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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #266008

Title: Odor and odorous chemical emissions from animal buildings: Part 2. Odor emissions

Author
item AKDENIZ, NESLIHAN - University Of Minnesota
item JACOBSON, LARRY - University Of Minnesota
item HETCHLER, BRIAN - University Of Minnesota
item BEREZNICKI, SARAH - Purdue University
item HEBER, ALBERT - Purdue University
item KOZIEL, JACEK - Iowa State University
item CAI, LINGSHUANG - Iowa State University
item ZHANG, SHICHENG - Fudan University
item Parker, David

Submitted to: Transactions of the ASABE
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2012
Publication Date: 12/10/2012
Citation: Akdeniz, N., Jacobson, L.D., Hetchler, B.P., Bereznicki, S.D., Heber, A.J., Koziel, J.A., Cai, L., Zhang, S., Parker, D.B. 2012. Odor and odorous chemical emissions from animal buildings: Part 2. Odor emissions. Transactions of the ASABE. 55(6):2335-2345.

Interpretive Summary: This study was an add-on project to the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS). The project focused on comprehensive measurement of odor emissions from four of the 14 NAEMS sites. The four sites consisted of two dairy barns at each of the WI5B and IN5B dairy sites, two finishing rooms at the IN3B swine site, and two gestation barns and a farrowing room at the IA4B swine site. Odor concentrations were measured at three olfactometry laboratories (University of Minnesota, Purdue and Iowa State University) with eight trained human panelists using the same equipment and procedures. Odor emissions were compared among season, animal type, and olfactometry laboratory. Odor emissions were calculated per barn area, head, and animal unit. No significant difference was found among the three laboratories. Odor emission rates were higher in summer than in winter. The highest ambient odor concentrations and least pleasant odors were measured from the gestation barns of the IA4B site. Odor emissions from finishing rooms at the IN3B swine site were lower than the emissions from IA4B swine gestation barns. The lowest barn odor emission rates were measured at IN5B dairy barns.

Technical Abstract: This study was an add-on project to the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) and focused on comprehensive measurement of odor emissions considering variations in seasons, animal types and olfactometry laboratories. Odor emissions from four of 14 NEAMS sites with nine barns/rooms (two dairy barns at the WI5B and IN5B sites, two pig finishing rooms at the IN3B site and two sow gestation barns and a farrowing room at the IA4B site) were measured during four 13-week cycles. Odor emissions were reported per barn area (OU h**-1/m**-2), head (OU h**-1/head**-1), and animal unit (OU h**-1/AU**-1). The highest overall odor emission rates were measured in summer (1.2 x 10**5 OU h*-1 m**-2, 3.5 x 10**5 OU h**-1 head**-1, and 6.2 x 10**5 OU h**-1 AU**-1), and the lowest rates were measured in winter (2.5 x 10**4 OU h**-1 m**-2, 9.1 x 10**4 OU h**-1 head**-1, and 1.5 x 10**5 OU h**-1 AU**-1). The highest ambient odor concentrations and barn odor emissions were measured from the sow gestation barns of the IA4B site which had unusualy high H2S concentrations. The most intense odor and the least pleasant odor were also measured at this site. The overall odor emission rates of the pig finishing rooms at the IN3B site were lower than the emission rates of the IA4B sow gestating barns. The lowest overall barn odor emission rates were measured at IN5B dairy barns. However, the lowest ambient odor concentrations were measured at the ventilation inlets of the WI5B dairy barns.