Effect of Temperature and Time on Assessment of Methane Production from Microbial Degradation of Solid Waste in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

This research was to investigate the effect of temperature and time on emission of Methane from breakdown of solid waste by Methanogens. The assessment was carried out in three (3) dumpsites at Rumuokoro, Rumuosi and Eliozu, in the morning, afternoon and evening using lamcorn III which measured both atmospheric temperatures. At Rumuokoro dumpsite by 8.00hrs, 0.20ppm of Methane was emitted at 280C, by 14.00hrs, 0.10ppm of Methane was emitted at 310C and by 18.30hrs, 0.09ppm was emitted at 280C. In Rumuosi dumpsite at 200C 0.1ppm of Methane was emitted by 8.20hrs, 0.09ppm at 310C by 13.40hrs and 0.09ppm at 280C by 18.12hours. Similarly at Eliozu dumpsite by 10.30hrs, 0.09ppm was emitted at 300C, 0.09ppm at 300C by 13.00hours and 0.1ppm at 310C by 17.40hours. There was no significant relationship between Methane emitted and atmospheric temperature (pgreater than0.05). There was also no significant relationship between the time and emission of Methane (pgreater than0.05). Consequently, Methane gas absorbs heat in the afternoon and release same in the morning and evening when the Methanogens would have degraded the waste overnight. Methane serves as alternative source of energy and production of ceramics if harnessed instead of acting as greenhouse gas which aids global warming.