Modeling of H2S migration through landfill cover materials

The emission of H2S from landfills in the United States is an emergent problem because measured concentrations within the waste mass and in ambient air have been observed at potentially unsafe levels for on-site workers and at levels that can cause a nuisance and potentially deleterious health impacts to surrounding communities. Though recent research has provided data on H2S concentrations that may be observed at landfills, facility operators and landfill engineers have limited predictive tools to anticipate and plan for potentially harmful H2S emissions. A one-dimensional gas migration model was developed to assist engineers and practitioners better evaluate and predict potential emission levels of H2S based on four factors: concentration of H2S below the landfill surface (C0), advection velocity (v), H2S effective diffusion coefficient (D), and H2S adsorption coefficient of landfill cover soil (μ). Model simulations indicated that H2S migration into the atmosphere can be mitigated by reducing H2S diffusion and advection or using alternative cover soils with a high H2S adsorption coefficient. Laboratory column experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the four parameters on H2S migration in cover soils and to calculate the adsorption coefficient of different cover materials. The model was validated by comparing results with laboratory column experiments. Based on the results, the laboratory column provides an effective way to estimate the H2S adsorption coefficient, which can then be incorporated into the developed model to predict the depth of cover soil required to reduce emitted H2S concentrations below a desired level.