Bill Van Heyst

EMISSION FACTOR DEVELOPMENT FOR PARTICULATE MATTER FROM A BROILER HOUSE

The recent intensification of the livestock industry has raised concerns regarding the air pollution generated from the various animal housing operations. One pollutant of concern is particulate matter (PM), which is capable of lodging itself deep in the respiratory tract and causing serious detrimental respiratory effects to the workers and livestock. Little information is available in the literature that characterizes the emissions of PM from various types of livestock houses that also incorporate daily and seasonal variances typical of Canadian climates.

Effect of pH on Ammonia Emissions from Poultry Deadstock Composting using Different Intermediate Amendments

The study of ammonia emissions from composting deadstock and other agricultural wastes has been a topic of great interest lately due to the concern of air quality impacts from the respective facilities. Previous deadstock composting research has shown that ammonia emissions are strongly affected by increasing the pile pH above 8. To verify these findings and ascertain the uncertainty in the data, a project was initiated to look at composting poultry deadstock while using different amendments within the pile and observing the effects on ammonia emissions.

Methane and Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Outdoor-Stored Broiler Litter

Handling and storage of a variety of types of agricultural wastes results in the formation and release of nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) gases to the atmosphere. These gases contribute to climate change through the greenhouse effect. Few studies however have examined evolution of these gases from poultry litter. N2O is a by-product of nitrification and an intermediate product of denitrification, and is often produced when both aerobic and anaerobic conditions are present. CH4 emissions, however, are associated with anaerobic reactions. Outdoor storage of broiler litter provides an excellent media for which both aerobic and anaerobic zones can coexist, particularly when the litter is of varying ages from multiple broiler cycles. It provides a large amount of nitrogen for bacterial nitrification/denitrification processes as well as carbon to support anaerobic bacterial fermentation. The objective of the study was to quantify N2O and CH4 emissions for broiler litter stored in an uncovered outdoor bunker by conducting full-scale field experiments. A modified micrometeorological mass balance approach was used to monitor emissions from stored broiler litter in a three-walled concrete bunker. Air concentrations of N2O and CH4 were measured using tuneable-diode laser spectroscopy. Experiments over the course of approximately 65 days yielded average emission rates of approximately 18µg m-2 s-1 and 75µg m-2 s-1 for nitrous oxide and methane respectively.

Investigating a Relationship between Ammonia and Particulate Matter in Poultry Houses II: Secondary Inorganic Aerosol Formation

Poultry production results in the emission of fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Ammonia, a gas generated during poultry production, has the potential to interact with acid gases to form fine PM or secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA). This study investigated the formation of various SIA species inside a small-scale layer house and commercial-scale broiler house by measuring ammonia, acid gases, PM2.5, and SIA species inside and outside the two facilities.

Investigating a Relationship between Ammonia and Particulate Matter in Poultry Houses I: Ammonia and Particulate Matter Variability

Poultry production is known to be a source of ammonia and particulate matter. This study investigates the potential for ammonia to react with acid gases to form fine particulate matter or secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA) within the barn environment. In this part of the study gaseous ammonia and particulate matter in the PM10 and PM2.5 fraction were measured to determine any significant trends that would favour the generation of SIA.