Landfill Cover Soil Research Articles

Determining the enzyme profile of Burdur Lake isolates

Aerobic CH4 oxidation plays an important role in mitigating CH4 release from landfills to the atmosphere. Therefore, in this study, oxidation activity and community of methanotrophs were investigated in a subtropical landfill. Among the three sites investigated, the highest CH4 concentration was detected in the landfill cover soil of the site (A) without a landfill gas (LFG) recovery system, although the refuse in the site had been deposited for a longer time (∼14–15 years) compared to the other two sites (∼6–11 years) where a LFG recovery system was applied. In April and September, the higher CH4 flux was detected in site A with 72.4 and 51.7 g m−2 d−1, respectively, compared to the other sites. The abundance of methanotrophs assessed by quantification of pmoA varied with location and season. A linear relationship was observed between the abundance of methanotrophs and CH4 concentrations in the landfill cover soils (R = 0.827, P < 0.001). The key factors influencing the methanotrophic diversity in the landfill cover soils were pH, the water content and the CH4 concentration in the soil, of which pH was the most important factor. Type I methanotrophs, including Methylococcus, Methylosarcina, Methylomicrobium and Methylobacter, and type II methanotrophs (Methylocystis) were all detected in the landfill cover soils, with Methylocystis and Methylosarcina being the dominant genera. Methylocystis was abundant in the slightly acidic landfill cover soil, especially in September, and represented more than 89% of the total terminal-restriction fragment abundance. These findings indicated that the LFG recovery system, as well as physical and chemical parameters, affected the diversity and activity of methanotrophs in landfill cover soils.

Activity of a Methanotrophic Consortium Isolated from Landfill Cover Soil: Response to Temperature, pH, CO2, and Porous Adsorbent

ABSTRACTA robust, naturally evolving methanotrophic community in landfill cover soil (LFCS) can be the simplest way to mitigate landfill methane emission. In this study, bacterial community composition in LFCS and methane oxidation potential of enriched methanotrophic consortium, in comparison to that of axenic Methylosinus sporium, was investigated. Growth and methane oxidation of the consortium was studied in liquid phase batch experiments under varying temperature (20–40°C), pH (5–10), headspace CO2, and in presence of porous adsorbent (1.3 cm3 sponge cubes). The 16S rRNA gene analysis revealed presence of both type-I and type-II methanotrophs along with few obligate methylotroph in LFCS. Though the optimal growth condition of the consortium was at 30°C and pH 7, it was more resilient in comparison to M. sporium. With increasing availability of porous adsorbent, methane consumption by the consortium was significantly improved (p < 0.001) reaching a maximum specific methane oxidation rate of 11.4 μmol mg−1 biomass h−1. Thus, inducing naturally thriving methanotrophs in LFCS is a better alternative to axenic methanotrophic culture in methane emission management.

Effects of copper on biodegradation mechanism of trichloroethylene by mixed microorganisms

We isolated and enriched mixed microorganisms SWA1 from landfill cover soils supplemented with trichloroethylene (TCE). The microbial mixture could degrade TCE effectively under aerobic conditions. Then, we investigated the effect of copper ion (0 to 15 μmol/L) on TCE biodegradation. Results show that the maximum TCE degradation speed was 29.60 nmol/min with 95.75% degradation when copper ion was at 0.03 μmol/L. In addition, genes encoding key enzymes during biodegradation were analyzed by Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR). The relative expression abundance of pmoA gene (4.22E-03) and mmoX gene (9.30E-06) was the highest when copper ion was at 0.03 μmol/L. Finally, we also used MiSeq pyrosequencing to investigate the diversity of microbial community. Methylocystaceae that can co-metabolic degrade TCE were the dominant microorganisms; other microorganisms with the function of direct oxidation of TCE were also included in SWA1 and the microbial diversity decreased significantly along with increasing of copper ion concentration. Based on the above results, variation of copper ion concentration affected the composition of SWA1 and degradation mechanism of TCE. The degradation mechanism of TCE included co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and oxidation metabolism directly at copper ion of 0.03 μmol/L. When copper ion at 5 μmol/L (biodegradation was 84.75%), the degradation mechanism of TCE included direct-degradation and co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and microorganisms containing phenol hydroxylase. Therefore, biodegradation of TCE by microorganisms was a complicated process, the degradation mechanism included co-metabolism degradation of methanotrophs and bio-oxidation of non-methanotrophs.

Microbial community structures and metabolic profiles response differently to physiochemical properties between three landfill cover soils

Landfills are always the most important part of solid waste management and bear diverse metabolic activities involved in element biogeochemical cycling. There is an increasing interest in understanding the microbial community and activities in landfill cover soils. To improve our knowledge of landfill ecosystems, we determined the microbial physiological profiles and communities in three landfill cover soils (Ninghai: NH, Xiangshan: XS, and Fenghua: FH) of different ages using the MicroResp(TM), phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and high-throughput sequencing techniques. Both total PLFAs and glucose-induced respiration suggested more active microorganisms occurred in intermediate cover soils. Microorganisms in all landfill cover soils favored L-malic acid, ketoglutarate, and citric acid. Gram-negative bacterial PLFAs predominated in all samples with the representation of 16:1ω7, 18:1ω7, and cy19:0 in XS and NH sites. Proteobacteria dominated soil microbial phyla across different sites, soil layers, and season samples. Canonical correspondence analysis showed soil pH, dissolved organic C (DOC), As, and total nitrogen (TN) contents significantly influenced the microbial community but TN affected the microbial physiological activities in both summer and winter landfill cover soils.

Stimulation of methane oxidation potential and effects on vegetation growth by bottom ash addition in a landfill final evapotranspiration cover

The landfilling of municipal solid waste is a significant source of atmospheric methane (CH4), contributing up to 20% of total anthropogenic CH4 emissions. The evapotranspiration (ET) cover system, an alternative final cover system in waste landfills, has been considered to be a promising way to mitigate CH4 emissions, as well as to prevent water infiltration using vegetation on landfill cover soils. In our previous studies, bottom ash from coal-fired power plants was selected among several industrial residues (blast furnace slag, bottom ash, construction waste, steel manufacture slag, stone powder sludge, and waste gypsum) as the best additive for ET cover systems, with the highest mechanical performance achieved for a 35% (wtwt−1) bottom ash content in soil. In this study, to evaluate the field applicability of bottom ash mixed soil as ET cover, four sets of lysimeters (height 1.2m×width 2m×length 6m) were constructed in 2007, and four different treatments were installed: (i) soil+bottom ash (35% wtwt−1) (SB); (ii) soil+compost (2% wtwt−1, approximately corresponding to 40Mgha−1 in arable field scale) (SC); (iii) soil+bottom ash+compost (SBC); and (iv) soil only as the control (S). The effects of bottom ash mixing in ET cover soil on CH4 oxidation potential and vegetation growth were evaluated in a pilot ET cover system in the 5th year after installation by pilot experiments using the treatments. Our results showed that soil properties were significantly improved by bottom ash mixing, resulting in higher plant growth. Bottom ash addition significantly increased the CH4 oxidation potential of the ET cover soil, mainly due to improved organic matter and available copper concentration, enhancing methanotrophic abundances in soil amended with bottom ash. Conclusively, bottom ash could be a good alternative as a soil additive in the ET cover system to improve vegetation growth and mitigate CH4 emission impact in the waste landfill system.

Performance study of compounded biocover material for methane removal based on cattle manure compost

ABSTRACTMethane is the second most significant greenhouse gas. Landfill cover soils play an important role in mitigation of methane emission from critical sources – Landfills. In this study, methane removal biocover materials based on cattle manure compost (CMC) were constructed and its performance was investigated. When comparing CH4 removal abilities of sand (S), clay soil (CS), paddy soil (PS) and CMC, CMC was the most effective biocover material for the reduction of methane emission. The maximum removal rate (Vmax) and half saturation constant (Km) of CMC peaked at 3451.25 ± 18.57 μg g−1 h−1 and 3.67 ± 0.02 × 105 ppm, respectively, which are higher than those in previous studies. Thereafter, three compounded biocover materials (CBMs) were established based on the mixture of CMC and other three materials (ratio of 2:8). The rate of the three CBMs was enhanced by 13.56, 13.27 and 16.42 times, respectively, more than the S, CS and PS by adding CMC. Saturated water content of 80% and 35°C were found to be the optimum moisture and temperature, respectively, for CBMs. Analysis of community diversity using terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) showed that the diversity and evenness indexes of the CBMs decreased after adding CMC; Type I methanotroph was the most dominated methanotroph in the CBMs. CMC not only influenced bacterial community but also improved nutrient and CH4 removal capacity of CBMs. All results showed that CMC and CBMs could effectively remove CH4, and the screening and construction of CBMs are important for decreasing CH4 emission.

Characterization of H2S removal and microbial community in landfill cover soils.

H2S is a source of odors at landfills and poses a threat to the surrounding environment and public health. In this work, compared with a usual landfill cover soil (LCS), H2S removal and biotransformation were characterized in waste biocover soil (WBS), an alternative landfill cover material. With the input of landfill gas (LFG), the gas concentrations of CH4, CO2, O2, and H2S, microbial community and activity in landfill covers changed with time. Compared with LCS, lower CH4 and H2S concentrations were detected in the WBS. The potential sulfur-oxidizing rate and sulfate-reducing rate as well as the contents of acid-volatile sulfide, SO4(2-), and total sulfur in the WBS and LCS were all increased with the input of LFG. After exposure to LFG for 35 days, the sulfur-oxidizing rate of the bottom layer of the WBS reached 82.5 μmol g dry weight (d.w.)(-1) day(-1), which was 4.3-5.4 times of that of LCS. H2S-S was mainly deposited in the soil covers, while it escaped from landfills to the atmosphere. The adsorption, absorption, and biotransformation of H2S could lead to the decrease in the pH values of landfill covers; especially, in the LCS with low pH buffer capacity, the pH value of the bottom layer dropped to below 4. Pyrosequencing of 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene showed that the known sulfur-metabolizing bacteria Ochrobactrum, Paracoccus, Comamonas, Pseudomonas, and Acinetobacter dominated in the WBS and LCS. Among them, Comamonas and Acinetobacter might play an important role in the metabolism of H2S in the WBS. These findings are helpful to understand sulfur bioconversion process in landfill covers and to develop techniques for controlling odor pollution at landfills.

Evaluation of cover soil properties of solid waste dumpsites in Colombo District, Sri Lanka

Landfill cover soils have to serve multiple purposes such as operational safety, environmental protection, recultivation and integration of the sites into the landscape. Cover soil properties must therefore be defined with respect to the thickness, bulk density, air permeability and the available field capacity. The primary objective of this study is to examine the cover soil properties of three selected landfill sites (dumpsites) in Sri Lanka in order to propose suitable cover soil properties for similar applications in future dumpsites. Soil samples were obtained from three landfill sites in and around the city of Colombo. Laboratory tests to establish compaction characteristics, air permeability, particle size distribution and Atterberg limits were performed to assess the suitability as landfill cover soils. The study showed that landfill covers with well graded soils comply with the dry density and air permeability values, as per the guidelines. In the absence of proper gas venting facilities, it is essential to study the permeability properties of the cover soil. All three landfill sites tested need to be retrofitted with leachate and gas collecting systems that meet the standards stipulated in the guidelines. J.Natn.Sci.Foundation Sri Lanka 2015 43 (2):189-194

Estimation of CH4oxidation efficiency in an interim landfill cover soil using CO2/CH4ratios

The first objective of this study was to discuss the applicability of the CO₂/CH₄ ratio method in order to assess CH₄ oxidation efficiency. To achieve this objective, a comparison between CO₂/CH₄ ratios and the mass balance method was conducted. The second objective of this study was to estimate the CH₄ oxidation efficiency in an interim landfill soil cover and assess how a CH₄ influx influences the CH₄ oxidation efficiency. The results showed that despite the CO₂ problems brought by respiration, the CH₄ oxidation efficiencies obtained by the CO₂/CH₄ ratio method led to similar results compared to the mass balance method. In this respect, the CO₂/CH₄ ratio method can be an indicator of the CH₄ oxidation efficiencies for landfill cover soils. The CH₄ oxidation efficiencies derived in this study through the CO₂/CH₄ ratio method ranged between 46% and 64%, and between 41% and 62% through the mass balance method. The results imply that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change``s (IPCC) default value of 10% for the CH₄ oxidation efficiency is an underestimation for landfill cover soils. CH₄ oxidation efficiency tends to be negatively correlated with CH₄ influx. Therefore, CH₄ influx reaching a landfill cover should be limited in order to increase the CH₄ oxidation efficiency.

Mitigation of non-methane organic compounds through landfill soil cover and its environmental implications

Field measurement campaigns were conducted at a Chinese municipal solid waste landfill to investigate variation of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) when migrating through an intermediate soil cover. Flux change ratio (FCR) was introduced to indicate quantitative variation of NMOCs between two depths through the soil cover. FCR of NMOCs showed a positive correlation with methane oxidation fraction (99 % confidence level), indicating the synergistic effects of methane oxidation and NMOCs mitigation in soil cover. Emission reduction indicator (ERI), ozone-forming potential reduction indicator (ORI), and toxicity reduction indicator (TRI) of halogenated hydrocarbons were calculated to evaluate the environmental effects of intermediate soil cover for NMOCs control and reached up to 7.85 mg m−2 day−1, 20.8 mg m−2day−1 and 7.27 µg m−2 day−1, respectively. Enhancement of methane oxidation in landfill covers could be an effective way to reduce NMOCs emission and decrease its environmental effects, which would give guidance on landfill management.

Potential application of biocover soils to landfills for mitigating toluene emission

Biocover soils have been demonstrated to be a good alternative cover material to mitigate CH4 emission from landfills. To evaluate the potential of biocover soil in mitigating emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) from landfills, simulated cover soil columns with the influx of toluene (chosen as typical of NMVOCs) concentrations of 102–1336mgm−3 in the presence or absence of the major landfill gas components (i.e., CH4 and CO2) were conducted in this study. In the two experimental materials (waste biocover soils (WBS) and landfill cover soils (LCS)), higher toluene reduction was observed in WBS with respect to LCS. After the introduction of landfill gas, an increase of microbial diversity and relative abundance of toluene-degrading bacteria and methanotrophs occurred in WBS. To illustrate the role of toluene-degrading activity in mitigating toluene emissions through landfill covers, an analytical model was developed by incorporating the steady-state vapor transport with the first-order kinetics of aerobic biodegradation limited by O2 availability. This study demonstrated that biocover soils have great potential in applying to landfills for mitigating toluene emission to the atmosphere.

Adsorption and transport of methane in landfill cover soil amended with waste-wood biochars

The natural presence of methane oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in landfill soils can stimulate the bio-chemical oxidation of CH4 to CO2 and H2O under suitable environmental conditions. This mechanism can be enhanced by amending the landfill cover soil with organic materials such as biochars that are recalcitrant to biological degradation and are capable of adsorbing CH4 while facilitating the growth and activity of MOB within their porous structure. Several series of batch and small-scale column tests were conducted to quantify the CH4 sorption and transport properties of landfill cover soil amended with four types of waste hardwood biochars under different levels of amendment percentages (2, 5 and 10% by weight), exposed CH4 concentrations (0–1 kPa), moisture content (dry, 25% and 75% water holding capacity), and temperature (25, 35 and 45 °C). The linear forms of the pseudo second-order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model were used to determine the kinetics and the maximum CH4 adsorption capacity of cover materials. The maximum CH4 sorption capacity of dry biochar-amended soils ranged from 1.03 × 10−2 to 7.97 × 10−2 mol kg−1 and exhibited a ten-fold increase compared to that of soil with 1.9 × 10−3 mol kg−1. The isosteric heat of adsorption for soil was negative and ranged from −30 to −118 kJ/mol, while that of the biochar-amended soils was positive and ranged from 24 to 440 kJ/mol. The CH4 dispersion coefficients for biochar-amended soils obtained through predictive transport modeling indicated that amending the soil with biochar enhanced the methane transport rates by two orders of magnitude, thereby increasing their potential for enhanced exchange of gases within the cover system. Overall, the use of hardwood biochars as a cover soil amendment to reduce methane emissions from landfills appears to be a promising alternative to conventional soil covers.

Adsorption and transport of methane in biochars derived from waste wood

Mitigation of landfill gas (LFG) is among the critical aspects considered in the design of a landfill cover in order to prevent atmospheric pollution and control global warming. In general, landfill cover soils can partially remove methane (CH4) through microbial oxidation carried out by methanotrophic bacteria present within them. The oxidizing capacity of these landfill cover soils may be improved by adding organic materials, such as biochar, which increase adsorption and promote subsequent or simultaneous oxidation of CH4. In this study, seven wood-derived biochars and granular activated carbon (GAC) were characterized for their CH4 adsorption capacity by conducting batch and small-scale column studies. The effects of influential factors, such as exposed CH4 concentration, moisture content and temperature on CH4 adsorption onto biochars, were determined. The CH4 transport was modeled using a 1-D advection–dispersion equation that accounted for sorption. The effects of LFG inflow rates and moisture content on the combined adsorption and transport properties of biochars were determined. The maximum CH4 adsorption capacity of GAC (3.21mol/kg) was significantly higher than that of the biochars (0.05–0.9mol/kg). The CH4 gas dispersion coefficients for all of the biochars ranged from 1×10−3 to 3×10−3m2s−1. The presence of moisture significantly suppressed the extent of methane adsorption onto the biochars and caused the methane to break through within shorter periods of time. Overall, certain biochar types have a high potential to enhance CH4 adsorption and transport properties when used as a cover material in landfills. However, field-scale studies need to be conducted in order to evaluate the performance of biochar-based cover system under a more dynamic field condition that captures the effect of seasonal and temporal changes.

Effects of biochar amendment on geotechnical properties of landfill cover soil.

Biochar is a carbon-rich product obtained when plant-based biomass is heated in a closed container with little or no available oxygen. Biochar-amended soil has the potential to serve as a landfill cover material that can oxidise methane emissions for two reasons: biochar amendment can increase the methane retention time and also enhance the biological activity that can promote the methanotrophic oxidation of methane. Hydraulic conductivity, compressibility and shear strength are the most important geotechnical properties that are required for the design of effective and stable landfill cover systems, but no studies have been reported on these properties for biochar-amended landfill cover soils. This article presents physicochemical and geotechnical properties of a biochar, a landfill cover soil and biochar-amended soils. Specifically, the effects of amending 5%, 10% and 20% biochar (of different particle sizes as produced, size-20 and size-40) to soil on its physicochemical properties, such as moisture content, organic content, specific gravity and pH, as well as geotechnical properties, such as hydraulic conductivity, compressibility and shear strength, were determined from laboratory testing. Soil or biochar samples were prepared by mixing them with 20% deionised water based on dry weight. Samples of soil amended with 5%, 10% and 20% biochar (w/w) as-is or of different select sizes, were also prepared at 20% initial moisture content. The results show that the hydraulic conductivity of the soil increases, compressibility of the soil decreases and shear strength of the soil increases with an increase in the biochar amendment, and with a decrease in biochar particle size. Overall, the study revealed that biochar-amended soils can possess excellent geotechnical properties to serve as stable landfill cover materials.

A methodology for the determination of fugitive dust emissions from landfill sites

This study focuses on the development of a methodology for the determination of the contribution of fugitive dust emissions from landfill sites to ambient PM10 concentrations and the subsequent exposure to working personnel. Fugitive dust emissions in landfills mainly originate from resuspension due to truck traffic on paved and unpaved roads and from wind-blown dust from landfill cover soil. The results revealed that exposure to PM10, originating from fugitive dust emissions in the landfill site, was exceeding the health protection standards (50 μg m−3). The higher average daily PM10 concentration (average value) for weekdays was equal to 275 μg m−3 and was computed for the areas nearby the unpaved road located inside the landfill facilities that lead to the landfill cell. The percentage contributions of road and wind-blown dust to the PM10 concentrations on weekdays were equal to 76 and 1 %, respectively. The influence of the background concentration is estimated close to 23 %.

An analytical model for estimating the reduction of methane emission through landfill cover soils by methane oxidation

Landfill is an important source of atmospheric methane (CH4). In this study, the development and partial validation are presented for an analytical model for predicting the reduction of CH4 emission in landfill cover soils by CH4 oxidation. The model combines an analytic solution of a coupled oxygen (O2) and CH4 soil gas transport in landfill covers with a piecewise first-order aerobic biodegradation, including the influences of environmental factors such as cover soil thickness, CH4 oxidation and CH4 production rate. Comparison of soil gas concentration profiles with a soil column experiment is provided for a partial validation, and then this model is applied to predict the reduction of CH4 emission through landfill covers in several other cases. A discussion is provided to illustrate the roles of soil layer thickness, reaction rate constant for CH4 oxidation and CH4 production rate in determining CH4 emissions. The results suggest that the increase of cover soil thickness cannot always increase CH4 oxidation rates or removal efficiency, which becomes constant if the thickness of landfill cover soil is larger than a limit.

Spatial patterns of methane oxidation and methanotrophic diversity in landfill cover soils of southern China.

Aerobic CH4 oxidation is an important CH4 sink in landfills. To investigate the distribution and community diversity of methanotrophs and link with soil characteristics and operational parameters (e.g., concentrations of O2, CH4), cover soil samples were collected at different locations and depths from the Mengzi semi-aerobic landfill (SAL) in Yunnan Province of southern China. Specific PCR followed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and realtime PCR were used to examine methanotrophs in the landfill cover soils. The results showed that different locations did harbor distinct methanotroph communities. Methanotrophs were more abundant in areas near the venting pipes because of the higher O2 concentrations. The depth of 20-25 cm, where the ratio of the CH4 to O2 was within the range from 1.3 to 8.6, was more conducive to the growth of CH4-oxidizing bacteria. Type II methanotrophs dominated in all samples compared with Type I methanotrophs, as evidenced by the high ratio of Type II to Type I methanotrophic copy numbers (from 1.76 to 11.60). The total copy numbers of methanotrophs detected were similar to other ecosystems, although the CH4 concentration was much higher in SAL cover soil. Methylobacter and Methylocystis were the most abundant Type I and Type II methanotrophs genera, respectively, in the Mengzi SAL. The results suggested that SALs could provide a special environment with both high concentrations of CH4 and O2 for methanotrophs, especially around the vertical venting pipes.

Field-scale tracking of active methane-oxidizing communities in a landfill cover soil reveals spatial and seasonal variability.

Aerobic methane-oxidizing bacteria (MOB) in soils mitigate methane (CH4 ) emissions. We assessed spatial and seasonal differences in active MOB communities in a landfill cover soil characterized by highly variable environmental conditions. Field-based measurements of CH4 oxidation activity and stable-isotope probing of polar lipid-derived fatty acids (PLFA-SIP) were complemented by microarray analysis of pmoA genes and transcripts, linking diversity and function at the field scale. In situ CH4 oxidation rates varied between sites and were generally one order of magnitude lower in winter compared with summer. Results from PLFA-SIP and pmoA transcripts were largely congruent, revealing distinct spatial and seasonal clustering. Overall, active MOB communities were highly diverse. Type Ia MOB, specifically Methylomonas and Methylobacter, were key drivers for CH4 oxidation, particularly at a high-activity site. Type II MOB were mainly active at a site showing substantial fluctuations in CH4 loading and soil moisture content. Notably, Upland Soil Cluster-gamma-related pmoA transcripts were also detected, indicating concurrent oxidation of atmospheric CH4 . Spatial separation was less distinct in winter, with Methylobacter and uncultured MOB mediating CH4 oxidation. We propose that high diversity of active MOB communities in this soil is promoted by high variability in environmental conditions, facilitating substantial removal of CH4 generated in the waste body.

Elimination of sulphur odours at landfills by bioconversion and the corona discharge plasma technique

Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) contributes a lot to odours at landfills, which is a threat to the environment and the health of the staff therein. To mitigate its emission, the bioconversion within landfill cover soils (LCSs) was introduced. H2S emission and concentration both in the field air above the landfill and in microcosm testing were surveyed. Results indicated that H2S emission and concentration in the landfill varied with landfill seasons and sites. There existed relationship between H2S concentration and fluxes spatially and temporally. To characterize and assess the spatial and temporal diversity of sulphur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) and sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in the LCSs, the terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was employed. Using the functional genes of dsrB and soxB, SOB, including Halothiobacillus, Rhodothalassium, Paracocccus, Allochromatium, and Thiobacillus, and SRB, including Desulfovibrio, Syntrophobacter, Desulfomonile and Desulfobacca, were identical and exhibited the dominant role in the LCSs. By employing an alternative available corona reactor, more than 90% removal efficiencies of sulphides were demonstrated, suggesting that the LCSs for eliminating odours in a lower concentration would be feasible.

Enhancement of landfill methane oxidation using different types of organic wastes

Methane (CH4) is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential that is 25 times higher than car- bon dioxide (CO2). Microbial oxidation of landfill CH4 is about 5 % and it plays a significant role in reducing emissions to the atmosphere. Previous studies have shown that microbial oxidation of CH4 in landfill cover soil can be enhanced using organic matter-rich substrates. This study aims to investigate the CH4 oxidation activity with the addition of different organic wastes in different combina- tions. Batch experiments with different organic wastes for CH4 oxidation activity showed that compost and sawdust required the shortest time to oxidize CH4 compared to empty fruit bunch and black soil. However, other organic wastes (spent yeast, sewage sludge and spent tea leaves) tested in this study produced CH4 instead. Compost and sawdust took 4 days for complete CH4 oxidation. Batch experiments with different combinations of organic waste showed potential CH4 reduction when combined with compost. The combination of 20 % spent yeast ? 80 % compost was able to completely oxidize CH4 at day 16. CH4 was fully oxidized on day 1 by 20 % sewage sludge ? 80 % compost, showing good CH4 oxidation potential; 100 % sawdust fully oxidized CH4 within 4 days, while a combination of 20 % sawdust ? 80 % compost and 40 % sawdust ? 60 % compost took 2 days for complete CH4 oxidation. From this study, it can be concluded that the addition of organic wastes at optimum ratio and combination with compost as landfill cover material will have a significant effect on CH4 emission reduction.