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Reducing ammonia loss from cattle slurry by the use of acidifying additives: The role of the buffer system
Author(s) -
Husted Søren,
Jensen Lars S,
Jørgensen S Storgaard
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740570305
Subject(s) - alkalinity , slurry , ammonia , chemistry , aeration , ammonium , volatilisation , bicarbonate , ammonium bicarbonate , inorganic chemistry , environmental engineering , biochemistry , organic chemistry , raw material , engineering
An 8‐month‐old cattle slurry was analysed titrimetrically and the major buffer components were found to be ammonium, bicarbonate and a solid phase of carbonates. A simulation model was developed which explained the experimental results. pH stability in response to addition of HCl, superphosphate, FeCl 3 , Ca(NO 3 ) 2 and CaCl 2 in increasing levels was investigated. Upon aeration, pH rose quickly by 0.4 to 1.5 units for all additives and levels, except where HCl was added equivalently to the total alkalinity of the slurry, which then kept a stable pH of 4.2. Ammonia volatilisation in response to the addition of either HCl or CaCl 2 was found to decrease with increasing amount of additive, HCl being more effective than CaCl 2 . This confirms that the total alkalinity is an important factor regulating the potential ammonia loss from cattle slurry. Addition of HCl or CaCl 2 close to the total alkalinity resulted in a reduction of the potential ammonia loss to 0 and 15% of the untreated loss, respectively.