Modeling the final phase of landfill gas generation from long-term observations

• Published in: Biodegradation (Dordrecht) 2012-06, Vol.23 (3), p.407-414
• Main Authors: Tintner, Johannes, Kühleitner, Manfred, Binner, Erwin, Brunner, Norbert, Smidt, Ena
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air Pollutants - analysis; Air Pollutants - metabolism; Anaerobic conditions; Analysis; Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria - metabolism; Biodegradation; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biogas; Biological and medical sciences; Biomass energy; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Carbon dioxide; Carbon Dioxide - analysis; Carbon Dioxide - metabolism; Carbon sequestration; Carbon sinks; Chemical reactions; Climate change; Climate effects; Decay; Emissions; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geochemistry; Global temperature changes; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Landfill; Landfills; Life Sciences; Methane; Methane - analysis; Methane - metabolism; Microbiology; Models, Theoretical; Original Paper; Refuse and refuse disposal; Refuse Disposal; Soil Science & Conservation; Terrestrial Pollution; Time Factors; Waste disposal sites; Waste Management; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Waste materials; Waste Water Technology; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0923-9820; 1572-9729
• DOI: 10.1007/s10532-011-9519-4

For waste management, methane emissions from landfills and their effect on climate change are of serious concern. Current models for biogas generation that focus on the economic use of the landfill gas are usually based on first order chemical reactions (exponential decay), underestimating the long-term emissions of landfills. The presented study concentrated on the curve fitting and the quantification of the gas generation during the final degradation phase under optimal anaerobic conditions. For this purpose the long-term gas generation (240–1,830 days) of different mechanically biologically treated (MBT) waste materials was measured. In this study the late gas generation was modeled by a log–normal distribution curve to gather the maximum gas generation potential. According to the log–normal model the observed gas sum curve leads to higher values than commonly used exponential decay models. The prediction of the final phase of landfill gas generation by a fitting model provides a basis for CO 2 balances in waste management and some information to which extent landfills serve as carbon sink.