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Biofiltration of fugitive methane emissions from landfills using scum from municipal wastewater treatment plants as alternative substrate

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Abstract

Biofilters have been recognized as a key technology in the mitigation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted by landfills. This study aimed to evaluate the methane (an important GHG) oxidation efficiencies of two experimental biofilters at the municipal landfill of Guarapuava (Brazil) under normal conditions (control column), just using landfill cover soil with low organic matter content, and improved, exploiting dried scum from municipal wastewater treatment plant mixed with the cover soil (enriched column, with a high organic matter content). The influence of parameters such as the methane inlet loading rates (22 and 44 gCH4.m−2.d−1), temperatures, methane concentration in the raw biogas, carbon/nitrogen ratio and moisture content of the packing materials on the oxidation of methane was also evaluated during 25 campaigns. The campaigns with the lowest methane loading rates applied to the biofilters showed the best methane oxidation efficiencies (98.4 and 89.5% in the enriched and control columns, respectively) as compared to campaigns with a higher load (92.6 and 82.6% in the enriched and control columns, respectively). In addition to the loading rates, the methane oxidation efficiencies were highly influenced by the organic matter content and C/N ratio of the packing materials evaluated.

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Abbreviations

GDL:

Gas distribution layer

MSW:

Municipal solid waste

GHG:

Greenhouse gases

STP:

Standard temperature and pressure

LFG:

Landfill gas

SWWTP:

Scum from municipal wastewater treatment plant

LR:

Loading rate

WHC:

Water holding capacity

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) and “Fundação Araucária do Paraná” (Call nº 09/2016) for their financial support. They are also grateful to the Guarapuava City Hall (State of Parana, Brazil).

Funding

Fundação Araucária, Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, Midwestern State University (UNICENTRO), Maria Roza de Almeida Street, Irati, Paraná, 84505-677, Brazil

    Waldir Nagel Schirmer, Erivelton César Stroparo, Douglas Luiz Mazur & Kelly Geronazzo Martins

  2. Latin American Institute of Infrastructure and Territory, Federal University of Latin American Integration (UNILA), Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná, Brazil

    Matheus Vitor Diniz Gueri

  3. Department of Sanitation and Environmental Engineering, Federal Institute of Goiás (IFG), Goiânia, Goiás, 74130-012, Brazil

    Marlon André Capanema

  4. Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Pernambuco, 50670-901, Brazil

    José Fernando Thomé Jucá

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  1. Waldir Nagel Schirmer
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Correspondence to Waldir Nagel Schirmer.

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Schirmer, W.N., Stroparo, E.C., Gueri, M.V.D. et al. Biofiltration of fugitive methane emissions from landfills using scum from municipal wastewater treatment plants as alternative substrate. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 24, 2041–2053 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-022-01468-9

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