Kinetics of biological methane oxidation in the presence of non-methane organic compounds in landfill bio-covers

Abstract

In this experimental program, the effects of non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs) on the biological methane (CH4) oxidation process were examined. The investigation was performed on compost experiments incubated with CH4 and selected NMOCs under different environmental conditions. The selected NMOCs had different concentrations and their effects were tested as single compounds and mixtures of compounds. The results from all experimental sets showed a decrease in CH4 oxidation capacity of the landfill bio-cover with the increase in NMOCs concentrations. For example, in the experiment using compost with 100% moisture content at 35 °C without any NMOCs the Vmax value was 35.0 μg CH4 h- 1 gwet wt- 1. This value was reduced to 19.1 μg CH4 h- 1 gwet wt- 1 when mixed NMOCs were present in the batch reactors under the same environmental conditions. The experimental oxidation rates of CH4 in the presence of single and mixed NMOCs were modeled using the uncompetitive inhibition model and kinetic parameters, including the dissociation constants, were obtained. Additionally, the degradation rates of the NMOCs and co-metabolic abilities of methanotrophic bacteria were estimated. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.