A novel low-cost method for the combined, real-time, and in situ determination of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide concentrations in freshwater ecosystems was designed and developed. This method is based on the continuous sampling of water from a freshwater ecosystem to a gas/liquid exchange membrane. Dissolved gas is transferred through the membrane to a continuous flow of high purity nitrogen, which is then measured by an off-axis integrated cavity output spectrometer (OA-ICOS). This method, called M-ICOS, was carefully tested in a laboratory and was subsequently applied to four lakes in Mexico and Alaska with contrasting climates, ecologies, and morphologies. The M-ICOS method allowed for the determination of dissolved methane and carbon dioxide concentrations with a frequency of 1 Hz and with a method detection limit of 2.76 × 10(-10) mol L(-1) for methane and 1.5 × 10(-7) mol L(-1) for carbon dioxide. These detection limits are below saturated concentrations with respect to the atmosphere and significantly lower than the minimum concentrations previously reported in lakes. The method is easily operable by a single person from a small boat, and the small size of the suction probe allows the determination of dissolved gases with a minimized impact on shallow freshwater ecosystems.

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We present a method for the rapid determination of methane emissions from landfills based on atmospheric dispersion theory, which suggests that the methane concentration, at a small distance from the soil/atmosphere interface, is proportional to its flux. Thus, after suitable calibration, the determination of methane concentrations close to the ground allows for flux determination in a shorter time than with standard enclosure techniques. This concept was tested using a surface probe in direct contact with the ground. The probe extracts a continuous sample of the air at the probe/ground interface and transports it to a portable methane analyzer. It was observed that stable methane concentrations were measured 30 s after the probe was positioned at the measurement point. These concentrations correlated well with the fluxes measured by standard static chambers. The method was used to determine the fluxes at 217 points within a 90,000 m(2) landfill. These measurements facilitated mapping of the CH4 emissions and the localization of hotspots. We conclude that the method is simple, effective, and relatively quick, compared to existing standard methods.

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