Applying methane and carbon flow balances for determination of first-order landfill gas model parameters

Landfill gas (LFG) emissions from a given amount of landfill waste depend on the carbon flows in the waste. The objective of this study was to more accurately estimate the first-order decay parameters through methane (CH4) and carbon flow balances based on the analysis of a full-scale landfill with long-term data and detailed field records on LFG and leachate. The carbon storage factor for the case-study landfill was 0.055 g-degradable organic carbon (DOC) stored per g-wet waste and the amounts of DOC lost with the leachate were less than 1.3%. The appropriate CH4 generation rate constant (k) for bulk waste was 0.24 y-1. The the CH4 generation potential (L0) values ranged 33.7-46.7 m3-CH4 Mg-1, based on the fraction of DOC that can decompose (DOCf) value of 0.40. Results show that CH4 and carbon flow balance methods can be used to estimate model parameters appropriately and to predict long-term carbon emissions from landfills.