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Submitted to: Journal of Air and Waste Management Association
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 3/23/2016 Publication Date: 7/2/2016 Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Loughrin, J.H., Silva, P.J. 2016. The effect of aged litter materials on polyatomic ion concentrations in fractionated suspended particulate matter from broiler house. Journal of Air and Waste Management Association. 66(7):707-714. Interpretive Summary: In poultry house, toxic gas emissions can adversely affect the health, performance, and welfare of both animals and human operators. Inorganic ion emissions such as ammonium, nitrate, sulfate and their subsequent deposition can also be a major source of environmental pollution, causing nitrogen enrichment, acidification of soils and surface waters, and aerosol formation. The persistent and long life expectancy of ammonia, odors and toxic pollutants from poultry houses may be due to the ability of suspended particulate matters (SPM) to serve as carriers for odorous compounds such as ammonium ions and other inorganic compounds (e.g., phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, and etc.). SPM is generated from the feed, animal manure, and the birds themselves. A large portion of odor associated with exhaust air from poultry houses is SPM that have absorbed odors from within the houses. Our study showed that polyatomic ions in suspended particulate matter were found to increase with successive flocks and highly concentrated in the larger size SPM. Understanding the effect of management practices on poultry air emissions will lead to innovative best management practices to safeguard the health and welfare of the animals as well as those of the poultry operators along with reducing the impact of potential air pollution on the environment. Technical Abstract: Inorganic emissions from livestock production and subsequent deposition of these ions can be a major source of pollution, causing nitrogen enrichment, eutrophication, acidification of soils and surface waters, and aerosol formation. In the poultry house, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions can also adversely affect the health, performance, and welfare of both animals and human operators. The persistence and long life expectancy of ammonia, odors and toxic pollutants from poultry houses may be due to the ability of suspended particulate matters (SPM) to serve as carriers for odorous compounds such as ammonium ions and other inorganic compounds (e.g., phosphate, sulfate, nitrate, and etc.). SPM is generated from the feed, animal manure, and the birds themselves. A large portion of odor associated with exhaust air from poultry houses is SPM that have absorbed odors from within the houses. Understanding the fate and transport processes of ammonia and other inorganic emissions in poultry houses is a necessary first step in utilizing the appropriate abatement strategies. In this study, the examination and characterization of ammonium ions, major components of odors and toxic gases from poultry operations, and other ions in suspended particulate matter in a broiler house were carried out using particle trap impactors. The SPMs from the particle trap impactors were extracted and analyzed for its ionic species using ion chromatography (IC). The results showed concentrations of polyatomic ions in suspended particulate matter were found to increase with successive flocks and highly concentrated in the larger size particulate matter. In addition, the ions concentrations appeared to reach a maximum at the middle of flock age (around the fourth week) and tapering off toward the end in a given flock (possibly due to ventilation rates to cool off larger birds). Thus, it can be inferred that aged of bedding materials affect the ionic concentrations in aerosol particulate matters more than the age of the birds. |
