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Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions from Sow Farm Lagoons across Climates Zones
Author(s) -
Grant Richard H.,
Boehm Matthew T.,
Lawrence Alfred J.,
Heber Albert J.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2013.04.0115
Subject(s) - hydrogen sulfide , environmental science , environmental chemistry , sulfide , oceanography , environmental protection , environmental engineering , chemistry , geology , sulfur , organic chemistry
Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) emissions were measured periodically over the course of 2 yr at three sow waste lagoons representing humid mesothermal (North Carolina, NC), humid microthermal (Indiana, IN), and semiarid (Oklahoma, OK) climates. Emissions were determined using a backward Lagrangian stochastic model in conjunction with line‐sampled H 2 S concentrations and measured turbulence. The median annual sow‐specific (area‐specific) lagoon emissions at the OK farm were approximately 1.6 g head [hd] −1 d −1 (5880 µg m −2 s −1 ), whereas those at the IN and NC sow farms were 0.035 g hd −1 d −1 (130 µg m −2 s −1 ), and 0.041 g hd −1 d −1 (260 µg m −2 s −1 ), respectively. Hydrogen sulfide emissions generally increased with wind speed. The daily H 2 S emissions from the OK lagoon were greatest during the first half of the year and decreased as the year progressed. Emissions were episodic at the NC and IN lagoons. The generally low emissions at the NC and IN lagoons were probably a result of significant populations of purple sulfur bacteria maintained in the humid mesothermal and humid microthermal climates. Most of the large H 2 S emission events at the NC and IN lagoons appeared to be a result of either precipitation events or liquid pump‐out events. The high emissions at the OK lagoon in a semiarid climate were largely a result of high wind speeds enhancing both lagoon and air boundary layer mixing. The climate (air temperature, winds, and precipitation) appeared to influence the H 2 S emissions from lagoons.