A Micrometeorological Technique to Monitor Total Hydrocarbon Emissions from Landfarms to the Atmosphere

ABSTRACT Landfarming is used to treat petroleum hydrocarbon–contaminated soils and a variety of waste streams from industrial operations. Wastes are applied to a soil surface and indigenous soil microorganisms utilize the hydrocarbons in the applied waste as a carbon source for metabolism, thereby b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental quality 2001-05, Vol.30 (3), p.776-785
Main Authors: Ausma, Sandra, Edwards, Grant C., Wong, Edwina K., Gillespie, Terry J., Fitzgerald‐Hubble, Colleen R., Halfpenny‐Mitchell, Laurie, Mortimer, Wendy P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Air Pollutants - analysis
Air sampling
Analysis methods
Applied sciences
Atmospheric pollution
Biodegradation, Environmental
Carbon sources
Diesel fuels
Emissions control
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Exact sciences and technology
Hydrocarbons - analysis
Microorganisms
Petroleum hydrocarbons
Pollution
Refuse Disposal
Soil contamination
Soil Microbiology
Soil microorganisms
Soil surfaces
Waste streams
Weather
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Summary:ABSTRACT Landfarming is used to treat petroleum hydrocarbon–contaminated soils and a variety of waste streams from industrial operations. Wastes are applied to a soil surface and indigenous soil microorganisms utilize the hydrocarbons in the applied waste as a carbon source for metabolism, thereby biodegrading the applied material. Concerns have been expressed that abiotic losses, such as volatilization, play a significant role in hydrocarbon reduction within the soil. To assist in better defining atmospheric releases of total hydrocarbons from landfarms treating petroleum hydrocarbons, a flux gradient micrometeorological approach was developed and integrated with a custom‐built total hydrocarbon detector, and a novel air sampling system and averaging algorithm. The micrometeorological technique offers unobtrusive spatially averaged real‐time continuous measurements, thereby providing a time history of emissions. This provides opportunities to investigate mechanisms controlling emissions and to evaluate landfarm management strategies. The versatility of the technique is illustrated through measurements performed at a remote landfarm used to treat diesel fuel–contaminated soil in northern Ontario and during routine operations at two active refinery landfarms in southwestern Ontario.
ISSN:0047-2425
1537-2537
DOI:10.2134/jeq2001.303776x