Methane oxidation in a boreal climate in an experimental landfill cover composed from mechanically-biologically treated waste.

The present study evaluated microbial methane (CH4) oxidation in a boreally located outdoor landfill lysimeter (volume 112 m3, height 3.9 m) filled with mechanically-biologically treated waste (MBT residual) and containing a cover layer made from the same MBT residual. The calculations based on gas emission and pore gas measurements showed that, between April and October 2005, a significant proportion (> 96%) of the methane produced (< 23 l CH4 m(-2) d(-1)) in the lysimeter was oxidized. Methane was oxidized mainly at the depths of 35-75 cm, as indicated by the upward decrease both in the methane concentration and in the methane-to-carbon dioxide ratio in the pore gas. Lower methane oxidation (< 0.8 CH4 m(-2) d(-1); this was < 22% of the methane produced) was observed only during the coldest time of the year (January 2006), apparently due to the fall in temperature at the depths of 25-70 cm (from 9-25 degrees C during April to October to 2-9 degrees C in January). Unexpectedly, the highest methane oxidation potential (MOP) was observed in samples from the top layer where exposure to methane was low. Overall, the results show that MBT residual is a suitable support medium for methane oxidation in landfill covers in field conditions in a boreal climate.

Evaluation of the current status of operating and closed landfills in Russia, Finland and Ireland with regard to water pollution and methane emission.

The annual production of municipal solid wastes (MSW) in Russia, Finland and Ireland in the late 1990s accounts for 37.5, 2.5 and 2.05 min. tonnes or 252, 488 and 566 kg per capita, respectively. 96.5, 64 and 91% of these wastes (for Russia, Finland and Ireland, correspondingly) are currently disposed of via landfilling. However, nowadays, MSW management in these countries is undergoing drastic changes (source separation, closure of old landfills, reduction of the number of landfills etc.) forced by recent legislation set by the European Union and Russian authorities. This paper evaluates the current status of MSW landfills, as well as information on current leachate and methane emissions in the three above mentioned countries. Landfill leachates are highly variable in each country and between different countries due to different rainfall and climatic conditions and also due to poor landfill top insulation/cover. Leachates in poorly structured landfills are very dilute, whereas leachates with total COD and nitrogen contents as high as 33,700 mg COD/l and 4,030 mg N/l, respectively, have been detected from state-of-the-art sites. Currently, on-site treatment of leachates exists at only a few landfills in Russia, Finland and Ireland but this situation will be considerably improved during the next years. The annual methane emissions from landfills are estimated as 500-900 and 77 ktonnes for Russia and Finland, respectively. Recent estimates from Ireland suggest an annual landfill methane emission of c. 2.1 Mt CO2 equivalent. Several systems of methane recovery have been developed in all three countries and these are currently in different stages of implementation.

The analysis of methods for measurement of methane oxidation in landfills.

Landfills and dumps are important sources of atmospheric methane. There is no generally accepted estimate of the influence of methane oxidation on landfill methane emissions. The present work aimed to analyse different methods for the investigation of methane emission and oxidation in methane-producing environments (wetlands, landfills, sludge checks), and to develop the precise procedure for the landfills. The combination of geochemical and microbiological methods to estimate and monitor the oxidation and emission of methane in landfills during different seasons is proposed. It includes the measurements, both on the surface and at different depths (up to 1 m) of landfill ground of the following parameters: (1) concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide and oxygen; (2) quantity of 13C isotope in gas samples; (3) methane-oxidation activity of landfill grounds assayed with two different methods: (a) in conditions of no moisture or substrate limitations, and (b) in conditions with a minimal deviation to in situ conditions; (4) the density of methanotrophic microbial population.

Biological nitrogen removal from municipal landfill leachate: low-cost nitrification in biofilters and laboratory scale in-situ denitrification.

The slow leaching of nitrogen from solid waste in landfills, resulting in high concentrations of ammonia in the landfill leachate, may last for several decades. The removal of nitrogen from leachate is desirable as nitrogen can trigger eutrophication in lakes and rivers. In the present study, a low-cost nitrification-denitrification process was developed to reduce nitrogen load especially in leachates from small landfills. Nitrification was studied in laboratory and on-site pilot aerobic biofilters with waste materials as filter media (crushed brick in upflow filters and bulking agent of compost in a downflow filter) while denitrification was studied in a laboratory anoxic/anaerobic column filled with landfill waste. In the laboratory nitrification filters, start-up of nitrification took less than 3 weeks and over 90% nitrification of leachate (NH4-N between 60 and 170mg N l(-1), COD between 230 and 1,300 mg l(-1)) was obtained with loading rates between 100 and 130 mgNH4-N l(-1) d at 25 degrees C. In an on-site pilot study a level of nitrification of leachate (NH4-N between 160 and 270 mg N l(-1), COD between 1,300 and 1,600 mg l(-1)) above 90% was achieved in a crushed brick biofilter with a loading rate of 50mg NH4-N l(-1) d even at temperatures as low as 5-10 degrees C. Ammonium concentrations in all biofilter effluents were usually below the detection limit. In the denitrification column. denitrification started within 2 weeks and total oxidised nitrogen in nitrified leachate (TON between 50 and 150mg N l(-1)) usually declined below the detection limit at 25 degrees C, whereas some ammonium, probably originating from the landfill waste used in the column, was detected in the effluent. No adverse effect was observed on the methanation of waste in the denitrification column with a loading rate of 3.8 g TON-N/t-TS(waste) d. In conclusion, nitrification in a low-cost biofilter followed by denitrification in a landfill body appears applicable for the removal of nitrogen in landfill leachate in colder climates.

Screening of physical-chemical methods for removal of organic material, nitrogen and toxicity from low strength landfill leachates.

Physical-chemical methods have been suggested for the treatment of low strength municipal landfill leachates. Therefore, applicability of nanofiltration and air stripping were screened in laboratory-scale for the removal of organic matter, ammonia, and toxicity from low strength leachates (NH4-N 74-220 mg/l, chemical oxygen demand (COD) 190-920 mg O2/l, EC50 = 2-17% for Raphidocelis subcapitata). Ozonation was studied as well, but with the emphasis on enhancing biodegradability of leachates. Nanofiltration (25 degrees C) removed 52-66% of COD and 27-50% of ammonia, the latter indicating that ammonia may in part have been present as ammonium salt complexes. Biological pretreatment enhanced the overall COD removal. Air stripping (24 h at pH 11) resulted in 89% and 64% ammonia removal at 20 and 6 degrees C, respectively, the stripping rate remaining below 10 mg N/l h. COD removals of 4-21% were obtained in stripping. Ozonation (20 degrees C) increased the concentration of rapidly biodegradable COD (RBCOD), but the proportion of RBCOD of total COD was still below 20% indicating poor biological treatability. The effect of the different treatments on leachate toxicity was assessed with the Daphnia acute toxicity test (Daphnia magna) and algal growth inhibition test (Raphidcocelis subcapitata). None of the methods was effective in toxicity removal. By way of comparison, treatment in a full-scale biological plant decreased leachate toxicity to half of the initial value. Although leachate toxicity significantly correlated with COD and ammonia in untreated and treated leachate, in some stripping and ozonation experiments toxicity was increased in spite of COD and ammonia removals.