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Effects of a Gas Extraction Interruption on Emissions of Methane and Carbon Dioxide from a Landfill, and on Methane Oxidation in the Cover Soil
Author(s) -
Börjesson Gunnar,
Svensson Bo H.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1997.00472425002600040034x
Subject(s) - methane , carbon dioxide , landfill gas , extraction (chemistry) , greenhouse gas , environmental chemistry , environmental science , anaerobic oxidation of methane , oxidizing agent , soil gas , atmospheric methane , environmental engineering , soil water , atmosphere (unit) , chemistry , soil science , geology , meteorology , oceanography , organic chemistry , chromatography , physics
Landfills are regarded as important sources of atmospheric methane (CH 4 ), one of the major greenhouse gases. In this study, we investigated the effects of a gas extraction system on emissions of CH 4 and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to the atmosphere, from a small (0.37‐ha) Swedish landfill site. The experiment was conducted using a static chamber technique and 11 permanent frames installed in a transect. Measurements were made for 7 d with a gas extraction system in operation, followed by 7 d without gas extraction, and a third week when the system was operating again. Methane emissions ranged between −0.056 and 182 mmol CH 4 m −2 h −1 when the extraction system was in operation, and between −0.060 and 872 mmol CH 4 m −2 h −1 during the interruption period. The interruption resulted in enhanced CH 4 concentrations in the cover‐soil profile, especially in the surface soil (0–0.25 m depth), and CH 4 oxidation activity was significantly increased in most parts of the soil cover during the interruption, thus indicating that the growth of CH 4 ‐oxidizing bacteria increased in response to enhanced CH 4 concentrations.