing a potential raw material for the production of gaseous biofuels. The use of artificial neural networks in the prediction of biogas emission is future-proof and should facilitate the management of biogas plants. The use of waste from the cultivation and processing of plant raw materials will not only help to manage this waste rationally, but also contribute to the increase in production of renewable energy sources. Accordingly, the circular economy in terms of the management of agricultural plant residues to produce biogas will have a multi-faceted, positive impact on the environment. On the basis of this review, it can be concluded that numerous agricultural plant residues can be used as potential co-substrates for biogas production.

Effect of date pits extract on biogas emission characteristics and sludge properties during anoxic digestion

Effect of date pits extract on biogas emission characteristics and sludge properties during anoxic digestion

Peculiarities of the study of gas geochemical characteristics of unauthorized municipal solid waste landfills for the organization of degassing systems for reclamation

This article analyzes the results of gas geochemical investigations as part of the engineering and environmental surveys of unauthorized municipal solid waste landfills. Typical faults in the estimation of biogas emissions are disclosed. The practical aspects of the arrangement of degasification systems for unauthorized landfills in the context of the existing normative documentation are considered. Keywords: recultivation; unauthorized municipal solid waste landfills; objects of accumulated harm; biogas.

Characterization and evaluation of the life cycle of energy use from drying bed sludge

This study sought to characterize sludge digested in Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactors during the drainage process of Drying Bed Sludge (DBS) to conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for different DBS disposal scenarios. In addition, the potential recovered energy from the waste material was verified when submitted to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) or when combusted through simulation software SimaPro®. Laboratory analyses were conducted with the collected samples from a wastewater treatment plant in Itajubá, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The calorific value, ashes generated from the burning process, and methane production were conducted in two experiments for a qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the biogas generated. The scenarios included DBS disposal in landfills and ditches, DBS biodigestion, and combustion. The methane yield generated by DBS resulted in a lower value compared to DBS produced by the UASB reactor disposal system. The LCA results show that the impact category pertaining to global warming is indeed influenced for all scenarios, almost entirely comprised of biogas emissions coming from the drying bed waste. Heavy metal emissions may occur during combustion, which may impact human toxicity. Under the scenario in which DBS undergoes biodigestion, the pollutants include nitrogen oxide, sulfur monoxide, and carbon monoxide.

Fuel-lean ammonia/biogas combustion characteristics under the reacting swirl flow conditions

Ammonia has been identified as a viable energy vector for power generation. Using dual-fuel operation that mixes the ammonia with higher reactivity gaseous fuel can be vital in enhancing ammonia combustion. This study examined the fundamental swirl combustion characteristics of fuel-lean premixed ammonia/biogas via a numerical approach. The flame was established at an input thermal power of 7 kW and a global equivalence ratio of 0.8. The numerical model was validated with biogas emissions data acquired through experimental work. At 20 mm downstream the burner, increased carbon dioxide mass fraction in the biogas lowered the peak flame temperature by around 300 K. Moreover, the deformation of flame temperature radial profiles was also found aggravated as carbon dioxide concentration in the biogas elevated from 0 % to 40 %. The reduction in premixed reactant mixture reactivity not only initiated flame temperature profile deformation but also reduced the peak Damköhler number significantly. The peak Damköhler number was lowered by a factor of ∼ 1.5 when carbon dioxide dilution in the biogas elevated by 40 %. The premixed combustion was directed into the thin reaction flamelets zone with elevated carbon dioxide mass fraction, owing to the intensified flow fluctuation. This, in turn, elevates the normalised flame turbulent propagating speed, gas flow average velocities and turbulent kinetic energy, notwithstanding that heat release rate and averaged laminar flame speed declined. In all, the presence of carbon dioxide has been shown to lower the ammonia/methane mixture reactivity whilst escalating the reacting flow fluctuation.

Numerical investigation on hydraulic and gas flow response of MSW landfill cover system comprising a geosynthetic clay liner under arid climatic conditions

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill cover systems are designed to minimize the infiltration of rainwater into waste and to mitigate the biogas emissions to the atmosphere. In the present study, the efficacy of such a landfill cover system consisting of a Geosynthetic clay liner (GCL)in mitigating the hydraulic flow and gas emissions under arid climatic conditions was investigated critically. For this purpose, the water retention curve (WRC), hydraulic conductivity function, and gas flow characteristics of the chosen GCL were studied through experimental methods in the laboratory. The unsaturated transient state seepage analysis utilizing coupled hydraulic and gas flow mechanisms was performed in the study to assess the performance of the cover system. The results obtained from the experiments were used as input parameters. The effect of drying/desiccation and the self-healing nature of GCL due to climatic changes were also analyzed by exposing the GCL directly to the climatic boundary for one year. It was observed that the GCL present in the chosen cover system effectively functions as a hydraulic barrier in arid climatic conditions. However, during the summer and winter seasons, an increase in gas flow from 0.02 g/h/m2 to 24.7 g/h/m2 was observed, probably due to the drying anddesiccation of GCL. Interestingly, due to the self-healing nature of the GCL, gas flow through the cover system was substantially reduced to 0.02 g/h/m2 during the rainy season. The effect of drying was more pronounced when the GCL was exposed to the climatic condition, leading to an early gas breakthrough and an increase in gas flow from 0.02 g/h/m2 to 957 g/h/m2. The percolation through the cover system remains considerably low throughout the year, mostly due to the unsaturation and low hydraulic conductivity in GCL. A cumulative percolation close to 0.1 m3 was observed at the end of one year in arid climatic conditions.

The sustainable mitigation of in vitro ruminal biogas emissions by ensiling date palm leaves and rice straw with lactic acid bacteria and Pleurotus ostreatus for cleaner livestock production.

The sustainable utilization of date palm leaves (DPL) and rice straw (RS) as feed materials for ruminant was evaluated using an in vitro wireless gas production (GP) technique. DPL and RS were individually ensiled with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) for 45days or used as substrates for the cultivation of Pleurotus ostreatus (PO) mushroom for 35days. A total mixed ration was formulated as a control ration. In the other rations, berseem hay replaced DPL (ensiled without additives or ensiled with LAB or PO) at 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%. Ensiling with LAB did not affect the chemical composition of DPL or RS, while PO treatment reduced their fibre fraction contents. Ensiling without additives lowered (p<0.05) the asymptotic production of total gas, methane (CH4 ) and carbon dioxide (CO2 ), and the rate of CH4 and CO2 while increasing (p<0.05) the lag time of CH4 and CO2 production. Ensiling of materials with LAB and treatment with PO decreased (p<0.05) the asymptotic production of total gas, CH4 and CO2 production and decreased the rate of CH4 and CO2 production. Ensiling without additives decreased (p<0.05) total bacterial count, and increased (p<0.05) fermentation pH and total volatile fatty acids (VFA), while LAB-ensiled DPL increased (p<0.05) total VFA and propionate concentrations and decreased total protozoal count. The PO-treated DPL decreased (p<0.05) bacterial count, protozoal count and fermentation pH and increased total VFA production. Replacing berseem hay with LAB or PO-treated DPL at 25% increased GP; however, increased CH4 and CO2 production, whereas the other replacement levels decreased total gas, CH4 and CO2 production. The treatment with LAB is more recommended than the PO treatment.

Removal of denatured protein particles enhanced UASB treatment of oxytetracycline production wastewater

Enhanced hydrolysis, which can selectively destroy antibiotic potency, has been previously demonstrated to be an effective pretreatment technology for the biological treatment of antibiotic production wastewater. However, full-scale application of enhanced hydrolysis to the treatment of real oxytetracycline production wastewater showed that the up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors treating the pretreated wastewater could only be stable under a low organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.8 ± 0.4 g·COD/L/d. Deterioration of UASB was also confirmed in treating the same wastewater using a bench-scale reactor (R1) at an OLR of 4.4 ± 0.3 g·COD/L/d. Assuming that the particles formed due to the denaturation of soluble proteins under the hydrolysis temperature (110 °C), resulting in the significant increase of suspended solids (SS) in oxytetracycline production wastewater from less than 200 mg/L to 1200 ± 500 mg/L, were responsible for the deterioration of UASB, the pretreated wastewater was filtered using polypropylene cotton fiber and ultrafiltration membrane, and then fed into two parallel bench-scale UASB reactors (R2 and R3). Both reactors maintained a stable COD removal (53.2% ~ 61.1%) even at an OLR as high as 8.0 g·COD/L/d. When the feed of R3 was switched to unfiltered wastewater, however, deterioration of the reactor occurred again. Microscopic observation showed that the granules in R3 were fully covered by protein particles after the switch of the feed. It was possible that the tight layer of the denatured protein particles blocked the inner pores of the granules, resulting in the obstruction of substrate transfer and biogas emission, while removing the protein particles could abate such blockage problem. This study provides a scientific basis for the efficient treatment of antibiotic production wastewater.

GHG analysis of the production of crude palm oil considering the conversion of agricultural wastes to by-products

The oils and fats world production are predominantly championed by two (2) main oils which are palm oil and soybean oil. Even though these commodities are categorized as oils, these crops are basically agricultural crops which generate abundant wastes along their supply chain. The oil palm supply chain churns out huge amounts of biomass and water wastes. Greenhouse gas (GHG) analysis was conducted for four (4) different pathways practiced by the Malaysian oil palm industry which analyses the GHG emissions of these pathways and also included the recycling of the wastes. The GHG emissions from for land use change (LUC) from logged over forest, oil palm fresh fruit bunch production and biogas were 2095, 618, 916 kg CO 2 eq/kg CPO respectively. The recycling of pressed mesocarp fiber (PMF) and palm kernel shell (PKS) as fuel displaced 2.5 kWh/kg PMF and 3.6 kWh/kg PKS of fossil energy giving a GHG reduction of 1.5 kg CO 2 eq /kg PMF and 2.2 kg CO 2 eq/kg PKS, respectively. The empty fruit bunch (EFB) applied at the plantations for mulching as fertilizer substitute gave a GHG savings of 3.3 kg CO 2 eq/t EFB. EFB used as boiler fuel displaced 2.0 kWh/ kg EFB of electricity with a GHG savings of 1.1 kg CO 2 eq /t EFB. Palm oil mill effluent (POME), wastewater of the milling process emits biogas during the anaerobic treatment, when captured and utilized as energy, displaces 2.7 kWh/m 3 biogas of non-renewable energy with GHG savings of 13.4 kg CO 2 eq/m 3 biogas. Pathway one (1) with LUC from logged over forest, biogas emissions and biomass utilization as fuels and fertilizer substitute showed the worst environmental performance while pathway 4 with no LUC, biogas capture and utilization of biomass as fuels showed the best environmental performance to produce crude palm oil.

Research and Assessment of Biogas Composition at the TKO Running and Recommendations for Its Use

The article deals with the main problems, namely the emission of biogas into the atmospheric air, during operation and after the closure of MSW landfills. Biogas, which contains methane, is considered not only as a strong greenhouse gas, but also as a valuable fuel that can be used as an energy resource. To assess the biogas potential at the operating landfill, field studies were carried out, which made it possible to determine the intensity and composition of gas emissions. The main points of landfill gas sampling at the landfill have been selected. Methods have been worked out and the equipment necessary for environmental monitoring at a real operating landfill has been selected. Using gas-geochemical surveys, environmental monitoring of biogas emissions from the MSW landfill was carried out at 49 sampling points. Coordinates in the WGS84 coordinate system, maps of the concentration distribution of the main components of biogas (methane, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, oxygen) were obtained at a depth of 50 cm from the surface of the landfill body. A zone recommended for drilling biogas wells was selected and recommendations were developed for installing a degassing station and using biogas as a source of electricity

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE EMISSION CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOGAS AND CONVENTIONAL COOKING GAS IN NIGERIA

Household fuel refers to any material that is used to produce heat or power by burning. Some of the household fuel used in Nigeria includes: biomass, charcoal, kerosene, CNG (Compressed natural gas), LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), electricity. Biogas is relatively new and emerging as a viable option. In this study, biogas was produced using cow dung and the emission characterization of biogas and that of LPG was compared using a Gasboard model 5020H gas analyzer. Results of biogas emission is as follows; CO: 0.01%Vol , CO2: 0.14 %Vol, HC: 0010 ppm, NOx: 0002 ppm while LPG gives the following; CO: 0.30%Vol , CO2: 1.88 %Vol, HC: 0003 ppm, NOx: 0007 ppm. Recommendation was made for the inclusion of biogas in Nigeria energy mix because of its relatively better emission.

Part A: Advances in tools and techniques for estimating biogas production and treatment in anaerobic-based STPs Technical Note 1 - Topics of interest

The management of biogas in sewage treatment plants (STPs) with anaerobic reactors is still a challenge in Brazil. Problems related to odor, corrosion, occupational risks, energy losses, and even to greenhouse effect, are still a reality. The problems related to the energetic use of biogas from UASB reactors are mainly associated with the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2 S) and humidity, as well as fugitive biogas emissions, which make it difficult to accurately estimate biogas production. In this sense, this Technical Note (TN) aims at addressing the main aspects related to biogas production estimate and biogas treatment in STPs with UASB reactors. This contribution derives from the experience of experts and professionals of the academic and water utility sectors, as well as from the specialized literature. The topics of interest are summarized in this TN, the first of this collection, “Valoration and management of gaseous by-products of sewage treatment. Part A: Advances in tools and techniques for estimating biogas production and treatment in anaerobic-based STPs”, being individually detailed in the following Technical Notes that integrate the collection.

Molecular imprinted polymer for β-carotene for application in palm oil mill effluent treatment

Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is one of the most significant pollutant in the form of wastewater. It could have negative effects on the environment include the emission of biogas and water pollution which comes from discharging the brownish tick POME to the water bodies if not properly managed. Discharge of dark brownish colored of POME directly into water bodies may affect the aquatic life as it will reduce sunlight penetration and suppress the photosynthetic activity. A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for removal of β-carotene from POME has been aimed to develope in this study. The preparation of β-carotene imprinted and non-imprinted polymer (NIP) involves polymerization of β-carotene (or without it) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), 9-vinylcarbazole (9VC), tolylene diisocyanate (TDI) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as the monomer, co-monomer, cross-linker and solvent (porogen), respectively. Analysis from FTIR showed that MIP and NIP have similar characteristic peak with different peaks intensity, indicating the similarity in the backbone structure of polymerization. TGA result displayed high thermal stability with final decomposition at 320 °C for MIP-β-CD-9VC as compared to NIP-β-CD-9VC. The pH study shows that sorption of β-carotene increased with decreasing the pH of POME and the maximum sorption capacities achieved at pH 2 were 10 μg/g and 7 μg/g for MIP-β-CD-9VC and NIP-β-CD-9VC, respectively. The maximum sorption achieved by using 500 mg of MIP as the sorption of β-carotene increased with increasing the dosage of MIP. Kinetic model evaluation has been applied on this prepared materials. The sorption equilibrium data was well described by Freundlich model. The results indicated that the sorption of β-carotene on MIP follows a pseudo–second–order kinetic.

A UAV-Based Thermal-Imaging Approach for the Monitoring of Urban Landfills

The monitoring of waste disposal sites is important in order to minimize leakages of biogas, produced by anaerobic digestion and potentially explosive and detrimental to the environment. In this research, thermal imaging from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been proposed as a diagnostic tool to monitor urban landfills. Since the anaerobic decomposition produces heat along with biogas, thermal anomalies recorded over the soil are likely to be associated with local biogas escaping from the landfill terrain and leaving a local thermal print. A simple and novel approach, based only on the processing of thermal maps gathered by the remote sensing surveys, has been proposed for the estimation of the fugitive methane emissions from landfills. Two case studies, concerning two Italian landfills, have been presented. For one of them (Mount Scarpino, Genoa), significant thermal anomalies were identified during several UAV flights and the relevant thermal images processed to obtain a rough estimation of the associated methane leakages. For the second landfill (Scala Erre, Sassari), the thermal map did not reveal any anomaly attributable to local biogas emission. Despite some limitations outlined in the paper, the present approach is proposed as an innovative method to identify significant biogas leakages from an urban landfill and to provide a preliminary evaluation of the methane production potential.