Open AccessCharacterization of atmospheric ammonia emissions from swine waste storage and treatment lagoons
Author(s) -
Aneja Viney P.,
Chauhan J. P.,
Walker J. T.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2000jd900066
Subject(s) - kjeldahl method , environmental science , ammonia , nitrogen , flux (metallurgy) , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental chemistry , dilution , zoology , chemistry , geology , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , physics , biology , thermodynamics
Fluxes of atmospheric ammonia‐nitrogen (NH 3 ‐N, where NH 3 ‐N = (14/17)NH 3 ) from an anaerobic ∼2.5 ha (1 ha = 10,000 m 2 ) commercial hog waste storage lagoon were measured during the summer of 1997 through the spring of 1998 in order to study the seasonal variability in emissions of NH 3 ‐N and its relationship to lagoon physicochemical properties. Ammonia‐nitrogen fluxes were measured during each season (summer, fall, winter, and spring) using a dynamic flow through chamber system. Measured lagoon physicochemical parameters included surface lagoon temperature ( T ℓ °C, ∼15 cm below surface), lagoon pH, and Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN). The pH and TKN of the surface lagoon water ranged from 7 to 8 pH units, and 500 to 750 mg N L −1 , respectively. The largest fluxes were observed during the summer (August 1997) (mean NH 3 ‐N flux = 4017 ± 987 μg N m −2 min −1 ). Fluxes decreased through the fall (December 1997) months (844 ± 401 μg N m −2 min −1 ) to a minimum flux during the winter (February 1998) months (305 ± 154 μg N m −2 min −1 ). Emission rates increased during spring (May 1998) (1706 ± 552 μg N m −2 min −1 ), but did not reach the magnitude of fluxes observed during the summer. Lagoon emissions in eastern North Carolina were estimated to constitute ∼33% of total NH 3 ‐N emissions from commercial hog operations in North Carolina based on current inventories for NH 3 ‐N emissions published by the North Carolina Division of Air Quality, North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The ammonia flux may be predicted by an observational model log 10 (NH 3 ‐N flux) = 0.048 T ℓ + 2.1.