The Emissions of Major Aromatic Voc as Landfill Gas from Urban Landfill Sites in Korea

Abstract

In this study, concentrations of major aromatic VOCs were determined from landfill gas (LFG) at a total of five municipal landfill sites in Korea including Nan Ji (NJ), Woon Jung (WJ), Sam Poong (SP), Hoei Chun (HC), and No Hyung (NH). The concentration levels of those VOC were found to be significantly different, mainly as a function of such a parameter as landfill aging. The VOC concentrations measured from the unclosed landfill sites (e.g., WJ) were characterized by exceedingly high values above a few tens of ppm. However, the results of the abandoned site (e.g., SP) were about three orders of magnitude lower than the others so as to merely exceed the typical ambient concentration levels. It was most striking to find a systematic dominance of toluene over other aromatic VOC under most circumstances. The LFG flux values of all aromatic VOC and the four specific major ones (termed as BTEX: benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene) were also computed for each vent pipe from all study sites using their concentrations and the concurrently determined environmental parameters. The results, if calculated in terms of the average BTEX quantity emitted per vent pipe, showed that the magnitude of their emissions can vary substantially, with the values ranging from 0.05 (SP) to 49.2 kg yr(-1) (WJ in wintertime). The LFG flux values of aromatic VOC, when compared to the contribution of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHC), were able to explain a constant, but minor, proportion of the LFG carbon budget.

Characterisation of VOCs emitted by open cells receiving municipal solid waste

“…Toluene is one of the most predominant components of the aromatic VOCs present in landfill gas as supported by other authors [10,20]. Both toluene and xylenes are solvents widely used in paints, paint thinners, nail varnishes, etc.…”

“…• On-site analysis with GC Agilent P200 (with PLOT Q and OV1 capillary columns and thermal conductivity detector) [8,10] Sampling in Tedlar bag of 3 or 10 L Peltier cooling/Thermal desorption system combined with GC/FID [11] Adsorption on tubes (10-20 min at 0,6 L/min):…”

Volatile organic compound emissions from municipal solid waste disposal sites: A case study of Mumbai, India

“…The identification and quantification of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the biogas of waste dumps of industrial and household dumped waste with proper design of cover and cells have been studied in details (Davoli et al, 2003;de la Rosa et al, 2006;Kim and Kim, 2002;Kim et al, 2006Kim et al, , 2008Zou et al, 2003). In India, properly engineered landfills are lacking for safe disposal of MSW except few.…”

Characterization of H2S removal and microbial community in landfill cover soils

“…LFG is mainly composed of CH 4 (50-60 %), CO 2 (∼40 %), and some trace components such as volatile organic compounds and reduced sulfur compounds (Scheutz et al 2009). In addition to the greenhouse effect of CH 4 and CO 2 , odor is also of high concern at landfills and the surrounding environment (Sironi et al 2005;Kim et al 2005Kim et al , 2006aSadowska-Rociek et al 2009). Reduced sulfur compounds including H 2 S, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide are the main sources of odor at landfill sites, of which H 2 S accounts for more than 90 % of the mass concentration of all sulfur gases in LFG (Kim et al 2005(Kim et al , 2006b.…”