Greenhouse gases emissions from a closed old landfill cultivated with biomass crops

Closed landfills need after-closure rehabilitation. The chosen option should ensure greenhouse gases release, from the landfill, is not promoted once settled. The objective of this study was to estimate and confront, during different seasons, CH4, CO2 and N2O emissions under three vegetation covers in a closed landfill in Buenos Aires, Argentina. CH4 (methane), CO2 (carbon dioxide) and N2O (nitrous oxide) emissions from landfill’s technosol under spontaneous vegetation (control), Pennisetum purpureum and Miscanthus giganteus (biomass crops), were quantified with non-steady-state non-flow-through chambers, in July 2014 and from February to July 2015. A linear regression analysis was performed to relate the variables “flux of a gas” and “concentration of that gas” from the 3 treatments and 6 dates, separating the 5 sampling times. A high correlation between concentrations and fluxes of CO2 and N2O was found, but no correlation was established for CH4. Mean emissions (2014–2015) varied from: −2.3 to 639.41 mgCH4 m−2 day−1, 3884 to 46,365 mgCO2 m−2 day−1 and 0.40 to 14.59 mgN2O m−2 day−1. Vegetation covers had no significant effect on CH4 and N2O concentration in time, but they had on CO2 concentration. Season of the year had a significant effect on concentration of the three gases. This is the first study on CH4, CO2 and N2O emissions from a landfill closed 27 years ago covered with biomass crops.