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LANDFILL GASES IN RESIDENCES <br /> <br /> Combustible gas concentrations in the residences adjacent <br /> <br />to the landfill were measured on August 20, 1980 by the Minnesota <br />Department of Health and Art Dunn from the Anoka County Community <br />Health and Social Services Department. <br /> <br /> Table 4 summarizes the data that were collected using a <br />Bacharach Model GPK combined oxygen/combustibles indicator. <br /> <br /> Although traces of combustible gases were measured in the <br /> <br />homes adjacent to the landfill, similar concentrations were also <br />measured in homes that were not next to the landfill. A possible <br />explanation is that any appliances with a natural gas supply, <br />such as a hot water heater, could result in some background level <br />of methane. In addition, Art Dunn found that cigarette smoke will <br />also cause the meter to register combustible gases (0.75 percent) <br />The only noncombustible interferent is reported to be argon in <br />concentrations of about 12 percent by volume. <br /> <br /> In addition to measuring combustible gases in the home, gas <br /> R <br />samples were also collected into Tedlar and aluminized mylar <br /> <br />bags for subsequent analysis by gas chromatography. Concentrations <br />of methane in the residences were less=than the detectable limit <br />in ali cases; that is, less than 0.5 percent by volume.- No other <br />constituents were detected. <br /> <br /> More concentrated gas samples were collected from the soil <br />(August 20, 1980) and the gas venting stack (September 9, 1980) <br />into aluminized Mylar bags. These samples were analyzed by the <br />Minnesota Departments. of Health and Agriculture and by the <br />University of Minnesota (Biological Sciences, Biochemistry). The <br />qualitative analyses by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry <br />did not detect the presence of chlorinated hydrocarbons, volatile <br />acids, cyclic or aliphatic hydrocarbons at levels of 50 ng., <br />2 ~1 injected sample. Methane, carbon dioxide, water vapor, <br />nitrogen, and argon were detected. These analyses were not exhaustive <br />and a more concentrated sample (perhaps adsorbed onto charcoal)could <br />be collected as an additional check. <br /> <br /> <br />