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FIELD MEASUREMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION RATES AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMISSION FACTORS FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT
Citation:
Eklund, B. AND J. LaCosse. FIELD MEASUREMENT OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION RATES AND DEVELOPMENT OF EMISSION FACTORS FOR WASTEWATER TREATMENT. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/R-97/094 (NTIS PB98-117898), 1997.
Impact/Purpose:
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Description:
The report gives results of field testing to develop more reliable green house gas (GHG) emission estimates for Wastewater treatment (WWT) lagoons. (NOTE: Estimates are available for the amount of methane (CH4) emitted from certain types of waste facilities, but there is not adequate field measurement data to validate these estimates.) Field tests of emissions were conducted for WWT lagoons that use anaerobic processes to treat large volumes of wastewater with large biological oxygen demand (BOD) loadings. Air emissions and wastewater were measured at anaerobic lagoons at three meat processing plants and two publicly owned treatment works. The overall emission rates of CH4, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, ammonia (NH3), and chlorofluorocarbons were measured from each source using an open-path monitoring approach. The emitted compounds were identified and quantified by Fourier-Transform Intrared spectroscopy. Emission factors were developed for CH4 and NH3 as a function of the plant production rate, wastewater parameters [e.g., influent BOD and chemical oxygen demand (COD) loadings], and WWT system performance (e.g., BOD and COD removal rates). GHGs are produced from the anaerobic decomposition of waste in landfills, septic sewage systems, and WWT facilities.