Caption title. At head of title: Project summary. Distributed to depository libraries in microfiche. "Sept. 1984." "EPA/600-S2-84-141."

"A study was conducted to investigate gas production rates and composition in municipal solid waste (MSW). Improved monitoring methods were used to corroborate and add to previous studies. A completely automated gas monitoring system was used on four sanitary landfill simulators (lysimeters or test cells) of two different sizes. Gas was produced in four phases: an aerobic phase, a nonmethanogenic anaerobic phase, an unstable methanogenic phase, and a stable methanogenic phase. The last stage was just being reached as the experiment was terminated. The automated gas-measuring system and the gas-chromatograph-based, gas-analysis system used in the study both functioned satisfactorily. Gas samples were collected in an all-metal collection system, as plastic and glass vessels proved unsatisfactory. The two sizes of test cells produced very similar volumes and compositions of total gas, but the small cells produced more methane and less hydrogen than the large cells. Relatively high, consistent levels of nitrogen were found in the gas from this study. This factor could pose serious problems regarding the use of this gas for energy. The study demonstrated that the conditions present in the average MSW landfill are not ideal for maximum production of methane. Further studies are needed on the effects of environmental and nutritional factors in methane production."