All you need to know about Methane - CH4

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Methane (CH4)
All you need to know about...

All you need to know about MethaneWHAT IS CH4?
Methane (CH4) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-
toxic gas composed of one carbon and four hydrogen
atoms.
It is highly flammable at very high concentrations of about
50,000 ppm.
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas.
It is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide at
trapping the sun's heat into the atmosphere.
However, it has an atmospheric lifetime of around 12 years,
much shorter than carbon dioxide.
According to World Meteorological Organization Global Atmosphere Watch
Programme,the current average global background level of methane is 1824 ppb.

All you need to know about MethaneWHAT IS CH4?
Methane is the most abundant
hydrocarbon in the atmosphere.
It is produced by the
decomposition of organic matter
in absence of oxygen by
microorganisms (called
methanogens).
It is naturally present under the
ground or underwater (seabed) and
is a major component of natural gas.

All you need to know about MethaneSOURCES
Natural Sources: Wetlands, swamps, marshes, water-
bodies
Anthropogenic / Industrial Sources:
● Extraction of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and specifically,
natural gas
● Biomass burning
● Mining
● Agricultural activities, livestock farming
● Landfill sites
● Manure or Sewage treatment plants
● Power generation, specifically coal-fired power plants

All you need to know about Methane
● NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has recommended a
maximum safe concentration i.e. Threshold limit value i.e. TLV of 1000 ppm (0.1%)
for 8-hr period.
● There are no permissible exposure limits subscribed by OSHA (Occupational Safety
and Health Administration) for methane.
● It is potentially explosive at 5% to 15% levels i.e. 50,000 - 150,000 ppm
concentration and is an asphyxiant at extremely high concentrations of
500,000 ppm.
PERMISSIBLE LIMITS

All you need to know about MethaneADVERSE IMPACTS
HEALTH IMPACTS OF CH4
● Methane displaces oxygen causing asphyxiation at
high concentrations
● High level exposure may cause suffocation, loss of
consciousness, headache and dizziness, nausea and
vomiting, slurred speech, mood changes, vision
problems, memory loss, etc.
● In severe cases, it may also cause rapid breathing,
loss of coordination, and numbness.
● Long term exposure can lead to coma and death

All you need to know about MethaneADVERSE IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF CH4
● Methane is highly efficient in trapping heat
making it a major contributor to global
warming.
● CH4 is a major precursor of another
greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.
● While converting to CO2, it releases other
harmful air pollutants such as volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) and ozone.
ozon
e

All you need to know about MethaneCORRECTIVE
MEASURES
The primary action is CH4 monitoring i.e. to measure how much of CH4 concentrations
you are exposed to. In addition to this following corrective measures can be taken:
● Avoid going to or staying in enclosed the source of CH4.
● If the presence of high levels of CH4 is detected, immediately vacant the area and
provide proper ventilation to remove the gas.
● Avoid open disposal of animal waste
● Promote use of methane gas in applications such as cooking

All you need to know about MethaneMONITORING METHODS
Flame ionization detection (FID)
CH4 monitors based on the principle of FID uses a
hydrogen flame to ionize the methane in the air. The
ionized methane gas produces an electric current
proportional to the concentration of methane in the
sample air which is detected by the detector.
Semiconductor
When sensor is exposed to air sample, the CH4 molecules
react on the metal oxide surface of the sensor and
dissociate into charged ions which alter the resistance of
the film which is measured and converted to the CH4
concentration.

Electrochemical
CH4 monitors working on the
electrochemical principle are operated
based on diffusion of methane gas into the
sensor which results in the production of
electrical signals proportional to the CH4
concentration.

Nondispersive infrared absorption (NDIR)
Methane absorbs infrared radiation at a
particular frequency. When the gas sample is
exposed to infrared radiation, the infrared
radiation absorbed by the CH4 molecules
present in the gas sample is measured by the
detector in a non-dispersive photometer
Among all the above principles of CH4 monitoring, methane monitors based on the principle
of NDIR are typically found to be preferred for ambient air monitoring as they yield more
accurate CH4 concentrations.

All you need to know about MethaneOIZOM’S PRINCIPLE
Oizom’s ODOSENSE is the real-time odour
emission tracking solution. It continuously detects,
measures and monitors the odourful gaseous
contaminants including H2S, NH3, SO2, CH3SH,
TVOC, CH4, CH2OH, and weather parameters like
temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind
direction.
The sensor that measures CH4 work on the
principle of Nondispersive infrared absorption
(NDIR).
Real-time monitoring of CH4 levels helps in
determining their source as well as formulating an
action plan to control CH4 emissions.

All you need to know about Methane - CH4

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