Mediating N2O emissions from municipal solid waste landfills: Impacts of landfill operating conditions on community structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in cover soils

Chemolithotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) can produce N₂O, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses of the ammonia monooxygenase structural gene (amoA) and 16S rDNA gene were used to investigate the AOB community structure in the cover soils of municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills under three operating conditions: (a) MSW with soil cover, (b) MSW with soil cover, irrigation piping and vegetation, and (c) MSW covered with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) liner, soil cover, irrigation piping and vegetation. AOB species in MSW cover soils were significantly distinguished by the operation of HDPE liner isolation. The community structures of the Nitrosomonas europaea-like AOB species dominated in soils without HDPE liner isolation, whether vegetation and irrigation with landfill leachate existed or not, whereas Nitrospira-like AOB species dominated in soils with HDPE liner isolation. Lower N₂O flux from the soils with HDPE liner isolation would be partially related to these special community structures.