Effect of bio-column composed of aged refuse on methane abatement - A novel configuration of biological oxiation in refuse landfill
Effect of bio-column composed of aged refuse on methane abatement – A novel configuration of biological oxidation in refuse landfill

An experimental bio-column composed of aged refuse was installed around the exhaust pipe as a new way to mitigate methane in refuse landfill. One of the objectives of this work was to assess the e ect of aged refuse thickness in bio-column on reducing CH4 emissions. Over the study period, methane oxidation was observed at various thicknesses, 5 cm (small size), 10 cm (middle size) and 15 cm (large size), representing one to three times of pipeline diameters. The middle and large size both showed over 90% methane conversion, and the highest methane conversion rate of above 95% occurred in the middle-size column cell. Michaelis-Menten equation addressed the methanotrophs di usion in di erent layers of the bio-columns. Maximum methanotrophic activity (Vmax) measured at the three thicknesses ranged from 6.4 10??3 to 15.6 10??3 units, and the half-saturation value (KM) ranged from 0.85% to 1.67%. Both the highest Vmax and KM were observed at the middle-size of the bio-column, as well as the largest methanotrophs population, suggesting a significant e ciency of methane mitigation happened in the optimum zone with greatest a nity and methanotrophic bacteria activities. Therefore, bio-column is a potential style for methane abatement in landfill, and the aged refuse both naturally formed and artificially placed in the column plays a critical role in CH4 emission.