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ATSDRLandfillGasPrimerChapter2:LandfillGasBasics

Chapter2:LandfillGasBasics
HistoricalDocument
ThisdocumentisprovidedbytheAgencyforToxicSubstancesandDiseaseRegistry(ATSDR)ONLYasanhistoricalreferenceforthepublichealthcommunity.Itisnolongerbeingmaintainedandthe
dataitcontainsmaynolongerbecurrentand/oraccurate.
Thischapterprovidesbasicinformationaboutlandfillgaswhatitiscomposedof,howitisproduced,andtheconditionsthataffectitsproduction.Italsoprovidesinformationabouthowlandfillgas
movesandtravelsawayfromthelandfillsite.Finally,thechapterpresentsanoverviewofthetypesoflandfillsthatmightbepresentinyourcommunityandtheregulatoryrequirementsthatapplyto
each.

Whatislandfillgascomposedof?
Landfillgasiscomposedofamixtureofhundredsofdifferentgases.Byvolume,landfillgastypicallycontains45%to60%methaneand40%to60%carbondioxide.Landfillgasalsoincludessmall
amountsofnitrogen,oxygen,ammonia,sulfides,hydrogen,carbonmonoxide,andnonmethaneorganiccompounds(NMOCs)suchastrichloroethylene,benzene,andvinylchloride.Table21(#t2_1)
lists"typical"landfillgases,theirpercentbyvolume,andtheircharacteristics.

Howislandfillgasproduced?
Threeprocessesbacterialdecomposition,volatilization,andchemicalreactionsformlandfillgas.
Bacterialdecomposition.Mostlandfillgasisproducedbybacterialdecomposition,whichoccurswhenorganicwasteisbrokendownbybacterianaturallypresentinthewasteandinthesoil
usedtocoverthelandfill.Organicwastesincludefood,gardenwaste,streetsweepings,textiles,andwoodandpaperproducts.Bacteriadecomposeorganicwasteinfourphases,andthe
compositionofthegaschangesduringeachphase.Theboxbelow(#four)providesdetailedinformationaboutthefourphasesofbacterialdecompositionandthegasesproducedduringeachphase.
Figure21(#f2_1)showsgasproductionateachofthefourstages.
Volatilization.Landfillgasescanbecreatedwhencertainwastes,particularlyorganiccompounds,changefromaliquidorasolidintoavapor.Thisprocessisknownasvolatilization.NMOCsin
landfillgasmaybetheresultofvolatilizationofcertainchemicalsdisposedofinthelandfill.
Chemicalreactions.Landfillgas,includingNMOCs,canbecreatedbythereactionsofcertainchemicalspresentinwaste.Forexample,ifchlorinebleachandammoniacomeincontactwith
eachotherwithinthelandfill,aharmfulgasisproduced.

Table21:TypicalLandfillGasComponents
Component

PercentbyVolume

Characteristics

methane

4560

Methaneisanaturallyoccurringgas.Itiscolorlessandodorless.Landfillsarethesinglelargestsourceof
U.S.manmademethaneemissions

carbondioxide

4060

Carbondioxideisnaturallyfoundatsmallconcentrationsintheatmosphere(0.03%).Itiscolorless,
odorless,andslightlyacidic.

nitrogen

25

Nitrogencomprisesapproximately79%oftheatmosphere.Itisodorless,tasteless,andcolorless.

oxygen

0.11

Oxygencomprisesapproximately21%oftheatmosphere.Itisodorless,tasteless,andcolorless.

ammonia

0.11

Ammoniaisacolorlessgaswithapungentodor.

NMOCs
(nonmethaneorganiccompounds)

0.010.6

NMOCsareorganiccompounds(i.e.,compoundsthatcontaincarbon).(Methaneisanorganiccompound
butisnotconsideredanNMOC.)NMOCsmayoccurnaturallyorbeformedbysyntheticchemical
processes.NMOCsmostcommonlyfoundinlandfillsincludeacrylonitrile,benzene,1,1dichloroethane,
1,2cisdichloroethylene,dichloromethane,carbonylsulfide,ethylbenzene,hexane,methylethylketone,
tetrachloroethylene,toluene,trichloroethylene,vinylchloride,andxylenes.

sulfides

01

Sulfides(e.g.,hydrogensulfide,dimethylsulfide,mercaptans)arenaturallyoccurringgasesthatgivethe
landfillgasmixtureitsrotteneggsmell.Sulfidescancauseunpleasantodorsevenatverylow

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concentrations.
hydrogen

00.2

Hydrogenisanodorless,colorlessgas.

carbonmonoxide

00.2

Carbonmonoxideisanodorless,colorlessgas.
Source:Tchobanoglous,Theisen,andVigil1993EPA1995

TheFourPhasesofBacterialDecompositionofLandfillWaste
Bacteriadecomposelandfillwasteinfourphases.Thecompositionofthegasproducedchangeswitheachofthefourphasesofdecomposition.Landfillsoftenacceptwasteovera20to30year
period,sowasteinalandfillmaybeundergoingseveralphasesofdecompositionatonce.Thismeansthatolderwasteinoneareamightbeinadifferentphaseofdecompositionthanmorerecently
buriedwasteinanotherarea.
PhaseI
Duringthefirstphaseofdecomposition,aerobicbacteriabacteriathatliveonlyinthepresenceofoxygenconsumeoxygenwhilebreakingdownthelongmolecularchainsofcomplexcarbohydrates,
proteins,andlipidsthatcompriseorganicwaste.Theprimarybyproductofthisprocessiscarbondioxide.Nitrogencontentishighatthebeginningofthisphase,butdeclinesasthelandfillmoves
throughthefourphases.PhaseIcontinuesuntilavailableoxygenisdepleted.PhaseIdecompositioncanlastfordaysormonths,dependingonhowmuchoxygenispresentwhenthewasteisdisposed
ofinthelandfill.Oxygenlevelswillvaryaccordingtofactorssuchashowlooseorcompressedthewastewaswhenitwasburied.
PhaseII
PhaseIIdecompositionstartsaftertheoxygeninthelandfillhasbeenusedup.Usingananaerobicprocess(aprocessthatdoesnotrequireoxygen),bacteriaconvertcompoundscreatedbyaerobic
bacteriaintoacetic,lactic,andformicacidsandalcoholssuchasmethanolandethanol.Thelandfillbecomeshighlyacidic.Astheacidsmixwiththemoisturepresentinthelandfill,theycausecertain
nutrientstodissolve,makingnitrogenandphosphorusavailabletotheincreasinglydiversespeciesofbacteriainthelandfill.Thegaseousbyproductsoftheseprocessesarecarbondioxideand
hydrogen.Ifthelandfillisdisturbedorifoxygenissomehowintroducedintothelandfill,microbialprocesseswillreturntoPhaseI.
PhaseIII
PhaseIIIdecompositionstartswhencertainkindsofanaerobicbacteriaconsumetheorganicacidsproducedinPhaseIIandformacetate,anorganicacid.Thisprocesscausesthelandfilltobecomea
moreneutralenvironmentinwhichmethaneproducingbacteriabegintoestablishthemselves.Methaneandacidproducingbacteriahaveasymbiotic,ormutuallybeneficial,relationship.Acid
producingbacteriacreatecompoundsforthemethanogenicbacteriatoconsume.Methanogenicbacteriaconsumethecarbondioxideandacetate,toomuchofwhichwouldbetoxictotheacid
producingbacteria.
PhaseIV
PhaseIVdecompositionbeginswhenboththecompositionandproductionratesoflandfillgasremainrelativelyconstant.PhaseIVlandfillgasusuallycontainsapproximately45%to60%methaneby
volume,40%to60%carbondioxide,and2%to9%othergases,suchassulfides.GasisproducedatastablerateinPhaseIV,typicallyforabout20yearshowever,gaswillcontinuetobeemittedfor
50ormoreyearsafterthewasteisplacedinthelandfill(CrawfordandSmith1985).Gasproductionmightlastlonger,forexample,ifgreateramountsoforganicsarepresentinthewaste,suchasata
landfillreceivinghigherthanaverageamountsofdomesticanimalwaste.

Figure21:Productionphasesoftypicallandfillgas

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Whatconditionsaffectlandfillgasproduction?
Therateandvolumeoflandfillgasproducedataspecificsitedependonthecharacteristicsofthewaste(e.g.,compositionandageoftherefuse)andanumberofenvironmentalfactors(e.g.,the
presenceofoxygeninthelandfill,moisturecontent,andtemperature).
Wastecomposition.Themoreorganicwastepresentinalandfill,themorelandfillgas(e.g.,carbondioxide,methane,nitrogen,andhydrogensulfide)isproducedbythebacteriaduring
decomposition.Themorechemicalsdisposedofinthelandfill,themorelikelyNMOCsandothergaseswillbeproducedeitherthroughvolatilizationorchemicalreactions.
Ageofrefuse.Generally,morerecentlyburiedwaste(i.e.,wasteburiedlessthan10years)producesmorelandfillgasthroughbacterialdecomposition,volatilization,andchemicalreactionsthan
doesolderwaste(buriedmorethan10years).Peakgasproductionusuallyoccursfrom5to7yearsafterthewasteisburied.
Presenceofoxygeninthelandfill.Methanewillbeproducedonlywhenoxygenisnolongerpresentinthelandfill.
Moisturecontent.Thepresenceofmoisture(unsaturatedconditions)inalandfillincreasesgasproductionbecauseitencouragesbacterialdecomposition.Moisturemayalsopromotechemical
reactionsthatproducegases.
Temperature.Asthelandfill'stemperaturerises,bacterialactivityincreases,resultinginincreasedgasproduction.Increasedtemperaturemayalsoincreaseratesofvolatilizationandchemical
reactions.Theboxonthefollowingpageprovidesmoredetailedinformationabouthowthesevariablesaffecttherateandvolumeoflandfillgasproduction.

Howdoeslandfillgasmove?
Oncegasesareproducedunderthelandfillsurface,theygenerallymoveawayfromthelandfill.Gasestendtoexpandandfilltheavailablespace,sothattheymove,or"migrate,"throughthelimited
porespaceswithintherefuseandsoilscoveringofthelandfill.Thenaturaltendencyoflandfillgasesthatarelighterthanair,suchasmethane,istomoveupward,usuallythroughthelandfillsurface.
Upwardmovementoflandfillgascanbeinhibitedbydenselycompactedwasteorlandfillcovermaterial(e.g.,bydailysoilcoverandcaps).Whenupwardmovementisinhibited,thegastendsto
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migratehorizontallytootherareaswithinthelandfillortoareasoutsidethelandfill,whereitcanresumeitsupwardpath.Basically,thegasesfollowthepathofleastresistance.Somegases,suchas
carbondioxide,aredenserthanairandwillcollectinsubsurfaceareas,suchasutilitycorridors.Threemainfactorsinfluencethemigrationoflandfillgases:diffusion(concentration),pressure,and
permeability

Diffusion(concentration).Diffusiondescribesagas'snaturaltendencytoreachauniformconcentrationinagivenspace,whetheritisaroomortheearth'satmosphere.Gasesinalandfill
movefromareasofhighgasconcentrationstoareaswithlowergasconcentrations.Becausegasconcentrationsaregenerallyhigherinthelandfillthaninthesurroundingareas,landfillgases
diffuseoutofthelandfilltothesurroundingareaswithlowergasconcentrations.
Pressure.Gasesaccumulatinginalandfillcreateareasofhighpressureinwhichgasmovementisrestrictedbycompactedrefuseorsoilcoversandareasoflowpressureinwhichgasmovement
isunrestricted.Thevariationinpressurethroughoutthelandfillresultsingasesmovingfromareasofhighpressuretoareasoflowpressure.Movementofgasesfromareasofhighpressureto
areasoflowerpressureisknownasconvection.Asmoregasesaregenerated,thepressureinthelandfillincreases,usuallycausingsubsurfacepressuresinthelandfilltobehigherthaneitherthe
atmosphericpressureorindoorairpressure.Whenpressureinthelandfillishigher,gasestendtomovetoambientorindoorair.
Permeability.Gaseswillalsomigrateaccordingtowherethepathwaysofleastresistanceoccur.Permeabilityisameasureofhowwellgasesandliquidsflowthroughconnectedspacesorporesin
refuseandsoils.Dry,sandysoilsarehighlypermeable(manyconnectedporespaces),whilemoistclaytendstobemuchlesspermeable(fewerconnectedporespaces).Gasestendtomovethrough
areasofhighpermeability(e.g.,areasofsandorgravel)ratherthanthroughareasoflowpermeability(e.g.,areasofclayorsilt).Landfillcoversareoftenmadeoflowpermeabilitysoils,suchas
clay.Gasesinacoveredlandfill,therefore,maybemorelikelytomovehorizontallythanvertically.

Table22:FactorsAffectingLandfillGasProduction
WasteComposition.Themoreorganicwastepresentinalandfill,themorelandfillgasisproducedbybacterialdecomposition.Sometypesoforganicwastecontainnutrients,suchassodium,
potassium,calcium,andmagnesium,thathelpbacteriathrive.Whenthesenutrientsarepresent,landfillgasproductionincreases.Alternatively,somewastescontaincompoundsthatharmbacteria,
causinglessgastobeproduced.Forexample,methaneproducingbacteriacanbeinhibitedwhenwastehashighsaltconcentrations.
OxygenintheLandfill.Onlywhenoxygenisusedupwillbacteriabegintoproducemethane.Themoreoxygenpresentinalandfill,thelongeraerobicbacteriacandecomposewasteinPhaseI.If
wasteislooselyburiedorfrequentlydisturbed,moreoxygenisavailable,sothatoxygendependentbacterialivelongerandproducecarbondioxideandwaterforlongerperiods.Ifthewasteishighly
compacted,however,methaneproductionwillbeginearlierastheaerobicbacteriaarereplacedbymethaneproducinganaerobicbacteriainPhaseIII.Methanegasstartstobeproducedbythe
anaerobicbacteriaonlywhentheoxygeninthelandfillisusedupbytheaerobicbacteriatherefore,anyoxygenremaininginthelandfillwillslowmethaneproduction.Barometrichighswilltendto
introduceatmosphericoxygenintosurfacesoilsinshallowportionsofalandfill,possiblyalteringbacterialactivity.Inthisscenario,wasteinPhaseIV,forexample,mightbrieflyreverttoPhaseIuntil
alltheoxygenisusedupagain.
MoistureContent.Thepresenceofacertainamountofwaterinalandfillincreasesgasproductionbecausemoistureencouragesbacterialgrowthandtransportsnutrientsandbacteriatoallareas
withinalandfill.Amoisturecontentof40%orhigher,basedonwetweightofwaste,promotesmaximumgasproduction(e.g.,inacappedlandfill).Wastecompactionslowsgasproductionbecauseit
increasesthedensityofthelandfillcontents,decreasingtherateatwhichwatercaninfiltratethewaste.Therateofgasproductionishigherifheavyrainfalland/orpermeablelandfillcoversintroduce
additionalwaterintoalandfill.
Temperature.Warmtemperaturesincreasebacterialactivity,whichinturnincreasestherateoflandfillgasproduction.Coldertemperaturesinhibitbacterialactivity.Typically,bacterialactivity
dropsoffdramaticallybelow50Fahrenheit(F).Weatherchangeshaveafargreatereffectongasproductioninshallowlandfills.Thisisbecausethebacteriaarenotasinsulatedagainsttemperature
changesascomparedtodeeplandfillswhereathicklayerofsoilcoversthewaste.Acappedlandfillusuallymaintainsastabletemperature,maximizinggasproduction.Bacterialactivityreleasesheat,
stabilizingthetemperatureofalandfillbetween77Fand113F,althoughtemperaturesupto158Fhavebeennoted.Temperatureincreasesalsopromotevolatilizationandchemicalreactions.Asa
generalrule,emissionsofNMOCsdoublewithevery18Fincreaseintemperature.
AgeofRefuse.Morerecentlyburiedwastewillproducemoregasthanolderwaste.Landfillsusuallyproduceappreciableamountsofgaswithin1to3years.Peakgasproductionusuallyoccurs5to7
yearsafterwastesaredumped.Almostallgasisproducedwithin20yearsafterwasteisdumpedhowever,smallquantitiesofgasmaycontinuetobeemittedfromalandfillfor50ormoreyears.A
lowmethaneyieldscenario,however,estimatesthatslowlydecomposingwastewillproducemethaneafter5yearsandcontinueemittinggasovera40yearperiod.Differentportionsofthelandfill
mightbeindifferentphasesofthedecompositionprocessatthesametime,dependingonwhenthewastewasoriginallyplacedineacharea.Theamountoforganicmaterialinthewasteisan
importantfactorinhowlonggasproductionlasts.
Sources:CrawfordandSmith1985DOE1995EPA1993.
TableofContents(toc.html)NextSection(ch2a.html)
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HistoricalDocument:November2001
Pagelastupdated:November2001
Contentsource:AgencyforToxicSubstancesandDiseaseRegistry

AgencyforToxicSubstancesandDiseaseRegistry,4770BufordHwyNE,Atlanta,GA30341
ContactCDC:8002324636/TTY:8882326348

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