Developing methane biofiltration In oil sands tailings ponds

Simple item page
dc.contributor.advisorDunfield, Peter F.
dc.contributor.authorZeb, Gulrukhsar
dc.contributor.committeememberLayzell, David B.
dc.contributor.committeememberChua, Gordon
dc.date2019-06
dc.date.accessioned2018-10-05T20:51:24Z
dc.date.available2018-10-05T20:51:24Z
dc.date.issued2018-09-21
dc.description.abstractOil sands tailings ponds in Alberta are mostly anoxic environments estimated to emit 2.7 Mt of CH4 each year to the atmosphere. Because CH4 is 34 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, and the government of Alberta has called for a 45% reduction in CH4 emissions by 2020, this release of CH4 has become a pressing issue. One potential way to combat these large fluxes of CH4 from the tailings ponds is via biofiltration. CH4 biofiltration is the process by which aerobic methane-eating or methanotrophic bacteria are used to oxidize CH4 to CO2, a far less potent greenhouse gas. We have tested the potential for biofilters comprised of biochar to be floated on top of the tailings ponds. Experiments conducted in the lab demonstrate that biochar is an excellent matrix to capture and slow the diffusion of CH4 within small volume pores, and in addition acts as a good matrix for growth of methanotrophs. The CH4 oxidation rate in tailings was faster when biochar was added, compared to controls that did not contain any biochar. Furthermore, a mesocosm was designed that mimicked a real-life tailings ponds with CH4 fed from below and O2 from above. After two months of incubation, the mesocosm was able to oxidize CH4 with over 90% efficiency when supplied at a rate higher than the highest CH4 efflux recorded in any tailings pond to date (26 tonnes ha -1y-1). The biofilter was analyzed for its microbial community via sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Results revealed a community dominated by various species of methanotrophs, which suggest that it will be robust to environmental fluctuations. The biofilter was also utilized to monitor the co-degradation of naphthenic acids during methanotrophy, and to test the resilience of the biofilter to environmental changes (e.g. in CH4 supply).en_US
dc.identifier.citationZeb, G. (2018). Developing methane biofiltration In oil sands tailings ponds (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/33127en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/33127
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/108775
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.facultyScience
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectTailings ponds
dc.subjectBiochar
dc.subjectBiofilter
dc.subject.classificationBiology--Cellen_US
dc.subject.classificationEcologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationMicrobiologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationBiology--Molecularen_US
dc.subject.classificationEnvironmental Sciencesen_US
dc.titleDeveloping methane biofiltration In oil sands tailings ponds
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineBiological Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
ucalgary_2018_zeb_gulrukhsar.pdf
Size:
21.29 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Main article
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.74 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Open Theses and Dissertations