Overview and assessment of techniques to measure ammonia emissions from animal houses: the case of the Netherlands

A laser absorption spectroscopy chamber system based on closed dynamic chamber method for multi-point synchronous monitoring ammonia emissions

This study reports on the field testing of a newly and originally designed laser absorption spectroscopy chamber (LASC) system based on closed dynamic chamber method, which is well suited for multi-point synchronous measurement of ammonia emissions in field multiple plot experiment. Main design feature of the LASC system is individual multi-reflection cells for each chamber, achieving the synchronous in-situ monitoring ammonia emissions of all the chambers. Two movable covers for automated opening and closing of the chamber, and the highly transparent chamber walls made of acrylic plate minimize the disturbance of the chamber deployment on the ammonia transport process in the chamber. Controlled field assessment experiment was conducted to evaluate the applicability and reliability of the LASC system. The results indicated that the optimum time length of chamber closure for monitoring ammonia emission is 3 min, and the appropriate time length of chamber ventilation is 17 to 37 min. The LASC system has higher accuracy for measuring ammonia emission rate and reliability for comparatively measuring ammonia emissions from different treatments than the traditional chamber methods.

Potential for Ammonia Generation and Emission in Broiler Production Facilities in Brazil

Air quality is one of the main factors that must be guaranteed in animal production. However, the measurement of pollutants is still a problem in several countries because the available methods are costly and do not always apply to the reality of the constructive typology adopted, as in countries with a hot climate, which adopt predominantly open facilities. Thus, the objective of the present study was to develop predictive models for the potential generation and emission of ammonia in the production of broiler chickens with different types of litter, different reuse cycles and under different climatic conditions. Samples of poultry litter from thirty commercial aviaries submitted to different air temperatures were analyzed. The experiment was conducted and analyzed in a completely randomized design, following a factorial scheme. Models were developed to predict the potential for generation and emission of ammonia, which can be applied in facilities with ambient conditions of air temperature between 25 and 40 °C and with wood shaving bed with up to four reuse cycles and coffee husks bed with up to six reuse cycles. The developed and validated models showed high accuracy indicating that they can be used to estimate the potential for ammonia generation and emission.

Ammonia Emission in Poultry Facilities: A Review for Tropical Climate Areas

Brazil is the largest broiler meat exporter in the world. This important economic activity generates income in different branches of the production chain. However, the decomposition of residues incorporated in the poultry litter generates several gases, among them ammonia. When emitted from the litter to the air, ammonia can cause several damages to animals and man, in addition to being able to convert into a greenhouse gas. Thus, the aim of this article was to carry out a review of the ammonia emission factors in the production of broilers, the methodologies for measuring, and the inventories of emissions already carried out in several countries. The main chemical processes for generating ammonia in poultry litter have been introduced and some practices that can contribute to the reduction of ammonia emissions have been provided. The PMU, Portable Monitoring Unit, and the SMDAE, Saraz Method for Determination of Ammonia Emissions, with the required adaptations, are methodologies that can be used to quantify the ammonia emissions in hybrid facilities with a natural and artificial ventilation system. An ammonia emission inventory can contribute to the control and monitoring of pollutant emissions and is an important step towards adopting emission reductions. However, quantifying the uncertainties about ammonia emission inventories is still a challenge to be overcome.

Emission of harmful gases from animal production in Poland

The aim of the study was to present the scale of greenhouse gas emissions from animal production, and to provide test results from different housing systems. In three free stall buildings, two with slurry in deep channels and one with cattle in cubicles staying on shallow litter concentration of ammonia and carbon dioxide were measured in summer season by using dedicated equipment from Industrial Scientific Research. Air exchange was calculated on the base of balance carbon dioxide method. This method was used in order to estimate the air flow rate. Concentrations of ammonia and CO₂ were measured as the base for air exchange and ammonia emission rates. Ammonia emissions were product of ammonia concentration and air exchange rate. Temperature and relative humidity were measured to establish microclimate conditions in buildings tested to show the overall microclimatic situation in buildings. Differences between ammonia emission rates were observed in both housing systems. The highest ammonia emission rate was equal to 2.75 g·h^-1·LU^-1 in well-ventilated cattle barn with the largest herd size.

MÉTODOS DE DIFUSÃO PASSIVA PARA QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE AMÔNIA EM INSTALAÇÕES ABERTAS PARA PRODUÇÃO ANIMAL

O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os mencionados dois métodos de difusão passiva por poderem se adaptar mais facilmente às instalações que trabalham com ventilação natural durante a maior parte do tempo, com base em resultados de pesquisas já existentes com estudos relacionados a diversas características de ambos os métodos. O método Saraz é uma nova metodologia que vem sendo testada e aperfeiçoada para a operação em ventilação natural, e tem apresentado uma eficiência de recuperação de volatilização de amônia maior que 80 %. O método “Ferm Tube” constitui o primeiro amostrador de fluxo passivo, tendo sido principalmente aplicado para determinar as emissões de NH3 em confinamentos de bovinos. Os dois métodos foram comparados em termos de requisitos, tais como: custo, eficiência, aplicabilidade e uso em instalações abertas. No geral, em condições de ventilação natural, o método Saraz mostrou-se mais apropriado que o método Ferm Tube. Porém a escolha entre um ou outro método vai depender de uma série de condições, como recursos econômicos, disponibilidade de reagentes e laboratórios, tipos de análises possíveis de serem realizadas, além da precisão desejada e grau de dificuldade de operação.

Ammonia emissions from a broiler farm: spatial variability of airborne concentrations in the vicinity and impact on adjacent woodland

Agricultural NH(3) emissions affect air quality and influence the nitrogen cycle. In the subject study, NH(3) emissions from a broiler farm and the resulting atmospheric concentrations in the immediate vicinity during three growing cycles have been quantified. Additionally, vegetation along a transect in an adjacent woodland was analysed. The emissions were as high as 10 kg NH(3) h(-1) and the atmospheric concentrations ranged between 33 and 124 μg NH(3) m(-3) per week in the immediate vicinity. Measurements of the atmospheric concentrations over 7 weeks showed a substantial decline of mean concentrations (based on a 3-week average) from ∼13 to <3 μg NH(3) m(-3), at 45- and 415-m distance from the farm. Vegetation surveys showed that nitrophilous species flourished when they grew closest to the farm (their occurrence sank proportionately with distance). A clearly visible damage of pine trees was observed within 200 m of the farm; this illustrated the significant impact of NH(3) emissions from agricultural sources on the sensitive ecosystem.

A whole-farm strategy to reduce environmental impacts of nitrogen

Dutch regulations for ammonia emission require farmers to inject slurry into the soil (shallow) or to apply it in narrow bands at the surface. For one commercial dairy farm in the Netherlands it was hypothesized that its alternative farming strategy, including low-protein feeding and surface spreading, could be an equally effective tool for ammonia emission abatement. The overall objective of the research was to investigate how management at this farm is related to nitrogen (N) losses to the environment, including groundwater and surface water. Gaseous emission of ammonia and greenhouse gasses from the naturally ventilated stables were 8.1 and 3.1 kg yr(-1) AU(-1) on average using the internal tracer (SF(6))-ratio method. Measurements on volatilization of ammonia from slurry application to the field using an integrated horizontal flux method and the micrometeorological mass balance method yielded relatively low values of ammonia emissions per ha (3.5-10.9 kg NH(3)-N ha(-1)). The mean nitrate concentration in the upper ground water was 6.7 mg L(-1) for 2004 and 3.0 mg L(-1) for 2005, and the half-year summer means of N in surface water were 2.3 mg N L(-1) and 3.4 mg N L(-1) for 2004 and 2005, respectively. Using a nutrient budget model for this farm, partly based on these findings, it was found that the calculated ammonia loss per ton milk (range 5.3-7.5 kg N Mg(-1)) is comparable with the estimated ammonia loss of a conventional farm that applies animal slurry using prescribed technologies.