Title: The use of methanotrophic applications to control of fugitive methane emissions from the biodegradation of organic waste

Authors: Uriel Mancebo; J. Patrick A. Hettiaratchi; Sunil Kumar; Omar Hurtado

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 1N4, Canada. ' Centre for Environmental Engineering Research & Education (CEERE), University of Calgary, Calgary, T2N 1N4, Canada. ' Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) - National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), Kolkata Zonal Laboratory, I-8, Sector 'C', East Kolkata, EM Bypass, Kolkata 700 107, West Bengal, India. ' SNC Lavalin Environment, Calgary, T2P 3G5, Canada

Abstract: Large amounts of methane (CH4) escapes to the atmosphere through fugitive emissions arising from anthropogenic sources. This is detrimental because the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CH4 is 25 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2) on a 100 year time horizon. As a result, there has been increasing interest in developing cost-effective and reliable alternatives for the minimisation of CH4 releases into the atmosphere. The aim of this paper is to discuss the current state of efforts and alternatives with respect to the control of fugitive CH4 emissions generated from the anaerobic biodegradation of organic waste.

Keywords: GHG emissions; methanotrophic processes; landfill gas; methane emissions; greenhouse gases; anaerobic biodegradation; organic waste; global warming; landfills; waste management.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2012.049243

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2012 Vol.15 No.3/4/5/6, pp.524 - 538

Published online: 17 Dec 2014 *

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