Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Environmental Applications of Microorganisms

Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...

The Sulfur Cycle

The Sulfur Cycle

Sulfur, an important element in the chemical makeup of proteins, is recycled through the atmosphere and aquatic and terrestrial environments. Found in the atmosphere as sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfur is released by decaying organisms, weathered rocks, geothermal vents, volcanos, and burning fossil fuels. It is deposited into the ecosystem, cycled through the biotic community, and either released back into the atmosphere as gas or deposited in marine sediment for long-term storage and eventual...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Treatment of leachate organic matter through sunlight driven processes.

Waste management (New York, N.Y.)·2019

Same author

Impact of organic matter from leachate discharged to wastewater treatment plants on effluent quality and UV disinfection.

Waste management (New York, N.Y.)·2019

Same author

Conventional and fourier transform infrared characterization of waste and leachate during municipal solid waste stabilization.

Chemosphere·2019

Same author

An Evaluation of Municipal Solid Waste Composition Bias Sources.

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association (1995)·2017

Same author

Evaluation of leachate dissolved organic nitrogen discharge effect on wastewater effluent quality.

Waste management (New York, N.Y.)·2017

Same author

An environmental-economic assessment of residential curbside collection programs in Central Florida.

Waste management (New York, N.Y.)·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Implementation of Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) for the Real-driving Emissions (RDE) Regulation in Europe

Implementation of Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) for the Real-driving Emissions (RDE) Regulation in Europe

Published on: December 4, 2016

Emissions from U.S. waste collection vehicles.

Mousa A Maimoun¹, Debra R Reinhart, Fatina T Gammoh

¹Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA. mousamaimoun@gmail.com

Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)

|February 26, 2013

Summary

This study compares alternative fuels for waste collection trucks. Biodiesel and landfill gas show significant greenhouse gas reductions compared to diesel, while natural gas offers cost savings but higher initial emissions.

More Related Videos

Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions

Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions

Published on: June 12, 2016

Measuring Sub-23 Nanometer Real Driving Particle Number Emissions Using the Portable DownToTen Sampling System

Measuring Sub-23 Nanometer Real Driving Particle Number Emissions Using the Portable DownToTen Sampling System

Published on: May 22, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Implementation of Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) for the Real-driving Emissions (RDE) Regulation in Europe

Implementation of Portable Emissions Measurement Systems (PEMS) for the Real-driving Emissions (RDE) Regulation in Europe

Published on: December 4, 2016

Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions

Design and Use of a Full Flow Sampling System (FFS) for the Quantification of Methane Emissions

Published on: June 12, 2016

Measuring Sub-23 Nanometer Real Driving Particle Number Emissions Using the Portable DownToTen Sampling System

Measuring Sub-23 Nanometer Real Driving Particle Number Emissions Using the Portable DownToTen Sampling System

Published on: May 22, 2020

Area of Science:

Environmental Science
Transportation Engineering
Sustainable Energy

Background:

Waste collection vehicles contribute to urban emissions and fuel consumption.
Evaluating alternative fuels is crucial for reducing the environmental impact of municipal services.
Traditional diesel engines present environmental challenges that necessitate cleaner alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

To conduct an in-depth environmental analysis of alternative fuel technologies for waste collection vehicles.
To compare life-cycle emissions, costs, and fuel consumption of various fuel types.
To assess the viability of natural gas, landfill gas, and biodiesel as replacements for diesel.

Main Methods:

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) of emissions for different fuel technologies.
Calculation of emission factors for typical waste collection driving cycles and constant speed driving.
Economic analysis of fuel costs per vehicle kilometer traveled.
Comparison of well-to-wheel (WTW) and pump-to-wheel (PTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Main Results:

Natural gas vehicles showed 6-10% higher WTW GHG emissions but 6% lower PTW GHG emissions than diesel.
Landfill gas resulted in approximately 80% lower WTW GHG emissions compared to diesel.
Biodiesel vehicles demonstrated 12-75% lower WTW GHG emissions than diesel, varying by fuel source and blend.
In 2011, natural gas vehicles offered the lowest fuel cost per kilometer.

Conclusions:

Biodiesel and landfill gas present substantial opportunities for reducing GHG emissions in waste collection.
Natural gas offers a trade-off between higher upstream emissions and lower operational emissions, with cost benefits.
The stop-and-start nature of waste collection driving significantly impacts emission profiles compared to constant speed.