Investigation on the Emission and Diffusion of Hydrogen Sulfide during Landfill Operations: A Case Study in Shenzhen

This study investigated the emission and diffusion of hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), as one of the odorous gases generated from landfills, in a municipal solid waste landfill of a south Chinese city. To this end, the flux of the H 2 S emissions in the working area of the landfill and its diffusion in the surrounding area were measured. The diffusion of the H 2 S was simulated at different wind speeds, wind directions, bare working areas of the landfill, heights of the landfill, and angles between the wind direction and the long side of the working area. The results indicated that the concentration of the H 2 S around the monitoring point ranged from 0 to 60 µg/m 3 , and the simulated data were consistent with the measured results. At a uniform wind direction, the pollution range of the H 2 S was narrow. Furthermore, with an increase in the height of the waste dump, the concentration of the H 2 S decreased in the working area but rose in the surrounding area. Notably, when the angle between the long side of the working area and the wind direction was 0°, the H 2 S largely spread along the extension cord of the long side of the working area. When the angle increased to 90°, the influence range of the H 2 S extended significantly. The working area in the landfill site should be regulated based on the monitored data to reduce the effect of this harmful gas on the living environment, and the health of the landfill staff and nearby residents.