Capacity for biodegradation of CFCs and HCFCs in a methane oxidative counter-gradient laboratory system simulating landfill soil covers.

The attenuation of methane and four chlorofluorocarbons was investigated in a dynamic methane and oxygen counter-gradient system simulating a landfill soil cover. Soil was sampled at Skellingsted Landfill, Denmark. The soil columns showed a high capacity of methane oxidation with oxidation rates of 210 g m(-2) d(-1) corresponding to a removal efficiency of 81%. CFC-11 and to a lesser extent also CFC-12 were degraded in the active soil columns. The average removal efficiency was 90% and 30% for CFC-11 and CFC-12, respectively. Soil gas concentration profiles indicated that the removal was due to anaerobic degradation, which was verified in anaerobic batch experiments where CFC-11 was rapidly degraded. HCFC-21 and HCFC-22 were also degraded in active soil columns (61% and 41%, respectively), but compared to the CFCs, the degradation was located in the upper oxic part of the column with overlapping gradients of methane and oxygen. High oxidation rates of methane and HCFCs were obtained in soil microcosms incubated with methane. When increasing the column inlet flow, the oxidation zone was moved upward in the column, and the removal efficiency of methane and HCFCs decreased. The removal of CFCs was, however, less affected since the anaerobic zone expanded with increasing inlet flow rates. This study demonstrates the complexity of landfill soil cover systems and shows that both anaerobic and aerobic bacteria may play a very important role in reducing the emission of not only methane but also trace components into the atmosphere.