Developing a simple activity test to estimate nitrous oxide production from sewage treatment

Developing an easy and precise method to estimate nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions from sewage treatment plants (STPs) is important for controlling greenhouse gas emissions. This study aimed to develop a simple N₂O activity test to estimate the N₂O profile in an STP. In addition to evaluating the stability of the developed test, the dissolved oxygen was measured in a gas-stripping-type N₂O activity test to determine the experimental conditions under which N₂O production could be estimated. When the developed method was applied in different STPs and compared with the actual generation quantity, the N₂O production activity test demonstrated potential as a simple method for estimating the net N₂O generation in the STP. Therefore, this study potentially provides an easy and effective method for quantifying N₂O emissions from an STP.