This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by West, M.E. Articles by Thomas, J.C. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by West, M.E. Articles by Thomas, J.C. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Methane production of raw and composted solid waste in simulated landfill cells

Department of Soil and Crop Science, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA

K.W. Brown

Department of Soil and Crop Science, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA

J.C. Thomas

Department of Soil and Crop Science, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, USA

Methane contributes approximately 20% to the annual increase in global warming, and is explosive at concentrations of 5 to 15% in air. Landfills are the origin of approximately 15% of the total global methane emissions. This study was conducted to determine the potential decrease in methane production from municipal landfills if the organic compo nents of solid waste (SW) are composted prior to landfilling. The quantities and rates of methane production were mea sured using simulated landfill cells containing composted and raw simulated SW. The SW was composted in an open pile and characterized by temperature, pH, ash content and CO₂ evolved during aerobic respiration. Assuming a 10% lignin content, the labile carbon fraction was reduced by an esti mated 71% during composting. Over a 6-month period, sim ulated landfill cells filled with raw waste generated 66 liters methane per kg of dry refuse, while cells containing com posted SW produced 31 liters methane per kg of dry compost. Per unit weight of the original dry raw SW, composted SW placed in a simulated landfill environment produced only 15 liters methane per kg dry raw SW which is 23% of the meth ane that was generated when the raw SW was placed directly in the simulated landfill cells.

Key Words: Landfill • solid waste • compost • methanogenesis • biogas • anaerobic degradation • global warming

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?