Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio

Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Fries, Anastasia E.
Language:English
Published: University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK 2017
Subjects:
Environmental Science
stable isotopes
greenhouse gas
natural gas
sewers
pipelines
Online Access:http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1495801077083016
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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-ucin14958010770830162021-08-03T07:02:43Z Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio Fries, Anastasia E. Environmental Science stable isotopes greenhouse gas natural gas sewers pipelines Urban methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) and nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emission rates and sources are understudied and unresolved, specifically in wastewater conveyances along city roadways where natural gas distribution pipes are known to leak. We sampled 104 manholes and sewer grates across the greater Cincinnati, OH metropolitan area to measure CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O concentrations and to distinguish between biogenic sewer gas versus thermogenic leaking natural gas pipelines for sources of CH<sub>4</sub>. To do this, we analyzed the carbon (δ<sup>13</sup>C) and hydrogen (δ<sup>2</sup>H) stable isotopic compositions of CH<sub>4</sub>, and made direct measurements of concentrations and flux rate for both CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O. The average concentration was 4.0 ± 7.6 ppm and 394 ± 158 ppb for CH<sub>4</sub> and N<sub>2</sub>O, respectively, and the flux rates ranged from 0.0 to 292.9 mg CH<sub>4</sub> day<sup>-1</sup> and 0.0 to 15.5 mg N<sub>2</sub>O day<sup>-1</sup>. The average isotopic signature for δ<sup>13</sup>C-CH<sub>4</sub> and δ<sup>2</sup>H-CH<sub>4</sub> was -48.5‰ ± 6.0‰ and -302‰ ± 142‰, respectively, suggesting more biogenic sources than thermogenic sources in Cincinnati. Based on these data, we found that 46% of the 104 sampled sites in Cincinnati released CH<sub>4</sub> from a biogenic source, while only 5% released CH<sub>4</sub> from thermogenic source. The other sites were either a source of both biogenic and thermogenic CH<sub>4</sub> (23%) or were not a source of CH<sub>4</sub> (26%). Therefore, a majority of manholes and sewer grates in Cincinnati, OH emit biogenically produced CH<sub>4</sub> from the sewer system as opposed to thermogenic CH<sub>4</sub> from leaking natural gas distribution pipelines. Also, the wastewater conveyance system represents a previously undocumented source of urban N<sub>2</sub>O emissions. 2017-09-12 English text University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1495801077083016 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1495801077083016 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Environmental Science
stable isotopes
greenhouse gas
natural gas
sewers
pipelines
spellingShingle Environmental Science
stable isotopes
greenhouse gas
natural gas
sewers
pipelines
Fries, Anastasia E.
Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
author Fries, Anastasia E.
author_facet Fries, Anastasia E.
author_sort Fries, Anastasia E.
title Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
title_short Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
title_full Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
title_fullStr Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
title_full_unstemmed Biogenic Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from the Wastewater Collection System in Cincinnati, Ohio
title_sort biogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions from the wastewater collection system in cincinnati, ohio
publisher University of Cincinnati / OhioLINK
publishDate 2017
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1495801077083016
work_keys_str_mv AT friesanastasiae biogenicmethaneandnitrousoxideemissionsfromthewastewatercollectionsystemincincinnatiohio
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