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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Grain Quality and Structure Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #148281
Title: CHARACTERIZATION OF VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS ON AIRBORNE DUST IN A SWINE FINISHING BARN

Author
item RAZOTE, E - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item MAGHIRANG, R - KANSAS STATE UNIV
item Seitz, Larry
item JEON, I - KANSAS STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASAE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2004
Publication Date: 7/1/2004
Citation: Razote, E.B., Maghirang, R.G., Seitz, L.M., Jeon, I.J. 2004. Characterization of volatile organic compounds on airborne dust in a swine finishing barn. Transactions of the ASAE. 47:1231-1238.

Interpretive Summary: Odor complaints have increased dramatically with the increased number of confined animal feeding operations, and swine facilities account for most of the complaints. Development of appropriate systems to control the odor emanating from these facilities requires knowledge of the odorants, as well as their relative concentrations. Three methods of extracting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adsorbed on airborne dust in a swine building were investigated: solvent extraction using dichloromethane, solid- phase microextraction (SPME) using two different types of fibers, and purge and trap. Airborne dust was collected in pre-baked glass fiber filters and analyzed using each of the three methods. The SPME and purge and trap methods were the most effective for extracting VOCs from the dust, especially for compounds with low to mid boiling points. The solvent extraction procedure extracted the least number of compounds and was especially inadequate for the more volatile compounds. Most of the compounds reported to be present in the air and manure/lagoon of swine barns including carboxylic acids, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons, phenols, indoles, esters, and many other compounds were also found in the airborne dust. These results will aid the development of methodology for controlling odors from swine feeding facilities.

Technical Abstract: Three methods of extracting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) adsorbed on the airborne dust in a swine finishing building were investigated: solvent extraction using dichloromethane, solid-phase microextraction (SPME)using carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) and PDMS fibers, and purge and trap. Airborne dust was first collected in pre-baked glass fiber filters and analyzed using each of the three methods. Solvent extraction with dichloromethane extracted only some high boiling point carboxylic acids. The SPME CAR/PDMS fiber extracted the low to mid boiling poiont VOCs such as the carboxylic acids, phenols, and indoles; while the PDMS fiber extracted more of the mid boiling point compounds, specifically the aliphatic hydrocarbons, indoles, and some aldehydes. The purge and trap method extracted compounds with low to mid boiling points including carboxylic acids, aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, indoles, and esters. Quantitative analysis of five selected VOCs (i.e., acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, hexanal, nonanal) using the purge and trap method showed the acetic acid as generally having the highest amount present in the airborne dust while the nonanal had the lowest.