Gaseous Emissions from Compost
Faculty Mentor Information
Nancy Johnston, Lewis-Clark State College
Presentation Date
7-2023
Abstract
Compost is known to emit compounds into the air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases. Dual compost samples were collected at Washington State University Compost facility by pumping air through a water trap followed by an air tube trapping the remaining VOCs. Air samples were analyzed via a thermal desorption-gas chromatograph-mass spectrophotometer (TD-GC-MS), while the water samples were analyzed using a headspace-gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector (HS-GC-FID). VOCs such as alcohols and terpenes were the most abundant, with ethanol as high as 27,000 ppm and alpha-pinene and limonene as high as 1400 ppb.
Gaseous Emissions from Compost
Compost is known to emit compounds into the air, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases. Dual compost samples were collected at Washington State University Compost facility by pumping air through a water trap followed by an air tube trapping the remaining VOCs. Air samples were analyzed via a thermal desorption-gas chromatograph-mass spectrophotometer (TD-GC-MS), while the water samples were analyzed using a headspace-gas chromatograph-flame ionization detector (HS-GC-FID). VOCs such as alcohols and terpenes were the most abundant, with ethanol as high as 27,000 ppm and alpha-pinene and limonene as high as 1400 ppb.