Nitrous oxide emissions from waste water.
W Debruyn1, G Lissens, J van Rensbergen
1Energy division, VITO, Boeretang 200, B-2400 MOL, Belgium.
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
|November 12, 2013
Summary
Sewage systems are a significant source of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. This study measured N2O from wastewater, identifying microbiological denitrification as the cause and proposing emission factors.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Microbiology
- Environmental Engineering
Background:
- Nitrous oxide (N2O) emission estimations face uncertainty due to unknown emission factors and sources.
- Sewage systems, a byproduct of human activities, represent a significant but understudied source of N2O emissions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and quantify nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from wastewater.
- To identify the sources and mechanisms of N2O production within sewage systems.
- To establish tentative emission factors for wastewater N2O based on experimental data.
Main Methods:
- Conducted an experimental measurement campaign on wastewater samples from various sewage treatment plants.
- Monitored nitrous oxide (N2O) development from water samples using gas chromatography.
- Analyzed concentration/time curves to understand N2O formation dynamics.
Main Results:
- Confirmed that nitrous oxide (N2O) formation in wastewater originates from microbiological denitrification.
- Quantified N2O production across different wastewater matrices.
- Deduced tentative emission factors for the studied wastewater types.
Conclusions:
- Wastewater treatment systems contribute to atmospheric nitrous oxide (N2O) levels.
- Microbiological denitrification is the primary driver of N2O production in these systems.
- The study provides crucial data for refining N2O emission inventories and mitigation strategies.
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