Impact of Landfill Gas Exposure on Vegetation in Engineered Landfill Biocover Systems Implemented to Minimize Fugitive Methane Emissions from Landfills. 2023

Dinu S Attalage, and J Patrick A Hettiaratchi, and Angus Chu, and Dinesh Pokhrel, and Poornima A Jayasinghe
Department of Geoscience, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada.

Engineered landfill biocovers (LBCs) minimize the escape of methane into the atmosphere through biological oxidation. Vegetation plays a crucial role in LBCs and can suffer from hypoxia caused by the displacement of root-zone oxygen due to landfill gas and competition for oxygen with methanotrophic bacteria. To investigate the impact of methane gas on vegetation growth, we conducted an outdoor experiment using eight vegetated flow-through columns filled with a 45 cm mixture of 70% topsoil and 30% compost, planted with three types of vegetation: native grass blend, Japanese millet, and alfalfa. The experiment included three control columns and five columns exposed to methane, as loading rates gradually increased from 75 to 845 gCH4/m2/d over a period of 65 days. At the highest flux, we observed a reduction of 51%, 31%, and 19% in plant height, and 35%, 25%, and 17% in root length in native grass, Japanese millet, and alfalfa, respectively. The column gas profiles indicated that oxygen concentrations were below the levels required for healthy plant growth, which explains the stunted growth observed in the plants used in this experiment. Overall, the experimental results demonstrate that methane gas has a significant impact on the growth of vegetation used in LBCs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008697 Methane The simplest saturated hydrocarbon. It is a colorless, flammable gas, slightly soluble in water. It is one of the chief constituents of natural gas and is formed in the decomposition of organic matter. (Grant & Hackh's Chemical Dictionary, 5th ed)
D010084 Oxidation-Reduction A chemical reaction in which an electron is transferred from one molecule to another. The electron-donating molecule is the reducing agent or reductant; the electron-accepting molecule is the oxidizing agent or oxidant. Reducing and oxidizing agents function as conjugate reductant-oxidant pairs or redox pairs (Lehninger, Principles of Biochemistry, 1982, p471). Redox,Oxidation Reduction
D010100 Oxygen An element with atomic symbol O, atomic number 8, and atomic weight [15.99903; 15.99977]. It is the most abundant element on earth and essential for respiration. Dioxygen,Oxygen-16,Oxygen 16
D010944 Plants Multicellular, eukaryotic life forms of kingdom Plantae. Plants acquired chloroplasts by direct endosymbiosis of CYANOBACTERIA. They are characterized by a mainly photosynthetic mode of nutrition; essentially unlimited growth at localized regions of cell divisions (MERISTEMS); cellulose within cells providing rigidity; the absence of organs of locomotion; absence of nervous and sensory systems; and an alternation of haploid and diploid generations. It is a non-taxonomical term most often referring to LAND PLANTS. In broad sense it includes RHODOPHYTA and GLAUCOPHYTA along with VIRIDIPLANTAE. Plant
D012037 Refuse Disposal The discarding or destroying of garbage, sewage, or other waste matter or its transformation into something useful or innocuous. Waste Disposal, Solid,Disposal, Refuse,Disposal, Solid Waste,Disposals, Refuse,Disposals, Solid Waste,Refuse Disposals,Solid Waste Disposal,Solid Waste Disposals,Waste Disposals, Solid
D006109 Poaceae A large family of narrow-leaved herbaceous grasses of the order Cyperales, subclass Commelinidae, class Liliopsida (monocotyledons). Food grains (EDIBLE GRAIN) come from members of this family. RHINITIS, ALLERGIC, SEASONAL can be induced by POLLEN of many of the grasses. Alopecurus,Arundo,Gramineae,Grasses,Imperata,Grass,Imperata cylindrica
D000393 Air Pollutants Any substance in the air which could, if present in high enough concentration, harm humans, animals, vegetation or materials. Substances include GASES; PARTICULATE MATTER; and volatile ORGANIC CHEMICALS. Air Pollutant,Air Pollutants, Environmental,Environmental Air Pollutants,Environmental Pollutants, Air,Air Environmental Pollutants,Pollutant, Air,Pollutants, Air,Pollutants, Air Environmental,Pollutants, Environmental Air
D012987 Soil The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. Peat,Humus,Soils
D064091 Waste Disposal Facilities Sites that receive and store WASTE PRODUCTS. Some facilities also sort, process, and recycle specific waste products. Landfills,Waste Disposal Sites,Waste Dump Sites,Waste Dumping Grounds,Waste Dumping Sites,Waste Dumps,Disposal Facilities, Waste,Disposal Facility, Waste,Disposal Site, Waste,Disposal Sites, Waste,Dump Site, Waste,Dump Sites, Waste,Dump, Waste,Dumping Ground, Waste,Dumping Grounds, Waste,Dumping Site, Waste,Dumping Sites, Waste,Dumps, Waste,Facilities, Waste Disposal,Facility, Waste Disposal,Ground, Waste Dumping,Grounds, Waste Dumping,Landfill,Site, Waste Disposal,Site, Waste Dump,Site, Waste Dumping,Sites, Waste Disposal,Sites, Waste Dump,Sites, Waste Dumping,Waste Disposal Facility,Waste Disposal Site,Waste Dump,Waste Dump Site,Waste Dumping Ground,Waste Dumping Site

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