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Title: CHARACTERIZATION OF ORGANIC CONSTITUENTS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICULATE MATERIAL COLLECTED AT COMMERCIAL SWINE OPERATIONS IN IOWA: APPLICATION OF LC/MS TECHNIQUES

Author
item Steinheimer, Thomas
item Pfeiffer, Richard
item Scoggin, Kenwood

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Emissions of malodorous chemicals from commercial swine operations in Iowa are now a concern for producers, for local communities, for state regulators, and for offices within USEPA charged with drafting air quality guidelines to be implemented by the States. Air quality issues encompass the gaseous emissions of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, in addition to the other potential greenhouse gases. In addition, a large suite of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds including both organonitrogen and organosulfur materials, contribute to the odor problems associated with concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO's). Our research has now shown that fine particulate material (PM), long recognized as a source pollutant responsible for poor air quality in urban and/or heavily industrialized areas, is also important in agricultural areas including CAFO's. It is likely that discharge of fine PM from CAFO's is a major route for dispersal of malodorous chemicals. It is also likely that the load of associated organic compounds released includes a variety of veterinary drugs and some of their metabolites excreted in manure and which are widely used to protect animal health and optimize growth. We compare the PM10 composition at a site which is primarily a nursery/farrowing operation to a site which is primarily a finishing operation. Using a variant of the Graseby-Anderson sampling platform, PM10 samples were collected on sheets of glass-microfiber filter paper. Portions were then subjected to trace analysis in our laboratory. Details of the newly developed methods, including extraction and subsequent fractionation scheme, are presented along with approaches to instrumental determination using electrospray mass spectrometry.