Source Of Methane Emissions Research Articles

New method for detection of methane escape from the main pipelines

Total methane content in the atmosphere has increased for two times during last two hundred years. Since 1900s, the annual rate of growth for methane dramatically increased. The sources of methane emissions to the air are their storage reservoirs, different oil-gas refineries, main pipelines and their transport facilities as well. A new method for detection of methane escape from the main pipelines has been developed and the order of its realization shown. Mathematic algorithm of the method is presented and the calculation formula for optical thickness of methane over the track obtained. Obtained formula allows diagnosing the escapes in gas pipelines distantly. Block-scheme of operation algorithm of the realization of offered method has been developed as well.

Comparison of methane production from cattle, buffalo, goat, rabbit, chicken, and duck manure

Livestock manure is reported to be one source of methane (CH4) emission. The objective of this study was to measure methane production from several types of livestock manure. The experiment used a completely randomized design (CRD), with 6 kinds of livestock manure (cow, buffalo, goat, rabbit, chicken, and duck). Each treatment was repeated three times during 8 weeks. The research method used to measure methane production was a closed chamber method, with intervals of 5 minutes. Methane samples were analyzed using gas chromatography. The results of the study showed that during eight weeks of observation, the kinds of livestock manure significantly (p <0.05) affected methane production at weeks 3, 6, 7, and 8. In those weeks, duck manure produced the highest methane production compared to other manure. Total methane gas production during 8 weeks observation which produced by duck manure was 97.99 mg g−1. Meanwhile, the lowest methane produced by rabbit manure (2.70 mg g−1). The study concluded that duck manure produced the highest methane, conversely, rabbit manure produced the lowest methane. The characteristics of fresh manure determine the level of methane production from manure. Making biogas is the best effort in mitigating methane from manure.

Impact of methane-utilizing bacteria on rice yield, inorganic fertilizers efficiency and methane emissions

Methane (CH4) is one of the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Lowland rice cultivation is one of the main sources of methane emissions, accounting for around 5 to 19% of total global CH4. One of the efforts to reduce CH4 gas emissions that is environmentally friendly is through methane-utilizing bacteria. This study aimed to determine the effect of methane-utilizing bacteria on rice yield and methane emissions. The bacterial strains used were Mycobacterium senegalense LM1, Providencia stuartii LM18, Rhizobium rhizoryzae BMU, and Bacillus methylotrophicus N2P4. The research was conducted in the experimental field of The Indonesian Center for Rice Research, Bogor, Indonesia. The experiment was carried out by using a factorial randomized block design with two factors and three replications. The first factor was the dose of NPK inorganic fertilizer (50%, 75%, 100%). The second factor was bacterial consortium formulas (without bacteria, bacterial consortium 1, bacterial consortium 2). The application of a bacterial consortium containing all strains increased the efficiency of inorganic fertilizers by 25%, increased rice production by 33.55%, and reduced CH4 emissions by 37.26%. It seems that the consortium of methane-utilizing bacteria has the prospect of biofertilizer and mitigation agents to mitigate the impact of global warming.

Параметры дегазации высокопроизводительных выемочных участков на неизученных шахтных полях

Conditions of the coal seams bedding at the mines of Kuzbass and Vorkutskoye deposits, their natural methane content and coal grades are studied in the article. Performance of shearers and the natural degassing effect of the second working on the change in the methane content of the massif in the coal mining zone are evaluated. Dependence is established concerning the coefficient of coal seams natural degassing on the thickness of the mined seam. The influence of natural and mining-technical factors on the efficiency of second working and degassing parameters were studied. The relationship is revealed between the natural methane content of coal seams with the yield index of the volatile substances contained in the coals of various grades. The relationship is defined related to the intensity of the initial methane release from the coal mass to the reservoir degassing wells depending on the natural methane content of the reservoir with the outgoing air flow. Comparison of the data obtained during geological exploration works, and the predicted values calculated based on the identified dependencies showed their good convergence. The dependences were revealed concerning the zones of intense methane release in the degassing wells on the thickness of the inter-layer of the unloaded adjacent layers in the roof and soil of the working layer in the process of moving the working face. This information allows to select the optimal mode of wells functioning for extracting methane-air mixtures suitable for utilization in the unexplored mine fields. Recommended coefficients of degassing of the methane emission sources were determined for ensuring the planned productivity of the working face with the view to ensure its safety on the gas factor.

If It Matters, Measure It: A Review of Methane Sources and Mitigation Policy in Canada

Methane, an important greenhouse gas with high global warming potential, is critically under-regulated and overlooked by policymakers in Canada. In this paper, we seek to close the science-policy knowledge gap by reviewing the sources of methane emissions in Canada, policies in place, and mitigation options for each source. We show three primary sectors account for 94 per cent of Canada’s methane emissions: oil and gas, agriculture, and waste. The oil and gas sector is the largest contributor to national methane emissions, as well as the only sector with methane regulations and a methane reduction target. Livestock is the largest single source of methane emissions in Canada, however, and agriculture is the largest source of unregulated and unpriced methane in Canada. Our review reveals that methane emissions management for all sectors is hindered by emissions measurement challenges. Due largely to these challenges, most of Canada’s methane emissions are unregulated and policy options are limited. Broadly, options include command and control regulation or financial penalties for oil and gas methane, incentives for farm-level reductions in agricultural methane, and upstream or downstream waste recovery. Better methane management is crucial to achieving Canada’s 2030 and 2050 emissions reduction goals. Key short-term policy actions are improving and standardizing current emissions estimates and identifying unregulated sources. Longer-term actions require further study of cost-effective regulatory options across all sources, to support stricter regulations or well-defined market-based approaches with measurable outcomes.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF HYDROTHERMAL «SMOKERS», MUD VOLCANOES AND GAS SEEPS TO THE EARTH’S HEAT EFFECT

The problem of increasing the concentration in the atmosphere of one of the dangerous heat gases - methane, the main component of natural gas. Many countries, especially the developed world, are now experiencing a trend towards tougher heat gas emissions and growing interest in low-carbon technologies, including the introduction of sustainable development, energy efficiency and the development of technologies to reduce heat gas emissions. The main natural and anthropogenic sources of methane emissions are given. The analysis of the ratio of anthropogenic and natural methane emissions was performed, the ratio of different emission sources was estimated. The focus is on total methane emissions in the atmosphere and increasing methane concentrations in recent years. It is scientifically substan@ tiated that one of the sources of degassing of the Earth is the leakage of methane from the seabed of the world’s oceans to the water surface. The main sources of methane emissions from the seabed have been identified. These include: mud volcanoes; macro- and micro-impregnations, geothermal underwater springs and igneous volcanoes (smokers). The literature data on various approaches used to study the formation of methane flows and estimate its global emissions by different geological sources are summarized and analyzed. The ratio of CH4 emissions to terrestrial and marine geological sources has been established. Factors influencing methane emissions from geological sources are substantiated. Possible ways to reduce emissions of geological origin into the atmosphere are suggested. It is concluded that further research on the development of methodological and technical means of collecting, transporting and storing methane from offshore unconventional hydrocarbon deposits is promising.

Atmospheric Methane Condition over the South Sumatera Peatland during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Recent anthropogenic activities have degraded peatlands, the largest natural reservoir of soil carbon, thereby reducing their carbon uptake from the atmosphere. As one of the primary sources of methane (CH4) emissions in terrestrial ecosystems, peatlands also contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gases. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Indonesia implemented a lockdown referred to as large-scale social restrictions (LSSR) in areas with high case numbers. To evaluate the effects of anthropogenic activity on peatlands, we investigated the CH4 concentrations in the atmosphere above the tropical peatlands of the Indonesian province South Sumatra before the LSSR (March 2020), during the LSSR (May 2020), and during the corresponding months of the previous year (March and May 2019). Using satellite-retrieved data from NASA, viz., the CH4 concentration and gross primary production (GPP) measured by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) on board Aqua and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board Terra, respectively, we discovered a decrease of approximately 5.5% in the mean CH4 concentration (which averaged 1.73 ppm across the periods prior to lockdown) as well as an increase in the GPP (which ranged from 53.3 to 63.9 g C m–2 day–1 during the lockdown, indicating high atmospheric carbon intake) during the LSSR. Thus, the restrictions during lockdown, which reduced anthropogenic activities, such as land use conversion and biomass burning, and related events, such as peatland and forest fires, significantly influenced the level of atmospheric CH4 above the peatlands in Indonesia.

水位下降对若尔盖泥炭地垂直剖面土壤甲烷产生及厌氧氧化潜势的影响

泥炭地是主要的甲烷（CH₄）排放源，甲烷循环过程对水位变化响应敏感。研究选取两块具有水位差异的泥炭地土壤，通过厌氧培养实验探究水位变化对泥炭地甲烷产生和甲烷厌氧氧化（Methane Anaerobic Oxidation，AOM）潜势的影响，并分析影响其潜势大小的生物地球化学因子。结果显示，高水位泥炭地（0 cm） CH₄产生累积量为（0.89±0.01）μg/g，要显著高于低水位（-30 cm：（0.70±0.03）μg/g）泥炭地甲烷产生量，但低水位AOM累积量要显著高于高水位泥炭地（0 cm：（2829.93±35.99）μg/g），低水位泥炭地AOM量为（3588.06±24.78）μg/g。通过相关性分析发现甲烷产生潜势与含水量和DOC具有显著相关性，AOM潜势与含水量、pH、DOC具有显著相关性，含水量和DOC是影响若尔盖泥炭地甲烷产生及AOM潜势大小的重要因子。此外，发现高水位泥炭地甲烷产生潜势对温度升高的响应较为明显，特别是表层土壤（0-20 cm）。本研究明确了水位变化对若尔盖泥炭地甲烷产生及AOM潜势的影响特征，估算了全国泥炭地甲烷产生及AOM潜势的大小，以期为减缓全球气候变暖提供一定的理论支撑。;Peatland is one of main sources of methane (CH₄) emissions, and the process of methane cycle is sensitive to the change of water table. In this paper, soil from two peatlands with the differed water table were cultivated without oxygen to explore the effects of water table change on methane production potential and methane anaerobic oxidation (AOM) in peatland and analyze the potential impact biogeochemical factors. Results showed that CH₄ production from high water table peatland (water table=0 cm:(0.89±0.01) μg/g) was significantly higher than that from low water table (water table=-30 cm:(0.70±0.03) μg/g) peatland. The AOM in the low water table peatland ((3588.06±24.78) μg/g) was significantly higher than that in the high water table peatlands ((2829.93±35.99) μg/g). The correlation analysis showed that methane production potential is significantly correlated with water content and DOC, and the AOM potential is significantly correlated with water content, pH and DOC. Water content and DOC are important factors affecting the methane production and AOM of the Zoige peatland. Our results also showed that the methane production potential at high water table peatland was significantly sensitive to warming, especially at surface soil (0-20 cm). This study clarified the influence of water table on methane production and AOM potential of Zoige peatland, estimated the methane production and AOM potential of peatlands from nationwide, and provided theoretical support in mitigating global change.

DETERMINATION OF METHANE DESORPTION ZONE FOR THE DESIGN OF A DRAINAGE BOREHOLE PATTERN (CASE STUDY: E4 PANEL OF THE TABAS MECHANIZED COAL MINE, IRAN)

Underground coal mining is known as one of the major sources of methane emissions which mainly occurs after underground coal extraction. Rock strata in-situ methane can potentially be the most significant hazard in coal mining operations. To prevent or minimize the risks of methane emissions, methane drainage approaches have been adopted by coal mines. Rock mass methane drainage is the most efficient and effective approach toward controlling methane hazards as it prevents and reduces the frequency of methane emissions, outflows into the working area and sudden outbursts of methane and rocks. The method includes drilling boreholes from the tailgate side to the unstressed zone in the roof and floor strata above and below a working coal seam. The coal seam gas content in Tabas Parvadeh I is estimated to be about 16 m3 /t, which is relatively high. Based on exploration data, five distinct coal seams have been identified (B1, B2, C1, C2 and D) at the coal deposit and currently C1 is being worked. Considering the high value of C1 gas content and surrounding rocks, the Methane Drainage System (MDS) has been utilized for gas drainage. This paper tries to determine the desorption area which is essential and helpful for the selection of an effective drilling pattern into the adjacent coal seams. In this study, the methane drainage zone in the E4 panel of the Tabas coal mine was calculated using experimental equations and a drainage borehole pattern was determined.

EPA Methane Emission Controls, Obama vs Trump vs Biden: What Needs to Be Fixed and What Should be Left Alone

On 13 August 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency promulgated its final rule amending the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for the Oil and Natural Gas Sector. Both adherents and detractors of President Donald J. Trump saw the new rule as contributing to the President’s deregulatory agenda, taking an important step toward American dominance in fossil fuels (desirable or not), and winning yet another battle in the war on the environmental protection legacy of President Barack Obama. This simple story line is compelling, but when the details are examined, it is found that the changes were in some ways more important, and in other ways less important than advertised by supporters and opponents. Moreover, some of the changes have damaged positions Trump championed, while others have the potential to substantially improve the environmental performance of the oil and gas industry. Most importantly, some major sources of methane emissions have been inadequately dealt with across both administrations. Therefore the Biden administration EPA, in re-examining NSPS, should take care to discard the mistakes made by the Trump administration, retain the improvements, and move forward on a number of new fronts. Topics explored include redundancy of methane and volatile organic compound leak detection, regulation of older and low production facilities, abandoned wells, pneumatic controllers, oil storage tanks, routine flaring, malfunctioning and unlit flares, gathering pipelines, and EPA certification of new methane emission detection technology.

On the issue of determining the main factors of gas hazard in coal mines of Ukraine

The main sources of methane emission are located in the undermined coal-bearing strata, which is not taken into account by the requirements of regulatory documents when determining the category hazard of coal mines. Gas emission from each undermined source is not equally dependent on the tons of coal mined. The relative gas emission changes during the cleaning work and cannot be a criterion for assessing the gas hazard of the entire mine. The volatility of the gas emission index per unit area of the underworked space, which was formed because of monthly movements of the working faces, was established. In essence, this indicator repeats the dependence of the relative gas content per ton of coal mined, since the area of the underworked space is functionally related to the amount of coal mined for a certain period. Without coal mining, the rate of movement of the working face is equal to zero, and gas emission from a unit area continues for several months. As a result, the considered indicators do not have their specific meaning and, due to their inconstancy, they cannot reliably reflect the gas hazard of mines.

Assessment of the Contribution of Flooded Rice Cultivation Systems to Methane Emissions in the Lower Ou&amp;#233;m&amp;#233; Valley, in Benin Republic

Flooded rice cultivation fields appear to be the major source of methane emission. In Benin Republic, flooded rice is cultivated in the Niger River and Ouémé River Basins. The present study aims to assess the contribution of flooded rice cultivation systems to methane emissions in the lower Ouémé Valley. Methane emission calculation was based on Activity Data which is the flooded rice harvested surface area from 2008 to 2017. The Tier 2 methodology of the IPCC 2006 Guidelines’ and the complements of the “Refinement 2019” have been used to elaborate the specific emission factors for the lower valley of Ouémé and to estimate the emission of methane in this zone. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with producers in order to elaborate on their perceptions of gas emissions in the flooded rice fields. The EX-ACT tool was used to estimate the carbon footprint of the intensive rice cultivation system “SRI” and the conventional rice cultivation system “SRC”. It is shown that producers have a strong perception of gas emissions in rice fields but are totally unaware of the nature of the gas. Methane emitted in the lower valley of the Ouémé is around 528 tons/year between 2008 and 2017 while the carbon footprint resulting from the results of EX-ACT for the adoption of the SRI rises to the level of sequestration of approximately 0.4 tCH4/ha/year. The intensive rice cultivation system has been identified as the production system that minimizes methane emissions and maximizes rice production.

Methane Emissions from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells in Canada and the United States.

Abandoned oil and gas wells are one of the most uncertain sources of methane emissions into the atmosphere. To reduce these uncertainties and improve emission estimates, we geospatially and statistically analyze 598 direct methane emission measurements from abandoned oil and gas wells and aggregate well counts from regional databases for the United States (U.S.) and Canada. We estimate the number of abandoned wells to be at least 4,000,000 wells for the U.S. and at least 370,000 for Canada. Methane emission factors range from 1.8 × 10-3 g/h to 48 g/h per well depending on the plugging status, well type, and region, with the overall average at 6.0 g/h. We find that annual methane emissions from abandoned wells are underestimated by 150% in Canada and by 20% in the U.S. Even with the inclusion of two to three times more measurement data than used in current inventory estimates, we find that abandoned wells remain the most uncertain methane source in the U.S. and become the most uncertain source in Canada. Understanding methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells can provide critical insights into broader environmental impacts of abandoned wells, which are rapidly growing in number around the world.

Methane and nitrous oxide have separated production zones and distinct emission pathways in freshwater aquaculture ponds

Aquaculture systems receive intensive carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) loadings, and are therefore recognized as major anthropogenic sources of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. However, the extensively managed aquaculture ponds were identified as a hotspot of CH4 emission but just a weak N2O source. Here, we investigate annual CH4 and N2O fluxes from three earthen ponds used for crab culture, of different sizes, in southeast China. Our purposes are to identify the spatiotemporal variations of CH4 and N2O emissions and their components among ponds and to evaluate the zone for CH4 and N2O production. Static chamber-measured CH4 flux ranged from 0.03 to 64.7 mg CH4 m‒2 h‒1 (average: 9.02‒14.3 mg CH4 m‒2 h‒1), and temperature, followed by dissolved organic C (DOC) concentration, and redox potential, were the primary drivers of seasonal CH4 flux patterns. Annual mean diffusive CH4 flux was 1.80‒2.34 mg CH4 m‒2 h‒1, and that by ebullition was up to 7.20‒12.0 mg CH4 m‒2 h‒1 (79.1‒83.5% of the total CH4 flux). Annual CH4 emission was positively correlated with sediment DOC concentration but negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with water depth across ponds, with the highest CH4 emission occurred in a pond with low water depth and high DOC concentration. The calculated diffusive N2O flux by the gas transfer velocity was 0.32‒0.60 times greater than the measured N2O emission, suggesting that N2O in water column can not only evade as water-air fluxes but diffuse downwards and to be consumed in anaerobic sediments. This also indicates that N2O was primarily produced in water column. The highly reduced condition and depletion of NO3‒-N in sediments, can limit N2O production from both nitrification and denitrification but favor N2O consumption, leading the ponds to become a weak source of N2O annually and even a sink of N2O in summer. Our results highlight that the current global CH4 budget for inland waters is probably underestimated due to a lack of data and underestimation of the contribution of ebullitive CH4 flux in small lentic waters. The downwards N2O diffusion from the water column into sediment also indicates that the extensively-used model approach based on gas transfer velocity potentially overestimates N2O fluxes, especially in small eutrophic aquatic ecosystems.

Alternate wetting and drying system (AWD) combined with farmyard manure to increase rice yield and reduce methane emission and water use

Rice cultivation in flooded conditions is one of the methane emission sources. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of water management and farmyard manure application on grain yield, CH4 emissions, and water use efficiency. This study was conducted at the Indonesian Agricultural Environment Research Institute, Pati Central Java from November 2019 to March 2020. The treatments consisted of two factors, a) water management, namely 1) continuous flooding, at 5 cm (CF) and 2) Alternate Wetting-Drying, at 15 cm (AWD) system; and b) farmyard manure namely 1) farmyard manure application 2) without farmyard manure. The observed parameters were rainfall and air temperature, CH4 emissions, water level and milled dry grain. The measurement of CH4 gas emissions was conducted using a closed chamber method. The result of this study indicated that AWD management could increase grain yield by 3.3-8.5% and also reduce CH4 emissions by 12-14% compared to continuous flooding. AWD combined with organic fertilizer application produced the highest grain 7.27 tons ha-1 and emitted the lowest CH4. The AWD management also saved 32-38% of water compared to the continuous flooding.

219 Developing country specific enteric methane emission factor of the South Korean dairy cattle production using the 2019 refined IPCC Tier 2 methodology

Abstract Dairy cattle farming was identified as an important source of enteric methane (CH4) emissions. In order to contribute to the improvement of the national greenhouse gas emission inventory, this work aims to develop emission factors (EF) for CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation in dairy cattle in South Korea. Information on dairy cattle herd characteristics, diet and management practices specific to the Korean dairy cattle population were gathered. EF was estimated according to the 2019 refinement to the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) using the Tier 2 approach. Three animal subcategories were considered: milking cows (650 kg body weight, BW), heifers 1~2 years (473 kg BW) and growing animals &amp;lt; 1 year (167 kg BW). The estimated enteric CH4 EFs for milking cows, heifers 1~2 years, growing animal &amp;lt; 1 year, were 139, 83 and 33 kg/head/year, respectively. South Korea adopted the Tier 1 default enteric CH4 EFs for GHG inventory reporting from the North America region. Compared with the generic Tier 1 default EF of 138 kg CH4/head/year proposed by the 2019 refinement to the 2006 IPCC guidelines for high milking cows, our suggested value is quite similar (139 kg CH4/ head/year). While enteric CH4 EFs values were 23% higher and 49% lower for heifers and growing animals &amp;lt; one year than Tier 1 default EFs values, respectively. In addition, enteric CH4 EF is highly correlated with the level of milk production, feed intake and digestibility and methane conversion factor (%Ym). The outcome of this study underscores the importance of obtaining country-specific EF to estimate national enteric CH4 emissions. Thus, this work is a step forward in the revision of dairy cattle enteric CH4 EF and can further support assessment of mitigation strategies in South Korean livestock farming systems.

Investigation of the Spatial Distribution of Methane Sources in the Greater Toronto Area Using Mobile Gas Monitoring Systems.

For methane emission reduction strategies in urban areas to be effective, large emitters must be identified. Recent studies in U.S. cities have highlighted the contribution of methane emissions from natural gas distribution networks and end use. We present a methane emission source identification and quantification method for the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), the largest metropolitan area in Canada, using mobile gas monitoring systems. From May 2018 to August 2019, we collected 77 surveys of methane mixing ratios, covering a distance of about 6400 km, and sampled emission plumes from sources such as closed landfills, natural gas compressor stations, and waterways. Our results indicate that inactive landfills emit less than inventory estimates. Despite this discrepancy, we confirm that the waste sector is the largest methane emitter in the GTA. We also report that the frequency of methane leaks from the local distribution system ranges between 4 and 22 leaks per 100 km of roadway in downtown Toronto, which is comparable to the range observed in U.S. cities, which have invested in modern natural gas distribution infrastructure. Last, we find that engineered waterways, whose emissions are currently not reported in inventories, may be a significant source of methane.

Addressing algal blooms by bio-pumps to reduce greenhouse gas production and emissions with multi-path

The collapse of dense algal blooms is identified as a significant source of methane (CH4) emissions. When flocculation is used for algae removal, algal carbon is often turned into CH4 and carbon dioxide (CO2). Here, we established a “bio-pump” to control algal blooms and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the introduction of submerged macrophytes to the aquatic ecosystem and combination of flocculation and capping. The results suggested that this strategy contributed to an approximately 98% algae removal and sustainably improved dissolved oxygen (DO) in the water and sediment after the 40-day incubation. The aerobic condition at the sediment-water interface and deeper oxygen penetration in the sediment inhibited the abundance of microorganisms related to anaerobic CH4 production, then changed the metabolic pathway and fate of algal carbon. After the 40-day incubation, compared with flocculation-capping treatments, the bio-pump reduced 69.07% CH4 and 77.57% CO2 emissions, which was jointly contributed by the inhibition of anaerobic CH4 production, aerobic oxidation of CH4 and carbon sequestration of submerged macrophytes. This was also demonstrated from the finding of a decrease in methyl coenzyme M reductase (mcrA) gene, an increase in particulate methane monooxygenase (pmoA) gene and the absorption of 13C-labeled from algae biomass by submerged macrophytes at the end of incubation. Therefore, the bio-pump established in the present study can improve DO in algal blooms water and turn algal-derived organic matter into the plant biomass, which supplied a sustainable method for algae removal and GHG reduction.

Reinforced Cuckoo Search based fugitive landfill methane emission estimation

A significant amount of fugitive methane emission is generated from Municipal Solid Waste which is quantifiable amount in the overall methane emission. Relatively several models are proposed to quantify the amount of emission in the landfill. These models are based on two methods 1. Using analytical emission 2. Measurements. In this paper, the estimation of source positions and the emissions rates of the methane emission sources are done along with the fusion of Gaussian dispersion model. The bio inspired optimization model namely reinforced cuckoo search optimization algorithm is imposed on the estimation of methane emission source positions and their emission rates. Two different case studies are carried out to prove the significance of the proposed model. Also, the Briggs model is employed to analyse the performance of proposed model when the choice of parameter differs from the actual meteorological condition. The results show the significance of proposed model both in single and multi-objective form. • Around the world, Methane (CH4) is the second most anthropogenic greenhouse gas that affects the climate and responsible for uninvited climatic change. • Methane emission from waste management is due to organic element decomposition and industrial landfills. • The Proposed Algorithm is used to estimate the position of methane emission sources and its emission rate with the help of Gaussian dispersion model. • In this paper, a bio inspired Reinforced Cuckoo Search algorithm is used to estimate the position of methane emission sources and its emission rate with the help of Gaussian dispersion model. • The results show the significance of proposed model and an extensive simulation is carried out with varied number of meteorological conditions.

Estimation of Methane Emission Potentials in Landmark University Open Dump Site, Omu-Aran, Kwara State Nigeria

Most of the increasing quantity of wastes in institutions of higher learning, are disposed of through open dumping. The decomposition of these wastes has been identified to be a source of methane emissions. This study estimated methane emissions from the open dumpsite in Landmark University. An exploratory study design was adopted. The study involved physical characterization of solid wastes at the Landmark University for a period of three months and the estimation of methane emission potentials of the dumpsite for the years 2011 to 2031 using IPCC Default Method (DM) and the Landfill Gas Emission (LandGEM) Model Version 3.02.The study revealed the percentage composition of waste to be 48, 16, 12, 10, 5 and 3% for plastics, garden trimmings, paper, metal, food waste and textile respectively. The maximum methane emission is 11.65 and 2.48 Mg/year for DM and LandGEM respectively in the year 2021 while the methane emissions will decline to 7.06 and 1.50 Mg/year for DM and LandGEM respectively in the year 2031. The contribution of methane emissions in the University is still little as reflected in the values of 11.65 and 2.48 Mg/year although there is a tendency to increase as population increases. Further studies should be carried out to provide methane specific properties of the solid waste generated in Omu-Aran in order to build an inventory of methane emission parameters.