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A Survey of volatile organic compounds at a municipal solid waste cocomposting facility
Author(s) -
Kim Jae Y.,
Park Jae K.,
Emmons Brett,
Armstrong David E.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143095x133284
Subject(s) - ethylbenzene , volatilisation , toluene , leachate , environmental chemistry , municipal solid waste , volatile organic compound , trichloroethylene , chemistry , compost , tetrachloroethylene , waste management , environmental science , environmental engineering , organic chemistry , engineering
A 5‐day survey was conducted at a municipal solid waste (MSW) cocomposter facility. The amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the MSW was indirectly estimated by measuring the concentrations of VOCs in gas, liquid, and solid phases and making necessary assumptions because of practical limitations in the direct measurement of VOCs in the MSW. Of the nine target VOCs tested, chloroform, toluene, methylene chloride, ethylbenzene, and trichloroethylene (TCE) were detected in descending order of concentration. Ethylbenzene, toluene, and TCE were detected once in the leachate at 24, 11, and 7 μ g/L, respectively. Ethylbenzene and toluene were detected in the rejected and screened compost at 5 to 25 μ g/kg on two sampling days. The dominant mechanisms of the VOC removal appeared to be volatilization and biodegradation. The average total input of the nine VOCs was estimated to be 385 g/d or 34 g/wet ton of MSW. The average VOC emission to the atmosphere was approximately 111 g/d.