Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #320366
Title: Pilot-scale testing of renewable biocatalyst for swine manure treatment and mitigation of odorous VOCs, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions

Author
item MAURER, DEVIN - Iowa State University
item KOZIEL, JACEK - Iowa State University
item BRUNING, KELSEY - Iowa State University
item KROEGER, KENT - Iowa State University
item Parker, David

Submitted to: Atmospheric Environment
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2016
Publication Date: 11/10/2016
Citation: Maurer, D., Koziel, J., Bruning, K., Kroeger, K., Parker, D.B. 2016. Pilot-scale testing of renewable biocatalyst for swine manure treatment and mitigation of odorous VOCs, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions. Atmospheric Environment. 150:313-321.

Interpretive Summary: Air emissions from swine facilities can contain nuisance odors. Ground soybean hulls contain a naturally occurring enzyme called soybean peroxidase (SBP), which maybe able to reduce the presence of odorous compounds. A pilot-scale laboratory experiment was conducted by scientists from Iowa State Unvieristy and ARS (Bushland, Texas) to evaluate the surface application of soybean peroxidase and calcium peroxide to reduce odors from swine manure. The soybean peroxidase/calcium peroxide was applied to swine manure at levels ranging from 0 to 9.4 pounds per square foot. The chemicals most responsible for swine odor were reduced by 53 to 92 percent. These results are of interest to swine producers and people that advise swine producers as a means of reducing odors.

Technical Abstract: Comprehensive control of odors, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with swine production is a critical need. A pilot-scale experiment was conducted to evaluate the topical application of soybean peroxidase (SBP) and calcium peroxide (CaO2) as a manure additive to mitigate emissions of NH3, H2S, dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), dimethyl trisulfide, n-butyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid p-cresol, indole, skatole, and GHG. The SBP was tested at four treatments (2.28-45.7 kg/m2 manure, 4.2% CaO2/SBP by weight) over 137 days. Significant reductions in emissions were observed for NH3 (14.6%-67.6%), DMDS (36.2%-84.7%), p-cresol (53.1%-89.5%), and skatole (63.2%-92.5%). Significant increases in CH4 (32.7%-232%) and CO2 (20.8%-124%) emissions were observed, with impact negligible compared to the total barn GHG emissions. The remaining emissions (including N2O) were not statistically different. Low cost SBP/CaO2 treatment could be a promising option for reducing gaseous emissions at swine operations, and field-scale testing is warranted.