Enhanced Microbial Methane Oxidation in Landfill Cover Soil Amended with Biochar
Publication: Journal of Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Engineering
Volume 140, Issue 9
Abstract
Biochar amendment to landfill cover soil is proposed as an economical solution to reduce methane () emissions from landfills without gas-recovery systems or in conjunction with gas recovery for near-complete removal. In this study, column experiments were conducted to simulate the effects of biochar amendment to landfill cover soil and investigate whether biochar amendment can promote the growth of methanotrophic bacteria able to oxidize into carbon dioxide (). Acrylic columns were packed with coarse gravel (gas-distribution layer) and then filled with either soil or 20% biochar/80% soil. The columns were fed humidified synthetic landfill gas () continuously for 4 months. Sampling ports along the length of the column were used to collect gas samples for measurement of the and concentrations. Additional isotopic analysis () and temperature profiles were also used to evaluate the extent of oxidation as a function of depth. The deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from the soil and biochar-amended soil samples collected at different depths of the columns were subjected to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) analysis to determine the abundance of the particulate monoxygenase (pmoA) genes and infer methanotrophic activity. The pmoA results indicated that a higher number of -oxidizing bacteria (methanotrophs) existed in the biochar-amended soil column, which also supported the observed higher rates of oxidation compared with soil alone. Batch incubation experiments were conducted using column soils retrieved from different depths to determine Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters for oxidation. These results indicate that biochar amendment is effective in increasing methanotroph populations and promoting oxidation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
This project was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. CMMI 1200799), which is gratefully acknowledged.
References
Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). (1980). Official methods of analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Vol. 13, Gaithersburg, MD.
ASTM. (2010a). “Standard test method for particle-size analysis of soils.” D422, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010b). “Standard test method for permeability of granular soils (constant head).” D2434, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010c). “Standard test method for pH of soils.” D4972, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010d). “Standard test methods for laboratory compaction characteristics of soil using standard effort [ ()].” D698, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010e). “Standard test methods for laboratory determination of water (moisture) content of soil and rock by mass.” D2216, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010f). “Standard test methods for liquid limit, plastic limit, and plasticity index of soils.” D4318, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010g). “Standard test methods for measurement of hydraulic conductivity of saturated porous materials using a flexible wall permeameter.” D5084, West Conshohocken, PA.
ASTM. (2010h). “Standard test methods for specific gravity of soil solids by water pycnometer.” D854, West Conshohocken, PA.
Babel, W. (1992). “Peculiarities of methylotrophs concerning overflow metabolism, especially the synthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates.” FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 103(2–4), 141–148.
Barlaz, M. A., Green, R. B., Chanton, J. P., Goldsmith, C. D., and Hater, G. R. (2004). “Evaluation of a biologically active cover for mitigation of landfill gas emissions.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 38(18), 4891–4899.
Bender, M., and Conrad, R. (1992). “Kinetics of oxidation in oxic soils exposed to ambient air or high mixing ratios.” FEMS Microbiol. Lett., 101(4), 261–269.
Bender, M., and Conrad, R. (1995). “Effect of concentrations and soil conditions on the induction of oxidation activity.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 27(12), 1517–1527.
Bogner, J. (2006). “Garbage and global change.” Waste Manage., 26(5), 451–452.
Bogner, J., and Spokas, K. (1993). “Landfill : Rates, fates, and role in global carbon cycle.” Chemosphere, 26(1–4), 369–386.
Bogner, J. E., Spokas, K. A., and Burton, E. A. (1997). “Kinetics of methane oxidation in a landfill cover soil: Temporal variations, a whole-landfill oxidation experiment, and modeling of net emissions.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 31(9), 2504–2514.
Bowman, J. (2006). “The methanotrophs—The families Methylococcaceae and Methylocystaceae.” The prokaryotes: Proteobacteria: Alpha and beta subclasses, M. Dworkin, S. Falkow, E. Rosenberg, K.-H. Schleifer, and E. Stackebrandt, eds., Vol. 5, Springer, New York, 266–289.
Cabral, A. R., Moreira, J. F. V., and Jugnia, L.-B. (2010). “Biocover performance of landfill methane oxidation: Experimental results.” J. Environ. Eng., 785–793.
Chanton, J., et al. (2011). “Observations on the methane oxidation capacity of landfill soils.” Waste Manage., 31(5), 914–925.
Chanton, J. P., Whiting, G. J., Showers, W. J., and Crill, P. M. (1992). “Methane flux from Peltandra virginica: Stable isotope tracing and chamber effects.” Global Biogeochem. Cycles, 6(1), 15–31.
Czepiel, P. M., Mosher, B., Crill, P. M., and Harriss, R. C. (1996). “Quantifying the effect of oxidation on landfill methane emissions.” J. Geophys. Res. D: Atmos., 101(11), 16721–16729.
De Visscher, A., Schippers, M., and Van Cleemput, O. (2001). “Short-term kinetic response of enhanced methane oxidation in landfill cover soils to environmental factors.” Biol. Fertil. Soils, 33(3), 231–237.
De Visscher, A., and Van Cleemput, O. (2003). “Induction of enhanced oxidation in soils: inhibition patterns.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 35(7), 907–913.
Einola, J. K. M., Sormunen, K. M., and Rintala, J. A. (2008). “Methane oxidation in a boreal climate in an experimental landfill cover composed from mechanically–biologically treated waste.” Sci. Total Environ., 407(1), 67–83.
Ennis, C. J., Evans, A. G., Islam, M., Ralebitso-Senior, T. K., and Senior, E. (2012). “Biochar: Carbon sequestration, land remediation, and impacts on soil microbiology.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol., 42(22), 2311–2364.
Forster, P., et al. (2007). “Changes in atmospheric constituents and in radiative forcing.” Climate change 2007: The physical science basis. Contribution of working group I to the fourth assessment report of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, S. Solomon, et al., eds., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., 129–234.
Gebert, J., and Gröengröeft, A. (2006). “Passive landfill gas emission—Influence of atmospheric pressure and implications for the operation of methane-oxidising biofilters.” Waste Manage., 26(3), 245–251.
Gebert, J., Gröengröeft, A., and Miehlich, G. (2003). “Kinetics of microbial landfill methane oxidation in biofilters.” Waste Manage., 23(7), 609–619.
Gebert, J., Gröengröeft, A., and Pfeiffer, E. (2011). “Relevance of soil physical properties for the microbial oxidation of methane in landfill covers.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 43(9), 1759–1767.
Hanson, R. S., and Hanson, T. E. (1996). “Methanotrophic bacteria.” Microbiol. Rev., 60(2), 439–471.
Hilger, H. A., Cranford, D. F., and Barlaz, M. A. (2000). “Methane oxidation and microbial exopolymer production in landfill cover soil.” Soil Biol. Biochem., 32(4), 457–467.
Huber-Humer, M. (2004). “Abatement of landfill methane emissions by microbial oxidation in biocovers.” Ph.D. thesis, Dept. of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Waste Management, Univ. für Bodenkultur, Vienna, Austria.
Huber-Humer, M., Gebert, J., and Hilger, H. (2008). “Biotic systems to mitigate landfill methane emissions.” Waste Manage. Res., 26(1), 33–46.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). (2011). Special report on renewable energy sources and climate change mitigation, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Keiluweit, M., Nico, P. S., Johnson, M. G., and Kleber, M. (2010). “Dynamic molecular structure of plant biomass-derived black carbon (biochar).” Environ. Sci. Technol., 44(4), 1247–1253.
Kercher, A. K., and Nagle, D. C. (2003). “Microstructural evolution during charcoal carbonization by X-ray diffraction analysis.” Carbon, 41(1), 15–27.
Kightley, D., Nedwell, D. B., and Cooper, M. (1995). “Capacity for methane oxidation in landfill cover soils measured in laboratory-scale soil microcosms.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 61(2), 592–601.
Kolb, S., Knief, C., Stubner, S., and Conrad, R. (2003). “Quantitative detection of methanotrophs in soil by novel pmoA-targeted real-time PCR assays.” Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 69(5), 2423–2429.
Lehmann, J., Czimczik, C., Laird, D., and Sohi, S. (2009). “Stability of biochar in soil.” Biochar for environmental management: Science and technology, J. Lehmann and S. Joseph, eds., Earthscan Publications, London, 183–206.
Mukherjee, A., Zimmerman, A. R., and Harris, W. (2011). “Surface chemistry variations among a series of laboratory-produced biochars.” Geoderma, 163(3–4), 247–255.
Nikiema, J., Bibeau, L., Lavoie, J., Brzezinski, R., Vigneux, J., and Heitz, M. (2005). “Biofiltration of methane: An experimental study.” Chem. Eng. J., 113(2–3), 111–117.
Park, J.-R., Moon, S., Ahn, Y. M., Kim, J. Y., and Nam, K. (2005). “Determination of environmental factors influencing methane oxidation in a sandy landfill cover soil.” Environ. Technol., 26(1), 93–102.
PeakSimple 3.29 [Computer software]. Torrance, CA, SRI Instruments.
Pedersen, G. B., Scheutz, C., and Kjeldsen, P. (2011). “Availability and properties of materials for the Fakse Landfill biocover.” Waste Manage., 31(5), 884–894.
Powelson, D., Chanton, J., and Abichou, T. (2007). “Methane oxidation in biofilters measured by mass-balance and stable isotope methods.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 41(2), 620–625.
Rachor, I., Gebert, J., Gröngröft, A., and Pfeiffer, E.-M. (2011). “Assessment of the methane oxidation capacity of compacted soils intended for use as landfill cover materials.” Waste Manage., 31(5), 833–842.
Sadasivam, B. Y., and Reddy, K. R. (2013). “Study of methane adsorption by biochar in landfill cover.” Proc., A&WMA’s 106th Annual Conf. and Exhibition, Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA.
Sadasivam, B. Y., and Reddy, K. R. (2014). “Landfill methane oxidation in soil and bio-based covers: A review.” Rev. Environ. Sci. Biotechnol., 13(1), 79–107.
Scheutz, C., et al. (2009). “Microbial methane oxidation processes and technologies for mitigation of landfill gas emissions.” Waste Manage. Res., 27(5), 409–455.
Scheutz, C., Fredenslund, A. M., Chanton, J., Pedersen, G. B., and Kjeldsen, P. (2011). “Mitigation of methane emission from Fakse landfill using a biowindow system.” Waste Manage., 31(5), 1018–1028.
Scheutz, C., Mosbæk, H., and Kjeldsen, P. (2004). “Attenuation of methane and volatile organic compounds in landfill soil covers.” J. Environ. Qual., 33(1), 61–71.
Spokas, K., et al. (2006). “Methane mass balance at three landfill sites: What is the efficiency of capture by gas collection systems?” Waste Manage., 26(5), 516–525.
Stern, J. C., et al. (2007). “Use of a biologically active cover to reduce landfill methane emissions and enhance methane oxidation.” Waste Manage., 27(9), 1248–1258.
Streese, J., and Stegmann, R. (2003). “Microbial oxidation of methane from old landfills in biofilters.” Waste Manage., 23(7), 573–580.
U.S. EPA (USEPA). (2007a). “Test methods for evaluating solid waste, physical/chemical methods.” SW-846, Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA (USEPA). (2007b). “Total organic carbon, test methods for evaluating solid waste, physical/chemical methods.” Method 9060A, SW-846, Washington, DC.
U.S. EPA (USEPA). (2011). “Inventory of US greenhouse gas emissions and sinks: 1990-2009.” EPA 430-R-11-005, Washington, DC.
Widory, D., Proust, E., Bellenfant, G., and Bour, O. (2012). “Assessing methane oxidation under landfill covers and its contribution to the above atmospheric levels: The added value of the isotope (; ) approach.” Waste Manage., 32(9), 1685–1692.
Wilshusen, J. H., Hettiaratchi, J. P. A., De Visscher, A., and Saint-Fort, R. (2004a). “Methane oxidation and formation of EPS in compost: Effect of oxygen concentration.” Environ. Pollut., 129(2), 305–314.
Wilshusen, J. H., Hettiaratchi, J. P. A., and Stein, V. B. (2004b). “Long-term behavior of passively aerated compost methanotrophic biofilter columns.” Waste Manage., 24(7), 643–653.
Wrangstadh, M., Conway, P., and Kjelleberg, S. (1986). “The production and release of an extracellular polysaccharide during starvation of a marine Pseudomonas sp. and the effect thereof on adhesion.” Arch. Microbiol., 145(3), 220–227.
Xie, T., Reddy, K. R., Sadasivam, B. Y., and Wang, C. (2014a). “Review of effects of biochar amendment on soil fertilization and carbon sequestration.” J. Environ. Manage., in press.
Xie, T., Reddy, K. R., Wang, C., Yargicoglu, E., and Spokas, K. (2014b). “Characteristics and applications of biochar for environmental remediation: A review.” Crit. Rev. Environ. Sci. Technol., in press.
Yaghoubi, P. (2011). “Development of biochar-amended landfill cover for landfill gas mitigation.” Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 14, 2013
Accepted: May 6, 2014
Published online: Jun 12, 2014
Published in print: Sep 1, 2014
Discussion open until: Nov 12, 2014
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.