Suitability assessment of dumpsite soil biocover to reduce methane emission from landfills under interactive influence of nutrients

A comprehensive review on methane's dual role: effects in climate change and potential as a carbon-neutral energy source

The unprecedented population and anthropogenic activity rise have challenged the future look up for shifts in global temperature and climate patterns. Anthropogenic activities such as land fillings, building dams, wetlands converting to lands, combustion of biomass, deforestation, mining, and the gas and coal industries have directly or indirectly increased catastrophic methane (CH4) emissions at an alarming rate. Methane is 25 times more potent trapping heat when compared to carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. A rise in atmospheric methane, on a 20-year time scale, has an impact of 80 times greater than that of CO2. With increased population growth, waste generation is rising and is predicted to reach 6 Mt by 2025. CH4 emitted from landfills is a significant source that accounts for 40% of overall global methane emissions. Various mitigation and emissions reduction strategies could significantly reduce the global CH4 burden at a cost comparable to the parallel and necessary CO2 reduction measures, reversing the CH4 burden to pathways that achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. CH4 mitigation directly benefits climate change, has collateral impacts on the economy, human health, and agriculture, and considerably supports CO2 mitigation. Utilizing the CO2 from the environment, methanogens produce methane and lower their carbon footprint. NGOs and the general public should act on time to overcome atmospheric methane emissions by utilizing the raw source for producing carbon-neutral fuel. However, more research potential is required for green energy production and to consider investigating the untapped potential of methanogens for dependable energy generation.

Experimental Characterization of the Engineering Properties of Landfill Compost-Biocover

A landfill biocover system optimizes environmental conditions for biotic methane (CH4) consumption that controls the fugitive and residual emissions from landfills. Research shows that wasted compost material has more (CH4) oxidation potential than other materials. Thus, in this study, the authors investigate the engineering properties of compacted compost to test its suitability for CH4 oxidation capacity. Different laboratory and analytical approaches are employed to attain the set objectives. The biochemical tests show that the studied material indicates the presence of methanotrophs with sufficient organic contents. The compacted compost also shows adequate diffusivity potential to free air space for a wide range of water content. The data also imply that compacting compost to low hydraulic conductivity can be accomplished for a wide range of water content, according to the suggested values for a landfill hydraulic barrier. Furthermore, the low thermal properties of compost as compared to other mineral materials seem more beneficial, as specifically, during the winter season, when the atmospheric temperature is low, low thermal conductivity enables it to sustain a stable temperature for the activities of the microbial organisms, which therefore extends the CH4 oxidation process right through a long period in the winter.