Effects of a temporary HDPE cover on landfill gas emissions: multiyear evaluation with the static chamber approach at an Italian landfill

According to the European Landfill Directive 1999/31/EC and the related Italian Legislation (“D. Lgs. No. 36/2003”), monitoring and control procedures of landfill gas emissions, migration and external dispersions are clearly requested. These procedures could be particularly interesting in the operational circumstance of implementing a temporary cover, as for instance permitted by the Italian legislation over worked-out landfill sections, awaiting the evaluation of expected waste settlements.A possible quantitative approach for field measurement and consequential evaluation of landfill CO₂, CH₄ emission rates in pairs consists of the static, non-stationary accumulation chamber technique. At the Italian level, a significant and recent situation of periodical landfill gas emission monitoring is represented by the sanitary landfill for non-hazardous waste of the “Fano” town district, where monitoring campaigns with the static chamber have been annually conducted during the last 5 years (2005-2009). For the entire multiyear monitoring period, the resulting CO₂, CH₄ emission rates varied on the whole up to about 13,100 g CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹ and 3800 g CH₄ m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively.The elaboration of these landfill gas emission data collected at the “Fano” case-study site during the monitoring campaigns, presented and discussed in the paper, gives rise to a certain scientific evidence of the possible negative effects derivable from the implementation of a temporary HDPE cover over a worked-out landfill section, notably: the lateral migration and concentration of landfill gas emissions through adjacent, active landfill sections when hydraulically connected; and consequently, the increase of landfill gas flux velocities throughout the reduced overall soil cover surface, giving rise to a flowing through of CH₄ emissions without a significant oxidation. Thus, these circumstances are expected to cause a certain increase of the overall GHG emissions from the given landfill site.     

Effect of leachate recirculation on the migration of copper and zinc in municipal solid waste and municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash co-disposed landfill

Municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) bottom ash was allowed to be disposed of with municipal solid waste (MSW) in landfill sites in the recently enacted standard of China. In this study, three sets of simulated landfill reactors, namely, conventional MSW landfill (CL), conventional MSWI bottom ash and MSW co-disposed landfill (CCL), and leachate recirculated MSWI bottom ash and MSW co-disposed landfill (RCL), were operated to investigate the environmental impact of the co-disposal. The effect of leachate recirculation on the migration of Cu and Zn in the co-disposed landfill was also presented. The results showed that the co-disposal of MSWI bottom ash with MSW would not enhance the leaching of Cu and Zn from landfill. However, the co-disposal increased the Cu and Zn contents of the refuse in the bottom layer of the landfill from 56.7 to 65.3 mg/kg and from 210 to 236 mg/kg, respectively. The recirculation of the leachate could further increase the Cu and Zn contents of the refuse in the bottom layer of the landfill to 72.9 and 441 mg/kg, respectively. Besides these observations, the results also showed that the co-disposed landfill with leachate recirculation could facilitate the stabilization of the landfill.     

Chemical characterization of emissions from a municipal solid waste treatment plant

Gaseous emissions are an important problem in municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plants. The sources points of emissions considered in the present work are: fresh compost, mature compost, landfill leaks and leachate ponds. Hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were analysed in the emissions from these sources. Hydrogen sulphide and ammonia were important contributors to the total emission volume. Landfill leaks are significant source points of emissions of H₂S; the average concentration of H₂S in biogas from the landfill leaks is around 1700 ppmv. The fresh composting site was also an important contributor of H₂S to the total emission volume; its concentration varied between 3.2 and 1.7 ppmv and a decrease with time was observed. The mature composting site showed a reduction of H₂S concentration (<0.1 ppmv). Leachate pond showed a low concentration of H₂S (in order of ppbv). Regarding NH₃, composting sites and landfill leaks are notable source points of emissions (composting sites varied around 30–600 ppmv; biogas from landfill leaks varied from 160 to 640 ppmv).Regarding VOCs, the main compounds were: limonene, p-cymene, pinene, cyclohexane, reaching concentrations around 0.2–4.3 ppmv.H₂S/NH₃, limonene/p-cymene, limonene/cyclohexane ratios can be useful for analysing and identifying the emission sources.     

Comparison of semi-aerobic and anaerobic degradation of refuse with recirculation after leachate treatment by aged refuse bioreactor

Two fresh refuse bioreactors (F1 and F2) were operated under semi-aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. The leachate from the bioreactors F1 and F2 was introduced into the aged refuse bioreactors (A1 and A2), and the effluent from A1 and A2 was subsequently recirculated into F1 and F2, respectively. The effect of the semi-aerobic recirculation process on refuse degradation was investigated, comparing it with that of the anaerobic recirculation process. Results indicate that the semi-aerobic recirculation process can increase the accumulated net production of leachate and promote evaporation. The accumulated net production of refuse in F1 is 320 mL/kg and that of F2 is 248 mL/kg, with leachate reduction amounting to 315 and 244 mL/kg refuse, respectively. The leachate quantity reduction of semi-aerobic and anaerobic leachate recirculation process accounted for 98.4% and 98.3% of the accumulated net production of leachate, respectively. The semi-aerobic leachate recirculation process can improve the biodegradation of organic matter from fresh refuse and the reduction rate of the pollutant concentration in leachate. This should shorten considerably the time required to meet the discharge standard and the time of stabilization of the refuse as observed in the anaerobic recirculation process. It was predicted that the COD concentration of leachate from the anaerobic recirculation process would reach 1000 mg/L in the anaerobic recirculation process after 2.2 years, as for semi-aerobic leachate recirculation process it is about 100 days. Compared with anaerobic recirculation process, the semi-aerobic recirculation process is more effective on NH₃-N transformation and TN removal. The NH₃-N and TN concentration of F1 is far below those of F2 at the end of our experiment. Refuse settlement in the semi-aerobic recirculation process was faster than that in the anaerobic recirculation process. At the end of the experiment, refuse settlement ratios in the semi-aerobic and anaerobic bioreactors were 33.5% and 18%, respectively.     

Characterization and control of odorous gases at a landfill site: a case study in Hangzhou, China

Municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills are one of the major sources of offensive odors potentially creating annoyance in adjacent communities. At the end of May 2007, an odor pollution incident occurred at the Tianziling landfill site, Hangzhou, China, where the residents lodged complaints about the intense odor from the landfill, which drew a significant attention from the government. In this study, ambient air monitoring was conducted at the Tianziling landfill site. The main odor composition of the gas samples collected on June 1st 2007 and the reduction of various odorous gases from the samples collected on June 1st 2009 due to the applied odor control techniques were determined using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). In addition, variations of primary odorous gaseous (NH₃ and H₂S) concentrations at different locations in the landfill site from July 2007 to June 2009 were also investigated by using classical spectrophotometric methods. Results showed that a total of 68 volatile compounds were identified among which H₂S (56.58-579.84 μg/m³) and NH₃ (520-4460 μg/m³) were the notable odor components contributing to 4.47-10.92% and 83.91-93.94% of total concentrations, respectively. Similar spatial and temporal shifts of H₂S and NH₃ concentrations were observed and were significantly affected by environmental factors including temperature, air pressure and wind direction. Odor pollution was worse when high temperature, high humidity, low air pressure, and southeast, northeast or east wind appeared. Moreover, the environmental sampling points of the dumping area and the leachate treatment plant were found to be the main odor sources at the Tianziling landfill site. The odor control technologies used in this project had a good mitigating effect on the primary odorous compounds. This study provides long-term valuable information concerning the characteristics and control of odors at landfill sites in a long run.     

Quantification of multiple methane emission sources at landfills using a double tracer technique

A double tracer technique was used successfully to quantify whole-site methane (CH₄) emissions from Fakse Landfill. Emissions from different sections of the landfill were quantified by using two different tracers. A scaled-down version of the tracer technique measuring close-by to localized sources having limited areal extent was also used to quantify emissions from on-site sources at the landfill facility, including a composting area and a sewage sludge storage pit. Three field campaigns were performed. At all three field campaigns an overall leak search showed that the CH₄ emissions from the old landfill section were localized to the leachate collection wells and slope areas. The average CH₄ emissions from the old landfill section were quantified to be 32.6 ± 7.4 kg CH₄ h⁻¹, whereas the source at the new section was quantified to be 10.3 ± 5.3 kg CH₄ h⁻¹. The CH₄ emission from the compost area was 0.5 ± 0.25 kg CH₄ h⁻¹, whereas the carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) flux was quantified to be in the order of 332 ± 166 kg CO₂ h⁻¹ and 0.06 ± 0.03 kg N₂O h⁻¹, respectively. The sludge pit located west of the compost material was quantified to have an emission of 2.4 ± 0.63 kg h⁻¹ CH₄, and 0.03 ± 0.01 kg h⁻¹ N₂O.     

Mitigation of methane emission from Fakse landfill using a biowindow system

Landfills are significant sources of atmospheric methane (CH₄) that contributes to climate change, and therefore there is a need to reduce CH₄ emissions from landfills. A promising cost efficient technology is to integrate compost into landfill covers (so-called “biocovers”) to enhance biological oxidation of CH₄. A full scale biocover system to reduce CH₄ emissions was installed at Fakse landfill, Denmark using composted yard waste as active material supporting CH₄ oxidation. Ten biowindows with a total area of 5000 m² were integrated into the existing cover at the 12 ha site. To increase CH₄ load to the biowindows, leachate wells were capped, and clay was added to slopes at the site. Point measurements using flux chambers suggested in most cases that almost all CH₄ was oxidized, but more detailed studies on emissions from the site after installation of the biocover as well as measurements of total CH₄ emissions showed that a significant portion of the emission quantified in the baseline study continued unabated from the site. Total emission measurements suggested a reduction in CH₄ emission of approximately 28% at the end of the one year monitoring period. This was supported by analysis of stable carbon isotopes which showed an increase in oxidation efficiency from 16% to 41%. The project documented that integrating approaches such a whole landfill emission measurements using tracer techniques or stable carbon isotope measurements of ambient air samples are needed to document CH₄ mitigation efficiencies of biocover systems. The study also revealed that there still exist several challenges to better optimize the functionality. The most important challenges are to control gas flow and evenly distribute the gas into the biocovers.     

Impacts of temperature and liquid/solid ratio on anaerobic degradation of municipal solid waste: an emission investigation of landfill simulation reactors

Management of landfill emissions, i.e., landfill gas (LFG) and landfill leachate, is an important and resource-intensive task. A long-term demonstration pilot, consisting of landfill simulation reactors (LSRs), was used to study the impact of temperature and the applied liquid/solid ratio (L/S ratio) on landfill emissions, characteristics, and trends. This pilot has already run for more than 1000 days since the end of 2004 and will continue to run for some time. The degradation of waste at different temperatures has impacts on the overall degradation degree and on the length of post-closure care required. Higher temperatures accelerated the degradation, but also resulted in higher leachate chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia concentrations, which prolong the aftercare period. Meanwhile, at a given stabilization degree [e.g., 70 l gas/kg waste (dry)], the total leached nitrogen under psychrophilic conditions was 3.5 times that under mesophilic/thermophilic conditions, which resulted in a higher required effort for leachate treatment. The impact of L/S ratio or simulated annual L/S rates was also evaluated. The results show the significance of efficiently obtaining the targeted L/S ratio in order to achieve low landfill emission potential.     

Bioreactor landfills: experimental and field results

Bioreactor landfills allow a more active landfill management that recognizes the biological, chemical and physical processes involved in a landfill environment. This paper presents the results of an experimental study carried out to determine the effect of solid waste size, leachate recirculation and nutrient balance on the rate of municipal solid waste (MSW) biodegradation. Higher rates of MSW biodegradation eventually cause a reduction of the contaminant life span of the landfill and decrease in the cost of long term monitoring. The study indicated that the smaller the size of the MSW the faster the biodegradation rate of the waste. In addition, the paper presents the results of leachate recirculation on solid waste biodegradation in a full-scale landfill site, which is located in Nepean, Ontario, Canada. The leachate was recirculated into the landfilled solid waste for 8 years through infiltration lagoons. Similar results to those obtained in the laboratory scale experiments were noted. The average pH of the leachate in the early stages of recirculation was on the acidic range of the pH scale, however, the pH value was in the range of 7-8 after 2 years of leachate recirculation. The concentration of chloride remained fairly constant at about 1000 mg/l during the leachate recirculation period. A decreasing trend of the organic load, measured as biological oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand, was observed. Recovery of landfill air space was also noted because of the enhanced subsidence and decomposition of the solid waste.     

Nanosilver impact on methanogenesis and biogas production from municipal solid waste

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, nanosilver) released from industrial activities and consumer products may be disposed directly or indirectly in sanitary landfills. To determine the impact of AgNPs on anaerobic digestion of landfill waste, municipal solid waste (MSW) was loaded in identical landfill bioreactors (9L volume each) and exposed to AgNPs (average particle size=21nm) at the final concentrations of 0, 1, and 10mgAg/kg solids. The landfill anaerobic digestion was carried out for more than 250 days, during which time the cumulative biogas production was recorded automatically and the chemical property changes of leachates were analyzed. There were no significant differences in the cumulative biogas volume or gas production rate between the groups of control and 1mgAg/kg. However, landfill solids exposed to AgNPs at 10mg/kg resulted in the reduced biogas production, the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (including acetic acid), and the prolonged period of low leachate pH (between 5 and 6). Quantitative PCR results after day 100 indicated that the total copy numbers of 16S rRNA gene of methanogens in the groups of control and 1mgAgNPs/kg were 1.97±0.21×10(7) and 0.90±0.03×10(7), respectively. These numbers were significantly reduced to 5.79±2.83×10(5)(copies/mL) in the bioreactor treated with 10mgAgNPs/kg. The results suggest that AgNPs at the concentration of 1mg/kg solids have minimal impact on landfill anaerobic digestion, but a concentration at 10mg/kg or higher inhibit methanogenesis and biogas production from MSW.     

Leachate formation and characteristics from gasification and grate incineration bottom ash under landfill conditions

Characteristics and formation of leachates from waste gasification and grate firing bottom ash were studied using continuous field measurements from 112 m³ lysimeters embedded into landfill body for three years. In addition, the total element concentrations of the fresh ash were analysed and laboratory batch tests were performed to study leachate composition. The three-year continuous flow measurement showed that about one fifth of the leachates were formed, when the flow rate was >200 l/d, covering <3.5% of the study time. After three years, the liquid/solid-ratio for the quenched grate ash was 1 (l/kg (d.m.)) and for the initially dry gasification ash 0.4 (l/kg (d.m.)). The low initial water and residual carbon content of the gasification ash kept the leachate pH at a high level (>13) major part of the study. In the grate ash leachate pH was lower (<8) due to the presence of organic carbon and biodegradation indicated by biological oxygen demand and redox potential measurements. In the gasification ash the high pH probably delayed leaching of major elements such as Ca, therefore, raising the need for a longer after-care period. The high pH also explains the higher leaching of As from the gasification ash compared to the grate ash both in the batch test and under landfill conditions.     

The estimation of N2O emissions from municipal solid waste incineration facilities: The Korea case

The greenhouse gases (GHGs) generated in municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration are carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O). In South Korea case, the total of GHGs from the waste incineration facilities has been increasing at an annual rate 10%. In these view, waste incineration facilities should consider to reduce GHG emissions.This study is designed to estimate the N₂O emission factors from MSW incineration plants, and calculate the N₂O emissions based on these factors. The three MSW incinerators examined in this study were either stoker or both stoker and rotary kiln facilities. The N₂O concentrations from the MSW incinerators were measured using gas chromatography-electron capture detection (GC-ECD) equipment.The average of the N₂O emission factors for the M01 plant, M02 plant, and M03 plant are 71, 75, and 153 g-N₂O/ton-waste, respectively. These results showed a significant difference from the default values of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC), while approaching those values derived in Japan and Germany. Furthermore, comparing the results of this study to the Korea Energy Economics Institute (KEEI) (2007) data on waste incineration, N₂O emissions from MSW incineration comprised 19% of the total N₂O emissions.     

Washing of waste prior to landfilling

The main impact produced by landfills is represented by the release of leachate emissions. Waste washing treatment has been investigated to evaluate its efficiency in reducing the waste leaching fraction prior to landfilling. The results of laboratory-scale washing tests applied to several significant residues from integrated management of solid waste are presented in this study, specifically: non-recyclable plastics from source separation, mechanical-biological treated municipal solid waste and a special waste, automotive shredded residues. Results obtained demonstrate that washing treatment contributes towards combating the environmental impacts of raw wastes. Accordingly, a leachate production model was applied, leading to the consideration that the concentrations of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), parameters of fundamental importance in the characterization of landfill leachate, from a landfill containing washed wastes, are comparable to those that would only be reached between 90 and 220years later in the presence of raw wastes. The findings obtained demonstrated that washing of waste may represent an effective means of reducing the leachable fraction resulting in a consequent decrease in landfill emissions. Further studies on pilot scale are needed to assess the potential for full-scale application of this treatment.     

Fundamental processes and implications during in situ aeration of old landfills

Results of investigations from many old landfills in Germany and Europe indicate that significant emissions occur under conventional landfill operating conditions (i.e., anaerobic conditions). Significant emissions via the gas phase are predicted to last at least three decades after landfill closure, while leachate emissions are predicted to continue for many decades, potentially even lasting for centuries. When considering the specific type and quality, and quite often lack of, protection barriers associated with old landfills, these leachate and gas emissions may result in a significant negative impact on the environment. However, complete sealing of the landfill only temporarily reduces emissions because dry-conservation of the biodegradable waste fraction results, thus not allowing any severe reduction in the emission and hazardous potential of the landfill to occur. If noticeable damage of the surface capping system occurred in these landfills, infiltrating water would restart the interrupted emission formation. In contrast, aerobic in situ stabilization by means of low pressure aeration attempts to stabilize and modify the inventory of organic matter inside the landfill, acting to reduce the emission potential in a more sustainable manner. By enabling faster and more extensive aerobic degradation processes in the landfill (compared with anaerobic processes), the organics (e.g., hydrocarbons) are degraded significantly faster, resulting in an increased carbon discharge via the gas phase, as well as reduced leachate concentrations. Because carbon dioxide (CO(2)) is the main compound in the extracted off-gas (instead of methane (CH(4)), which dominated under anaerobic landfill conditions), the negative impact of diffuse LFG emissions towards an increased global warming effect may be significantly lowered. With respect to leachate quality, a reduction of organic compounds as well as ammonia-nitrogen can be expected. In addition to these positive ecological effects, aerobic in situ stabilization is associated with significant cost savings potential due to both quantitative and qualitative reductions in the aftercare period. This paper describes the fundamental processes and implications of in situ landfill aeration. Additionally, possible criteria for defining an endpoint of the active aeration process are presented and discussed.     

Aerobic in situ stabilization of Landfill Konstanz Dorfweiher: Leachate quality after 1 year of operation

Modern landfill understanding points out controlled operation of landfills. Emissions from landfills are caused mainly by anaerobic biodegradation processes which continue for very long time periods after landfill closure. In situ landfill stabilization aims controlled reduction of emissions towards reduced expenditures as well as aftercare measures. Since April 2010, a new in situ stabilization technique is being applied at a pilot scale landfill (BAIV) within Landfill Konstanz Dorfweiher. This new method utilizes intermittent aeration and leachate recirculation for waste stabilization. In this study, influence of this technique on leachate quality is investigated. Among many other parameters, leachate analyses were conducted for COD, BOD₅, NH₄–N, NO₂–N, NO₃–N, TKN and chloride besides continuously on site recorded pH, electrical conductivity and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP). Results from leachate quality analyses showed that biological activity in the landfill was accelerated resulting in initial higher leachate strength and reduced emission potential of landfill. During full scale in situ aeration, ambient conditions differ from optimized laboratory scale conditions which mainly concern temperature increase and deficient aeration of some landfill parts (Ritzkowski and Stegmann, 2005). Thus, as a field application results of this study have major importance on further process optimization and application.     

Tracer method to measure landfill gas emissions from leachate collection systems

This paper describes a method developed for quantification of gas emissions from the leachate collection system at landfills and present emission data measured at two Danish landfills with no landfill gas collection systems in place: Fakse landfill and AV Miljø. Landfill top covers are often designed to prevent infiltration of water and thus are made from low permeable materials. At such sites a large part of the gas will often emit through other pathways such as the leachate collection system. These point releases of gaseous constituents from these locations cannot be measured using traditional flux chambers, which are often used to measure gas emissions from landfills. Comparing tracer measurements of methane (CH₄) emissions from leachate systems at Fakse landfill and AV Miljø to measurements of total CH₄ emissions, it was found that approximately 47% (351 kg CH₄ d^?1) and 27% (211 kg CH₄ d^?1), respectively, of the CH₄ emitting from the sites occurred from the leachate collection systems. Emission rates observed from individual leachate collection wells at the two landfills ranged from 0.1 to 76 kg CH₄ d^?1. A strong influence on emission rates caused by rise and fall in atmospheric pressure was observed when continuously measuring emission from a leachate well over a week. Emission of CH₄ was one to two orders of magnitude higher during periods of decreasing pressure compared to periods of increasing pressure.     

The effects of daily cover soils on shear strength of municipal solid waste in bioreactor landfills

Bioreactor landfills are operated to enhance refuse decomposition, gas production, and waste stabilization. The major aspect of bioreactor landfill operation is the recirculation of collected leachate back through the refuse mass. Due to the accelerated decomposition and settlement of solid waste, bioreactor landfills are gaining popularity as an alternative to the conventional landfill. The addition or recirculation of leachate to accelerate the waste decomposition changes the geotechnical characteristics of waste mass. The daily cover soils, usually up to 20–30% of total MSW volumes in the landfill, may also influence the decomposition and shear strength behavior of MSW. The objective of this paper is to study the effects of daily covers soils on the shear strength properties of municipal solid waste (MSW) in bioreactor landfills with time and decomposition. Two sets of laboratory-scale bioreactor landfills were simulated in a laboratory, and samples were prepared to represent different phases of decomposition. The state of decomposition was quantified by methane yield, pH, and volatile organic content (VOC). Due to decomposition, the matrix structure of the degradable solid waste component was broken down and contributed to a significant decrease in the reinforcing effect of MSW. However, the daily cover soil, a non-degradable constituent of MSW, remains constant. Therefore, the interaction between daily cover soil particles and MSW particles will affect shear strength behavior. A number of triaxial tests were performed to evaluate the shear strength of MSW. The test results indicated that the shear strength of MSW was affected by the presence of cover soils. The friction angle of MSW with the presence of cover soil is higher than the friction angle of MSW without any cover soils. The friction angle of MSW increased from 27° to 30° due to the presence of cover soils for Phase 1 samples. The increased strength was attributed to the friction nature of sandy soil that was used as daily covers soils. Therefore, the effects of cover soils on the shear strength properties of MSW should be evaluated and taken into consideration during stability analyses and design.     

N2O emission from a combined ex-situ nitrification and in-situ denitrification bioreactor landfill

A combined process comprised of ex-situ nitrification in an aged refuse bioreactor (designated as A bioreactor) and in-situ denitrification in a fresh refuse bioreactor (designated as F bioreactor) was constructed for investigating N₂O emission during the stabilization of municipal solid waste (MSW). The results showed that N₂O concentration in the F bioreactor varied from undetectable to about 130 ppm, while it was much higher in the A bioreactor with the concentration varying from undetectable to about 900 ppm. The greatly differences of continuous monitoring of N₂O emission after leachate cross recirculation in each period were primarily attributed to the stabilization degree of MSW. Moreover, the variation of N₂O concentration was closely related to the leachate quality in both bioreactors and it was mainly affected by the COD and COD/TN ratio of leachate from the F bioreactor, as well as the DO, ORP, and NO₃^?-N of leachate from the A bioreactor.     

Alkaline solution neutralization capacity of soil

Alkaline eluate from municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration residue deposited in landfill alkalizes waste and soil layers. From the viewpoint of accelerating stability and preventing heavy metal elution, pH of the landfill layer (waste and daily cover soil) should be controlled. On the other hand, pH of leachate from existing MSW landfill sites is usually approximately neutral. One of the reasons is that daily cover soil can neutralize alkaline solution containing Ca²⁺ as cation. However, in landfill layer where various types of wastes and reactions should be taken into consideration, the ability to neutralize alkaline solutions other than Ca(OH)₂ by soil should be evaluated. In this study, the neutralization capacities of various types of soils were measured using Ca(OH)₂ and NaOH solutions. Each soil used in this study showed approximately the same capacity to neutralize both alkaline solutions of Ca(OH)₂ and NaOH. The cation exchange capacity was less than 30% of the maximum alkali neutralization capacity obtained by the titration test. The mechanism of neutralization by the pH-dependent charge can explain the same neutralization capacities of the soils. Although further investigation on the neutralization capacity of the soils for alkaline substances other than NaOH is required, daily cover soil could serve as a buffer zone for alkaline leachates containing Ca(OH)₂ or other alkaline substances.     

Reporting central tendencies of chamber measured surface emission and oxidation

Methane emissions, concentrations, and oxidation were measured on eleven MSW landfills in eleven states spanning from California to Pennsylvania during the three year study. The flux measurements were performed using a static chamber technique. Initial concentration samples were collected immediately after placement of the flux chamber. Oxidation of the emitted methane was evaluated using stable isotope techniques. When reporting overall surface emissions and percent oxidation for a landfill cover, central tendencies are typically used to report “averages” of the collected data. The objective of this study was to determine the best way to determine and report central tendencies. Results showed that 89% of the data sets of collected surface flux have lognormal distributions, 83% of the surface concentration data sets are also lognormal. Sixty seven percent (67%) of the isotope measured percent oxidation data sets are normally distributed. The distribution of data for all eleven landfills provides insight of the central tendencies of emissions, concentrations, and percent oxidation. When reporting the “average” measurement for both flux and concentration data collected at the surface of a landfill, statistical analyses provided insight supporting the use of the geometric mean. But the arithmetic mean can accurately represent the percent oxidation, as measured with the stable isotope technique. We examined correlations between surface CH₄ emissions and surface air CH₄ concentrations. Correlation of the concentration and flux values using the geometric mean proved to be a good fit (R² = 0.86), indicating that surface scans are a good way of identifying locations of high emissions.