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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #414120
Research Project: Innovative Manure Treatment Technologies and Enhanced Soil Health for Agricultural Systems of the Southeastern Coastal Plain

Location: Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research

Title: Pilot-scale H2S and swine odor removal system using commercially available biochar

Author
item Ro, Kyoung
item Woodbury, Bryan
item Spiehs, Mindy
item Szogi, Ariel
item Silva, Philip - Phil
item HWANG, OKHWA - National Institute Of Animal Science
item CHO, SUNGBACK - National Institute Of Animal Science

Submitted to: Dryad Digital Repository
Publication Type: Database / Dataset
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/29/2024
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only

Technical Abstract: Abstract: Although biochars made in laboratory seem to remove H2S and odorous compounds effectively, very few studies are available for commercial biochars. This study evaluated the efficacy of a commercial biochar (CBC) for removing H2S and odorous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). We found that the well-known Ergun equation may not be adequate in predicting pressure drop for properly sizing a ventilation system. The H2S breakthrough adsorption capacity of the CBC was 2.51 mg/g under humid conditions, which was much higher than that for dry conditions. The breakthrough capacity increased with the influent concentration of H2S. The efficacy of a pilot-scale biochar odor removal system (PSBORS) for removing 15 odorous VOCs was evaluated by placing it in a swine gestation stall continually treating the inside air for 21 days. All VOCs in the PSBORS effluent were below detection limit except for acetic acid. However, due to the very high odor threshold of acetic acid, its contribution to the odor would be minimal. It appeared that the CBC could be used to reduce both H2S and odorous VOCs with the potential of recycling the spent CBC for soil health improvement after using it for H2S