Han Jong Ko

Association between pig activity and environmental factors in pig confinement buildings

The aim of this study was to determine the aerial contaminants affecting pig activity and evaluate the correlation between pig activity and aerial contaminants in a pig confinement building. This experiment was performed in a confinement growing and finishing room, and the data presented in this article was collected over a period of 50 days, with sampling every 2 days from June to September 2003. Air samples were taken in the middle of empty pens on both sides of the pig confinement building. In this study, we demonstrated statistically significant negative relationships between pig activity and temperature, relative humidity and ammonia, while total dust positively regressed with pig activity. Based on these experimental results, we reasoned that increases in temperature, hydrogen sulfide and ammonia in the pig building suppressed pig activity and that high levels of total dust in the pig building was attributable to increases in pig activity. The exposure limit values of aerial contaminants, such as particulate matter, gaseous compounds and airborne microorganisms related to the pigs’ health should be established in order to promote the performance and welfare of the pigs.

Indoor distribution characteristics of airborne bacteria in pig buildings of South Korea according to seasonal aspect and pig housing type

Objective A concentration of airborne bacteria generated from swine houses is recognized to be relatively higher than other work places and it is essential to optimally manage it to prevent farmers’ respiratory diseases. This study was conducted to assess the distribution characteristics of airborne bacteria in swine houses located at South Korea. Methods A total 27 pig buildings of the enclosed type operated with mechanical ventilation system by a side wall fan and deep-pit manure system with slats were surveyed. Air samples were collected at 1.0 m above the middle floor in pig housing room. A six-stage viable particulate cascade impactor was used to identify the distribution of the sizes of particles in diameter. Results Seasonal mean levels of airborne bacteria in the housing rooms of gestation/farrowing pigs, nursery pigs and growing/fattening pigs were 3,428(±1,244) colony forming unit (cfu)/m3, 8,325(±3,209) cfu/m, and 13,254(±6,108) cfu/m3 for spring; 9,824(±2,157) cfu/m3, 18,254(±5,166) cfu/m3, and 24,088(±9,274) cfu/m3 for summer; 1,707(±957) cfu/m3, 4,258 (±1,438) cfu/m3, and 8,254(±2,416) cfu/m3 for autumn; and 2,322(±1,352) cfu/m3, 6,124(±1,527) cfu/m3 and 12,470(±4,869) cfu/m3 for winter, respectively. Conclusion Concentrations of airborne bacteria according to pig housing type were highest in growing/fattening housing room followed by nursery housing room and gestation/farrowing housing room. In terms of seasonal aspect, the pig building showed the highest levels of airborne bacteria in summer followed by spring, winter and autumn. The respirable airborne bacteria which are ranged between 0.6 and 4.7 μm accounted for approximately 60% compared to total airborne bacteria regardless of pig housing type.

Distribution Characteristics of Airborne Bacteria in Organic-Waste Resource Facilities

Objectives: Bioaerosols released by treating organic-waste resources cause a variety of environmental and hygiene problems. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution characteristics of the airborne bacteria emitted from a pig manure composting plant, a principal site for organic-waste resource facilities. Methods: Three types of pig manure composting plant were selected based on fermentation mode: screw type, rotary type and natural-dry type. Each site was visited and investigated on a monthly basis between September 2009 and August 2010. A total of 36 air samplings were obtained from the pig manure composting plants. The air sampling equipment was a six-stage cascade impactor. Quantification and qualification of airborne bacteria in the air samples was performed by agar culture method and identification technique, respectively. Results: The mean concentrations of airborne bacteria in pig manure composting plant were 7,032 () CFU for screw type, 3,309 () CFU for rotary type, and 5,580 () CFU for natural dry type. The screw type pig manure composting plant showed the highest concentration of airborne bacteria, followed by the natural dry type and the rotary type. The ratio of respirable to total airborne bacteria was approximately 40-60%. The predominant genera of airborne bacteria identified were Micrococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Escherichia spp. Conclusion: Monthly levels of airborne bacteria were highest in August and lowest in November regardless of fermentation mode. There was no significant correlation relationship between airborne bacteria and environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity and particulate matters in pig manure composting plants.

Characteristic of Odorous Compounds Emitted from Livestock Waste Treatment Facilities Combined Methane Fermentation and Composting Process

악취는　이웃주민들로　하여금　민원을　유발시키는　주요　원인이기　때문에　악취관리는　지속가능한 축산과　매우 밀접한 관계가 있다. 본 연구는 메탄발효와 퇴비화 공정이 연계된 가축분뇨 처리시설에서 각 공정별로 기기분석과 직접 관능법을 병행하여 악취 물질의 농도, 악취 강도 및 악취 불쾌도를 측정하고자 수행하였으며, 하계와 동계로 구분하여 처리 공정과 부지경계선에서 각각 암모니아, 황화합물 및 휘발성 저급지방산의 농도를 분석하였다. 높은 외기온에 기인하여 하계의 악취농도가 동계보다 높은 것으로 나타났다. 공정별로는 혼합된 분뇨를 교반하는 퇴비화 공정에서 악취 농도가 가장 높게 검출되었으며, 분뇨 투입조, 퇴비 후숙조, 분뇨 유출조 및 퇴비 선별과 포장 공정의 순으로 악취 농도가 낮았다. 검출된 악취 물질 중 가장 높은 농도는 암모니아로 3.4에서 224.7 ppm의 농도 범위로 분석되었다. 황화합물 중에서는 황화수소가 가장 높은 농도인 2.3 ppm인 것으로 분석되었으며, 대부분의 황화합물 농도가 기존에 보고된 최소감지한계농도를 초과하는 것으로 측정되었다. 또한 아세트산은 휘발성 저급지방산 가운데 51에서 89%로 가장 놓은 비율을 차지하고 있으며, 다음으로는 프로피온산과 부트르산이 각각 1.9에서 35% 및 1.8에서 15%의 비율을 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 처리공정에서 발생되는 주요 악취원인 물질을 예측하고자 각각의 공정에서 측정된 악취물질의 농도를 최소감지한계농도로 나누어 악취농도지수를 계산하였다. 그 결과 퇴비화 공정에서는 황화수소, 암모니아, 황화메틸 및 메틸머캅탄이 악취원인 물질로 밀접한 연관이 있는 것으로 나타났으며, 분뇨 투입조에서는 황화수소, 메틸머캅탄 및 부트르산이 주요 악취물질인 것으로 나타났다. 【Odor management is significantly concerned with sustainable livestock production because odor nuisance is a primary cause for complaint to neighbors. This study was conducted to measure the concentration of odorous compounds, odor intensity, and odor offensiveness at unit process in animal waste treatment facility combined composting and methane fermentation process by an instrumental analysis and direct olfactory method. Ammonia, sulfur-containing compounds, and volatile fatty acid were analyzed at each process units and boundary area in summer and winter, respectively. Higher concentration of odorants occurred in the summer than in the winter due to high ambient temperature. The maximum concentration of odorants was detected in composting pile when mixed manure was being turned followed by inlet, curing, outlet, and screen & packing process. Highest concentration of detected odorous compounds was ammonia ranging from 3.4 to 224.7 ppm. Among the sulfur-containing compounds measured, hydrogen sulfide was a maximum level of 2.3 ppm and most of them exceeded reported odor detection thresholds. Acetic acid was the largest proportion of VFA generated, reaching a maximum of 51 to 89%, followed by propionic and butyric acid at 1.9 to 35% and 1.8 to 15%, respectively. Malodor assessment by a human panel appeared a similar tendency in instrumental analysis data. Odor quotient for predicting major odor-causing compounds was calculated by dividing concentrations measured in process units by odor detection thresholds. In the composting process, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, dimethyl sulfide, and methyl mercaptan were deeply associated with odor-causing compounds, while the major malodor compounds in the inlet process were methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, and butyric acid.】

Evaluation of Air Quality in the Compost Pilot Plant with Livestock Manure by Operation Types

Air quality in the livestock waste compost pilot plant at the Colligate Livestock Station was assessed to quantity the emissions of aerial contaminants and evaluate the degree of correlation between them for different operation strategies; with the ventilation types and agitation of compost pile, in this study. The parameters analyzed to reflect the level of air quality in the livestock waste compost pilot plant were the gaseous contaminants; ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration, the particulate contaminants; inhalable dust and respirable dust, and the biological contaminants; total airborne bacteria and fungi. The mean concentrations of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration in the compost pilot plant without agitation were 2.45ppm, 19.96ppb, and 15.8 when it was naturally ventilated, and 7.61ppm, 31.36ppb, and 30.2 when mechanically ventilated. Those with agitation were 5.50ppm, 14.69ppb, and 46.4 when naturally ventilated, and 30.12ppm, 39.91ppb, and 205.5 when mechanically ventilated. The mean concentrations of inhalable and respirable dust in the compost pilot plant without agitation were 368.6/ and 96.0/ with natural ventilation, and 283.9/ and 119.5/ with mechanical ventilation. They were also observed with agitation to 208.7/ and 139.8/ with natural ventilation, and 209.2/ and 131.7/ with mechanical ventilation. Averaged concentrations of total airborne bacteria and fungi in the compost pilot plant without agitation were observed to 28,673cfu/ and 22,507cfu/ with natural ventilation, and 7,462cfu/ and 3,228cfu/ with mechanical ventilation. They were also observed with agitation to 19,592cfu/ and 26,376cfu/ with the natural ventilation, and 18,645cfu/ and 24,581cfu/ with the mechanical ventilation. It showed that the emission rates of gaseous pollutants, such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and odor concentration, in the compost pilot plant operated with the mechanical ventilation and with the agitation of compost pile were higher than those with the natural ventilation and without the agitation. While the concentrations of inhalable dust and total airborne bacteria in the compost pilot plant with the natural ventilation and with the agitation, the concentrations of respirable dust and total airborne fungi in the compost pilot plant with the mechanical ventilation and agitation were higher than those with the natural ventilation and without the agitation of compost pile. It was statistically proved that indoor temperature and relative humidity affected the release of particulates and biological pollutants, and ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were believed primary malodorous compounds emitted from the compost pilot plant.