CH4/CO2 ratios indicate highly efficient methane oxidation by a pumice landfill cover-soil.

Landfills that generate too little biogas for economic energy recovery can potentially offset methane (CH(4)) emissions through biological oxidation by methanotrophic bacteria in cover soils. This study reports on the CH(4) oxidation efficiency of a 10-year old landfill cap comprising a volcanic pumice soil. Surface CH(4) and CO(2) fluxes were measured using field chambers during three sampling intervals over winter and summer. Methane fluxes were temporally and spatially variable (-0.36 to 3044 mgCH(4)m(-2)h(-1)); but were at least 15 times lower than typical literature CH(4) fluxes reported for older landfills in 45 of the 46 chambers tested. Exposure of soil from this landfill cover to variable CH(4) fluxes in laboratory microcosms revealed a very strong correlation between CH(4) oxidation efficiency and CH(4)/CO(2) ratios, confirming the utility of this relationship for approximating CH(4) oxidation efficiency. CH(4)/CO(2) ratios were applied to gas concentrations from the surface flux chambers and indicated a mean CH(4) oxidation efficiency of 72%. To examine CH(4) oxidation with soil depth, we collected 10 soil depth profiles at random locations across the landfill. Seven profiles exhibited CH(4) removal rates of 70-100% at depths <60 cm, supporting the high oxidation rates observed in the chambers. Based on a conservative 70% CH(4) oxidation efficiency occurring at the site, this cover soil is clearly offsetting far greater CH(4) quantities than the 10% default value currently adopted by the IPCC.