Optimization of Landfill BioCover (LBC) performance in cold climates

控制垃圾填埋场甲烷[CH4]（一种重要的温室气体）排放的最具成本效益的方法之一是安装垃圾填埋场生物覆盖物[LBC]。在LBC中，填埋场盖的设计是为了最大限度地氧化CH4，通过促进甲烷营养细菌或甲烷氧化菌的生长，这些细菌或甲烷氧化菌能够利用CH4作为能量来源并将其转化为二氧化碳和水而不产生有毒副产物。虽然LBC是一种有吸引力的控制垃圾填埋场甲烷排放的技术，但其在加拿大寒冷气候条件下的可行性受到质疑，因为人们担心其在寒冷冬季的表现。过去的大多数研究都与理想条件下的性能有关，而对加拿大垃圾填埋场全年的性能知之甚少。因此，我们研究项目的主要目标包括：确定现场最具成本效益的颗粒介质全年的甲烷氧化性能；将经济作物和原生草作为最适合的LBC植被进行比较评估，以实现全年甲烷氧化性能的最大化；制定一个强有力的、具有成本效益的绩效监测计划，以确定阿尔伯塔省LBC的绩效。这些目标将通过进行三个层次的实验来实现：以实验室为基础的微观批量/柱实验，在现场进行的流动柱实验（与在实验室进行的通常做法相反），以及在现场进行的渗滤仪实验。此外，将在阿尔伯塔省Okotoks的Foothills地区垃圾填埋场新建的LBC进行实地调查。通过解决与加拿大LBC系统全年运行相关的技术问题，该项目将为行业和各级政府提供有价值的技术，以最大限度地减少加拿大所有垃圾填埋场的甲烷排放。大规模部署LBC技术将有助于实现艾伯塔省的气候变化战略目标，即到2025年将甲烷排放量减少45%，以及加拿大的气候变化缓解目标。

One of the most cost-effective methods available to control landfill emissions of methane [CH4], which is a key greenhouse gas, is the installation of a Landfill BioCover [LBC]. In an LBC, a landfill cover is designed to maximize oxidation of CH4 by promoting the growth of methanotrophic bacteria or methanotrophs capable of utilizing CH4 as an energy source and converting it to carbon dioxide and water without producing toxic by-products. Although LBC is an attractive technique to control landfill CH4 emissions, its viability under cold climatic conditions of Canada is questioned because of concerns related to performance during cold winter months. Most of the research in the past has been related to performance under ideal conditions, and very little is known of the performance throughout the year at landfills in Canada. Therefore, the key objectives of our research project include: determine the methane oxidation performance throughout the year of the most cost-effective granular media available on site; conduct a comparative evaluation of establishing cash crops and native grass as the most suitable LBC vegetation to maximize methane oxidation performance throughout the year; develop a robust and cost-effective performance-monitoring program to determine LBC performance in Alberta. These objectives will be achieved by conducting three levels of experiments: laboratory-based microcosm batch/column experiments, flow-through column experiments conducted in the field (as opposed to the common practice of conducting them in the laboratory), and lysimeter experiments conducted at a field location. In addition, field investigations will be conducted at a new LBC constructed at the Foothills regional landfill in Okotoks, Alberta. By resolving technical issues associated with operation throughout the year in Canada of LBC systems, this project will provide the industry and various levels of government with a valuable technology to minimize CH4 emissions from all Canadian landfills. Deployment of LBC technology on a large-scale will contribute to achieving Alberta's climate change strategy goals of reducing CH4 emissions by 45% by 2025 and Canada's climate change mitigation goals.