| The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy | 1020193 | RUNGE, TROY | 10/01/2019 | 09/30/2021 | COMPLETE | MADISON | dairy manure, nanocellulose, paper coating | Agriculture faces a challenging future due to soil degradation, water quality, and scarcity problems, and climate change impacts driven by greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Concurrently, growing populations will continue to drive food demand and, thus, land and farm productivity. Farmers historically responded to demand increases with expansion and intensification, often at the expense of environmental sustainability. The ongoing shift in livestock-crop systems toward consolidation, compounded by decreases in agricultural land has created local areas of imbalance between the cropping and animal systems. With rapidly depleting ecosystem services, it will be critical to adopt agricultural practices which can meet these demands more sustainably. One practice that is of interest is finding more valuable uses of dairy manure to improve profitability and improve nutrient management.The current value-added uses of dairy manure are largely limited to use biochemical processes such as anaerobic digestion and fermentation to produce biomethane and bioethanol and to use thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and gasification to produce bio-oil, biochar and combustible gases. Moreover, the biochemical process can only utilize part of cellulose and hemicellulose in dairy manure; while the thermochemical process typically requires high temperature. In general, these processes primarily produce relatively low value-added products such as methane and ethanol. Therefore, there is a critical need for additional research devoted to developing new efficient, economically feasible and environmentally benign approaches to tackle the underutilization problem of dairy manure and help enhance farmer benefits and agricultural sustainability.Dairy manures (undigested and anaerobically digested) are abundant, aggregrated, and low-cost lignocellulosic resources as compared to others like wood. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) inventory reported that the number of dairy cows is currently about 9.40 million. In average, dairy cattle can produce about 12 gal of manure per 1000 lb. live weight per day with 14.4 lb. total solids. It was estimated that more than 110 million tons of animal manure are annually produced in the United States. Dairy manure is enriched in cellulose (about 20% - 35%), depending on the diet of cow, separation, process method and conditions of anaerobic digestion if the manure is processed in a digester.Anaerobic digestion systems for dairy farms are growing in popularity across the United States, which can yield a significant mass of cellulose fibers. The anaerobically digested fiber typically contains about 35% cellulose, 9% hemicellulose (xylose, galactose, arabinose and mannose) and 28% lignin, which accounts for approximately 40% of the anaerobic digested effluent total solid.This fiber can be an important low-cost source for value-added products. However, most of the anaerobically digested cellulose fibers is currently underutilized as soil amendment or animal bedding.Previous studies have considered using the carbohydrates in dairy manure to produce monomeric sugars which can be further upgraded into fuel ethanol and other value-added chemicals. However, our studies and others have shown that enzymes can only partially convert cellulose fibers in dairy manure to fermentable sugars due to high levels of ash and lignin both which are enzymatic inhibitors. Instead this research looks to use the cellulose in the manure fibers to produce nanocellulose materials.Nanocellulose materials are nanometer-sized fibers obtained from lignocellulosic biomass obtained from either hydrolysis of cellulose in concentrated acid solution (typically sulfuric or hydrochloric acid) or obtained by mechanical fibrillation of cellulose, or a combination of chemical or enzymatic treatment and mechanical fibrillation of cellulose. Numerous uses for nanocellulose materials have been proposed, including incorporation in fiber-reinforced polymer composites, substrates for flexible electronics and organic solar cells, coatings, membrane systems, and networks for tissue engineering.One of the most promising early uses of nanocellulose materials is in the papermaking industry. These materials may be incorporated as a binder material to improve the strength properties of paper.Nanocellulose can also serve as a renewable and sustainable alternative to synthetic latex and binders in most coating formulation to improve the barrier properties. Finally, cellulose nanofiber can be directly made into cellulose nanopaper, which can surpass ordinary paper in the mechanical, optical and barrier properties and can be used for many high-tech applications such as flexible energy storage and conversion devices, and printed flexible electronics.There is a critical need for additional research devoted to developing new efficient, economically feasible and environmentally benign approaches to tackle the underutilization problem of dairy manure and help enhance farmer benefits and agricultural sustainability. The proposed research will address the underutilization challenge of dairy manure and anaerobically digested dairy manure via effectively extracting nanocellulose products and exploring these materials in paper coating applications. This research will advance the utilization of manure waste generated in an agricultural system and improve sustainable agriculture. | (1) Research and develop technically feasible, economically viable and environmentally sustainable technologies to convert biomass resources into chemicals, energy, materials in a biorefinery methodology including developing co-products to enable greater commercialization potential. |
| Water and Nutrient Recycling: A Decision Tool and Synergistic Innovative Technology | 1016509 | Popp, Jennie | 08/01/2018 | 07/31/2025 | ACTIVE | Fayetteville | decision support tool, life cycle assessment, nutrient recycling, water recycling, crop viability | The combination of continued global population growth, with an additional 3 billion people over the next 40 years, and expected intensification of climate variability and resulting variability in reliable water resources requires that water recycling become an integrated part of agricultural water resource management. Further, important nutrients are lost to wastewaters but could be recycled and reused for food production. Absent a concerted effort to recycle these nutrients, the food supply demand will inherently create a less resilient agriculture industry. Water treatment and nutrient needs will vary geographically and based on production. Thus, a user-driven strategy for food production supported by wastewater and nutrient recycling inherently demands not only a systems-based approach, but a flexible decision-making approach. We will study innovative technology for liquid manure wastewater treatment and nutrient recovery within the framework of a decision-making tool that allows technology selection based on region-specific needs for water recycling and food production. The tool will be built upon an economic and life cycle assessment model that guides the user to technology selection based on user-based knowledge of soil chemistry, fertilization needs, crop selection, livestock production, desired level of wastewater treatment, water use, wastewater production, and regulatory requirements. | The overarching goal of this project is to create a decision-support tool that facilitates selection of liquid manure treatment technology based upon local agriculture needs and nutrient balance requirements.The technical innovation goal of this project is to apply robust, membrane-based electrochemical engineering technology, which has been developed and commercialized in the energy sector, to enable manure treatment and water/nutrient recycling for food production.The extension goal of this project is to engage stakeholders in the agricultural community and the water treatment technology industry to develop an understanding of water recycling technologies and the opportunities and challenges to implementation in the agricultural sector for treating liquid manure.Objectives Design and test electrochemical technology for treatment of and nutrient recovery from liquid manure.Study the impacts of recovered water/fertilizer on soil productivity and crop response.Evaluate economic costs and benefits of water treatment technologies related to liquid manure management and crop production.Develop a lifecycle assessment (LCA) model based on three regions: Nebraska, Arkansas, and Missouri.Develop a modular decision-support tool that guides users in water and nutrient recycling technology selection based upon specific regional and farm operational parameters.Engage agricultural and industrial stakeholders nationally on integrating the most locally robust manure treatment technology into agricultural production. |
| Closing The Si Cycle In Rice Agroecosystems To Sustainably Control As And Cd Uptake By Rice Grown Under Alternate Wetting And Drying (Awd) | 1015323 | Seyfferth, Angelia | 03/15/2018 | 03/14/2023 | COMPLETE | Newark | arsenic, cadmium, greenhouse gas, rice, sustainable | Rice is a staple food for half of the global population and is an important U.S. commodity; therefore, improving both rice quantity (yield), quality (i.e., low amounts of toxic metal(loid)s) and environmental footprint is of global importance. The overarching aim of this proposal is to decrease toxic arsenic (As) concentration in rice grain and improve yield without increasing toxic cadmium (Cd) concentration in rice grain or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This will be achieved through soil Si management of paddy rice grown under the alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation practice.Our team will assess the combined approach of AWD and soil Si management to control As and Cd uptake, reduce GHG emissions, and limit water use in the cultivation of paddy rice through a combined laboratory and field approach. We will use a systems approach to observing rice production under different growth conditions - including irrigation regime and Si-rich rice residue soil amendments- to enable a comprehensive view of these interactions. We will also examine rice grown at different spatial scales - outdoor mesocosm and production-field scales - to test how treatment effects found in a controlled laboratory environment interact in real-world management regimes under naturally occurring variations of soil, weather, and management. This proposal will discover a new strategy to sustainably grow rice while limiting water use, uptake of toxic metal(loid)s and GHG emissions. | Our team will assess the combined approach of AWD and soil Si management to control As and Cd uptake, reduce GHG emissions, and limit water use in the cultivation of paddy rice through a combined laboratory and field approach. We will use a systems approach to observing rice production under different growth conditions - including irrigation regime and Si-rich rice residue soil amendments- to enable a comprehensive view of these interactions. We will also examine rice grown at different spatial scales - outdoor mesocosm and production-field scales - to test how treatment effects found in a controlled laboratory environment interact in real-world management regimes under naturally occurring variations of soil, weather, and management. We will first grow rice to maturity in rice paddy mesocosms amended with Si-rich residues (rice straw, rice husk, and charred straw and charred husk) and 1) quantify rice yield and Si, As, Cd accumulation, localization, and speciation in rice grain; 2) monitor spatial and temporal variations in pore water chemistry, including As species, dissolved GHGs (N2O, CH4, and CO2) as well as emissions of GHGs from rice paddies; and 3) measure expression of arsenite S-adenosylmethionine methyltransferase (ArsM), which is indicative of microbial arsenite detoxification, in amended paddy soils. Next, we will trial the best-performing amendment in factorial field-scale trials with Si amendment and irrigation management as variables. Field trials will include monitoring of pore water dissolved As and GHG dynamics, GHG and As volatilization fluxes, and elemental accumulation and speciation in rice grain. |
| Equipping Wayne County High School students for careers in Ohio`s bioenergy and water/wastewater industries | 1010593 | Ujor, Victor | 09/01/2016 | 08/31/2018 | COMPLETE | Columbus | Bioenergy, biofuel, bioprocessing, waste, wastewater | Ohio's bioenergy/bioprocessing industry has consistently grown over the past decade, eliciting significant increase in the demand for technical skills in bioconversion technologies. The proposed project will provide training in the use of core analytical and operational tools and procedures including assay-based wastewater analysis and digestion, high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Spectrophotometer, fermentation (5 L bioreactor), protein and DNA gel extraction and electrophoreses, lignocellulosic biomass pre-treatment and hydrolysis to high school students (grades 10 - 12). Ohio is a predominantly agro-based economy with a robust food processing sector that collectively generate millions of tons of organic residues annually, in addition to municipal solid waste and bio-solids. As research efforts towards biofuel production from renewable resources break new grounds, small and medium-scale companies in Ohio are vigorously pursuing bioconversion of lignocellulose-derived sugars to bioethanol and bio-butanol, while biogas production has grown significantly in the State. Additionally, water resource recovery through wastewater treatment has never been more critical in light of growing human population. These factors have spawned a massive need for staff with technical expertise in the hydrolysis of agro-derived biomass feedstock, wastewater treatment, and biofuel research. High school students are largely unaware of career opportunities that abound in Ohio in the areas of biofuels and wastewater treatment. According to Renewable Energy of America, Ohio's renewable energy sector has created 126,855 jobs, the sixth highest in the country. The proposed project will serve as medium for introducing high school students in Wayne County, Ohio to career opportunities in biofuel-related research and production, agricultural biomass feedstock hydrolysis, fermentation of food processing wastes, biogas production and wastewater treatment. High school students from Wooster High School and Northwestern High School will receive a two-month training in the laboratory over the summer (June and July) at the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI) and the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), both at the Wooster campus of The Ohio State University. This training will also allow high school students to interact with students on the two-year Associate of Science Degree program in Renewable Energy at ATI, as well as researchers involved in different aspects of bioenergy research at OARDC. A career workshop involving industry partners from Quasar Energy, Cleveland, Ohio will be conducted at the end of the training program. Exposure to the above listed techniques employed in the drive for engineering robust biofuel-producing microorganisms, biomass hydrolysis and wastewater treatment will likely steer high school participants to pursue careers in the bioprocessing and wastewater treatment sectors. This will ensure the supply of much needed operators, technicians and researches in Ohio's growing bioenergy industry and in wastewater treatment. | The central goal of the project is to spark an interest in job opportunities in Ohio's bioenergy and water/wastewater industries amongst high school students in Wayne County through experiential training in core industry-relevant skills.The specific objectives are;To provide hands-on training in the operation of HPLC and GC, Fermentation Technology, DNA and protein gel electrophoresis, Genomic DNA and protein isolation, use of spectrophotometer, agricultural biomass hydrolysis, anaerobic digestion of municipal solid waste and wastewater to high school students.To expose high school students in Wayne County, Ohio to career opportunities in the biofuel/bioprocessing and water/wastewater industries through training and interactions with industry experts from Quasar Energy Group and other local Waste Management Engineering firms and with Renewable Energy students of Ohio State ATI.To provide a platform for professional interaction and exchange of ideas between science teachers (agricultural and environmental sciences, chemistry and physics) at Wooster and Northwestern High Schools with their counterparts from Ohio State ATI and OARDC - Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center.To encourage stronger industry-academia relations between Quasar Energy Group (other local Waste Management Engineering firms) and, Ohio State ATI and OARDC, towards fashioning problem-solving curricula that prepare students for the workplace. |
| Developing a Vacuum Distillation- Acid Absorption System for Recovery of Ammonia from Dairy Manure | 1007832 | Tao, Wendong | 09/04/2015 | 09/30/2015 | COMPLETE | ALBANY | ammonia, dairy manure, resource recovery, bio-based feedstock, concentrated animal feeding operations, waste to value | • Objective: Dairy farms generate 138 L liquid manure/cow, which has high ammonia concentrations and contributes to air and water pollution due to free ammonia release to air and nitrogen export to water at their production sites and manure-applied land.Anaerobically digested dairy manure has even higher ammonia concentrations. Besides, ammonia accumulation in digesters may inhibit anaerobic digestion at higher organic loading rates. Dairy farms need cost-effective methods to upgrade their nutrient management plans. Traditional wastewater treatment methods are economically prohibitive to remove ammonia from dairy manure. Our goal is to develop an innovative technology coupling vacuum distillation and acid absorption for sustainable recovery of ammonia from anaerobically digested and undigested dairy manure. Ammonia in dairy manure can be distilled under a low vacuum at a temperature below the normal boilingpoint of water and absorbed in a sulfuric acid solution to produce ammonium sulfate as a value-added product. Specific objectives are to 1) evaluate effects of temperature, low vacuum, and solids on ammonia recovery from dairy manure; 2) design an ammonia distillation - acid absorption system to produce ammonium sulfate granules with dairy manure; 3) construct a pilot-scale vacuum distillation - acid absorption system and develop operational parameters; and 4) perform a farm-scale economic analysis of the developed technology across its life cycle. This project will fill a literature gap in the combined effects of temperature, low vacuum, and solids on ammonia distillation. Kinetic study with a pilotscale ammonia recovery system at different feed depth will support design for scale-up,broader applications. Coupling vacuum distillation - acid absorption with anaerobic digestion is anticipated to make ammonia recovery an economically viable technology. The technology to be developed is applicable to dairy farms without anaerobic digesters as well.• Description: Concentrated animal feeding operations need cost-effective technologies to upgrade their nutrient management plans as required by increasingly stringent federal and state regulations. This project will develop a technology to produce a marketable productfrom dairy manure (ammonium sulfate granules as a bio-fertilizer and chemical), thus generating revenues while meeting regulatory requirements for farm nutrient management. By coupling ammonia recovery with anaerobic digestion and biogas energyutilization, heat is recycled, inhibition of ammonia to anaerobic digestion prevented, and greenhouse gas emission reduced. Three graduate students in this P3 team will develop knowledge and skills of sustainable design for wastewater treatment and resource recovery.Undergraduate students and high school students in a Boy Scouts Engineering Camp will gain hands-on skills with the pilot-scale ammonia recovery system and be inspired of sustainable waste management.• Results: A laboratory vacuum distillation - acid absorption assembly will be used to evaluate the efficiency and energy consumption of ammonia distillation under different combinations of temperature and low vacuum with digested and undigested dairy manure that have different salinities as well as manure filtrate. A pilot-scale ammonia recovery system will be operated by batch modes to prove the design concept and determine operational parameters including feed depth and cycle length. The pilot system will include a vacuum still for ammonia vaporization at boiling points lowered by low vacuum, an ammonia absorption column to produce ammonium sulfate granules, and a vacuum pump to bridge the still and absorption column. Cost benefit assessment across life cycle will be performed, taking a large-size dairy farm as an example.Contribution to Pollution Prevention and Control: Animal manure has 0.04-0.88% (wet weight) ammonia, which exists in free ammonia (NH3} and ionized ammonium (NH/). Volatilization of free ammonia may cause air pollution and health risks. Land application of liquid manure may impact on aquatic ecosystems and groundwater resources. Oxidation of ammonia generates greenhouse gas. In combination with anaerobic digestion, the proposed technology will provide dairy farms with a sustainable solution to nutrient management, minimizing the risk of ammonia release and nitrogen export. Ammonia recovery from dairy manure makes productive use of agricultural waste, thus preventing pollution associated with natural gas- and coal-based production of ammonia. The developed technology could also be applied to ammonia recovery from other ammonia-rich wastewater and coupled with anaerobic digestion of other organic wastes such as food waste and municipal sludge.Supplemental Keywords: bio-based feedstock, resource recovery; waste to value; concentrated animal feeding operationsAwarded Start Date: 8/15/2014Sponsor: Environmental Protection Agency | Dairy farms generate 138 L liquid manure/cow, which has high ammonia concentrations and contributes to air and water pollution due to free ammonia release to air and nitrogen export to water at their production sites and manure-applied land.Anaerobically digested dairy manure has even higher ammonia concentrations. Besides, ammonia accumulation in digesters may inhibit anaerobic digestion at higher organic loading rates. Dairy farms need cost-effective methods to upgrade their nutrient management plans. Traditional wastewater treatment methods are economically prohibitive to remove ammonia from dairy manure. Our goal is to develop an innovative technology coupling vacuum distillation and acid absorption for sustainable recovery of ammonia from anaerobically digested and undigested dairy manure. Ammonia in dairy manure can be distilled under a low vacuum at a temperature below the normal boiling point of water and absorbed in a sulfuric acid solution to produce ammonium sulfate as a value-added product. Specific objectives are to 1) evaluate effects of temperature, low vacuum, and solids on ammonia recovery from dairy manure; 2) design an ammoniadistillation - acid absorption system to produce ammonium sulfate granules with dairy manure; 3) construct a pilot-scale vacuum distillation - acid absorption system and develop operational parameters; and 4) perform a farm-scale economic analysis of the developedtechnology across its life cycle. This project will fill a literature gap in the combined effects of temperature, low vacuum, and solids on ammonia distillation. Kinetic study with a pilotscale ammonia recovery system at different feed depth will support design for scale-up,broader applications. Coupling vacuum distillation - acid absorption with anaerobic digestion is anticipated to make ammonia recovery an economically viable technology. The technology to be developed is applicable to dairy farms without anaerobic digesters as well. |
| The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy | 1002249 | Demirci, Ali | 01/14/2014 | 09/30/2018 | COMPLETE | UNIVERSITY PARK | Biofuel, Biomass, Fermentation, Logistics, Storage, Supply Chain, Synthetic Biology | Use of increased renewable resources will require deliberate development of technologies for efficient use of resources due to three converging issues: (1) decrease in productive agricultural land areas under urbanization pressures; (2) clearing of land areas using unsustainable methods; and (3) increasing world population with an increased standard of living including a clean environment. One billion hectares of land will be cleared by 2050, resulting in the release of three Gt/year of greenhouse gases (Tilman et al., 2011). Global population will reach nine billion by 2050, resulting in increases in global food demand from 2005 to 2050 (Tilman et al., 2011). Breadth of these intersecting problems are so vast that constructive solutions can be designed and implemented only through collaborations crossing traditional disciplinary boundaries.The objectives of this project are to address research relating directly to SAAESD Goal 1 F (biobased products) and H (processing agricultural coproducts); research will influence Goal 5 B (rural community development and revitalizing rural economies) indirectly. Because renewable energy systems occupy large land expanses, they are typically not located in urban areas, promoting economic development of rural US communities. Transitioning from sequestered-carbon sources such as oil, natural gas and coal, to more renewable energy systems requires research and development work. Without this productive research, the technical capacity to switch from a sequestered-carbon economy to a diverse bioresource-based economy will be severely hampered with unanswered questions, undeveloped technologies, and under-delivered capacity in production and utilization of bioresources. Research proposed herein is designed to help address these limitations as conducted by professional scientists and engineers either directly with or strongly associated with the Land Grant University system.This project is written at a time when US natural gas has increased in productivity and decreased in costs. The natural gas production was 22.1 trillion cubic feet in the first nine months of 2012 compared to 21.0 for the same period in 2011. Although, natural gas may be considered the energy panacea for the next decade, natural gas combustion is a net emitter of greenhouse gases. Natural gas can certainly play a major role in assisting in the transition from sequestered-carbon based energy systems to renewable ones. However, due to continual increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations economically viable renewable energy systems must be developed and implemented. The Land Grant University system can partner with important policy-setting agencies including United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA), Energy (US DOE), Defense (US DOD), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) for doing the research that will allow us to meet our renewable energy production goals. | (1) Develop deployable biomass feedstock supply knowledge, processes and logistics systems that economically deliver timely and sufficient quantities of biomass with predictable specifications to meet conversion process-dictated feedstock tolerances. (2) Investigate and develop sustainable technologies to convert biomass resources into chemicals, energy, materials and other value added products. (3) Develop modeling and systems approaches to support development of sustainable biomass production and conversion to bioenergy and bioproducts. (4) Identify and develop needed educational resources, expand distance-based delivery methods, and grow a trained work force for the biobased economy |
| Algae for conversion of manure nutrients to animal feed: Evaluation of advanced nutritional value, toxicity, and zoonotic pathogens | 1000956 | Murinda, Shelton | 09/01/2013 | 08/31/2017 | COMPLETE | Pomona | Algae, Animal Feed, Bacteria, Manure, Nutritional Value, Pathogens, Toxic Cyanobacteria | Rationale The need to control manure-derived nutrient pollution is straining the confined animal production industry. California is the top milk producing state and has some of the strictest nutrient regulations. But in the San Joaquin Valley, many dairies do not have affordable access to more land for manure application. A highly productive crop is needed that will convert manure nitrogen (N) and phosphate (P) into feed but in smaller land areas than crops such as corn. Algae are a candidate feed with annual yields typically 7-13 times greater than soy or corn. Beyond 40-50% protein, algae also contain fatty acids, amino acids, pigments, and vitamins that are valuable in animal feeds, especially for adding value to milk. Advances in molecular biology allow us to gather needed information on the risks and benefits of algae-based animal feeds. Overall goal Benefit animal agriculture and the environment by introducing microalgae as a fast-growing livestock feed crop. Aim 1 Cultivate algae in dairy freestall barn flush water, treating this wastewater, while producing algae feedstock at a high annual rate, at least 10-times greater than corn. Algae will be cultivated in 30-cm deep raceway ponds at the 300-head Cal Poly campus dairy farm where extensive manure management research already occurs under USDA and USEPA sponsorship. Aim 2 Produce algae with favorable nutritional characteristics (high digestibility, valuable fatty and amino acid profiles, balanced protein and carbohydrate concentration, etc.) by adjusting the treated-water recycling into the ponds to optimize the N concentration in the growth medium. Aim 3 Test pathogen survival in algae feeds prepared by pasteurization and/or drying and heating. A trend in municipal wastewater treatment is pasteurization of treated effluent using waste heat from natural gas electrical generator. Large dairies with digesters will have waste heat available for pasteurization and drying. High-protein algae will be pelletized with high carbohydrate feeds to create a balanced feed. The heat of pelletization also contributes to pasteurization. Cal Poly has a research feed mill for producing such blended feeds. Aim 4 Monitor contamination by cyanobacteria and any cyanobacterial toxins. Approach Removal of N, P, and other constituents will be optimized in influent and effluent of identical ponds. Algal biomass (harvested by bioflocculation+settling) will be analyzed for N, P, protein, carbohydrates, and profiles of fatty and amino acids. Pathogen and algal communities extant in raw and feed-processed algal biomass will be analyzed using metagenomics and pyrosequencing. Potential toxicity of algal biomass will be studied using toxicity evaluation of cell-free extracts on cultured mammalian cells. A TC 20 Cell counter (BioRad Laboratories) will be used to monitor toxicity events on treated cells using trypan blue staining. Cytotoxic positive samples will be tested for both presence and concentration of known cyanobacterial toxins. The researchers have decades' experience in algae production, wastewater treatment, and food safety. Expected outcomes Starting with dairy, the project will lead the way towards an algae feed industry based on advanced nutritional features to enhance agricultural products (e.g., milk protein, poultry pigment) while assisting farmers to meet manure management challenges. We will address topics rarely covered in the algae field: potential toxicity and zoonotic pathogens. Our approach is unique in that it integrates and addresses a triad of issues, namely, food safety issues along with algae production techniques and waste management. | Project Goals 1. Generate experimental field data and calibrate optimization models. For treatment, expected removals are 85-95% biochemical oxygen demand and soluble Nitrogen (N) and 40-80% solublePhosphate (P) removal, depending on culturing technique and season. 2. Maximize the nutritional value of produced algae for animal feed. The cultures will be optimized to produce biomass at a high rate while also having the highest value composition for feed (in terms of lipids, digestibility, essential fatty and amino acid profiles, including balanced protein and carbohydrate concentrations). 3. Optimize pathogen inactivation methods. Pathogens will die-off in the ponds and during disinfection processing of the harvested biomass. Inactivation rates for representative pathogen indicators will be determined under various algae cultivation conditions and during trials with several biomass disinfection techniques. The optimal combination of pond conditions (e.g., high pH) and biomass processing (e.g., pasteurization) will be determined to achieve needed log inactivation of pathogens, which is typically 1- >4 log10 reduction (Sobsey et al., Available Online). 4. Quantify and control any cyanobacterial toxins. qPCR assays described by Al-Tarineh et al. (2012 a and b) will be used and optimized to reliably determine the copy number of cyanotoxin biosynthesis genes, as well as an internal cyanobacteria 16S rDNA control, in a single reaction. The latter detects for presence of cyanobacteria. If toxins are detected, measures will be taken to control invasion of the ponds by cyanotoxin-producing cyanobacteria strains. Overall Goal Benefit agriculture and the environment by introducing microalgae, a fast-growing livestock feed crop. |
| Integration of bioproducts and bioenergy production with agricultural waste treatment | 1000222 | Hu, B | 10/01/2013 | 09/30/2016 | COMPLETE | MINNEAPOLIS | anaerobic digestion, fungal pelletization, biogas, nutrient removal | Several technical barriers are preventing the application of anaerobic digestion in the livestock farms. The foremost technical change needed to improve the economics of digester systems is to modify and amend the anaerobic digestion process to maximize biogas production for electricity produced as well as to generate other cash products to utilize the heat and offset the cost. AD converts organic N and P to ammonia and phosphate while total N and P remain constant. Further treatment processes need to be developed to remove and utilize the remaining N and P in the waste stream. To solve the above mentioned issues, firstly, we will be focusing on two additional processes that can be integrated into current AD systems so that the benefits of the whole system can be maximized. These two processes include pretreatment for anaerobic digestion and culture of filamentous fungi for phosphorus removal. A final case study will integrate all the research components: (i) co-digesting swine manure with other carbon-rich waste materials to increase the biogas generation and pretreat the biomass for phosphorus recovery; (ii) thermally treat the digestion effluents for fungal growth; (iii) growing filamentous fungal cells on to produce fungal biomass as biological phosphorous fertilizer and to enable the digestion effluent with a more balanced nitrogen/phosphorous ratio for use as a soil conditioner and plant fertilizer. | We are proposing to develop a new two-stage anaerobic digestion, including the first phase as the thermal/thermochemical treatment process, where solids from dairy manure and organic food waste materials are hydrolyzed and solubilized, and then the second stage as the anaerobic co-digestion on the UASB reactor. We also want to develop a new concept of pelletized cell cultivation for the production of microbial cell biomass via filamentous fungi and other microorganisms. |
| Improvement of Soil Management Practices and Manure Treatment/Handling Systems of the Southern Coastal Plain | 0431207 | SZOGI A A | 07/27/2016 | 07/05/2021 | ACTIVE | FLORENCE | ANIMAL, AMMONIA, NITROGEN, PLANTS, PYROLYSIS, FERTILIZER, WATER, COVER, CROP, REDUCED, TILLAGE, NITRIFICATION, TREATMENT, ANAMMOX, EMISSIONS, SOIL, MANAGEMENT, DISCARDED, SOILS, SUSTAINABLE, PRODUCTION, PHOSPHORUS, REMOVAL, WASTE, SOLIDS, CARBON, GENES, GAS, PAHTOGEN, MANURE, QUALITY, RESIDUE, BIOCHAR, AMENDMENT, NITROUS, OXIDE | Not applicable | 1. Develop and test improved tillage and biomass management practices to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity in the Southeastern Coastal Plain. 2. Develop manure treatment and handling systems that improve soil health and water quality while minimizing the emissions of greenhouse gases, odors and ammonia and the transport of phosphorus and pathogens. Subobjective 2a. Develop improved treatment systems and methods for ammonia and phosphorus recovery from liquid and solid wastes using gas-permeable membrane technology. Subobjective 2b. Develop improved biological treatment systems for liquid effluents and soils based on deammonification reaction using ARS patented bacterial anammox and high performance nitrifying sludge cultures. Subobjective 2c. Improve the ARS patented â¿¿Quick Washâ¿? process for phosphorus recovery. Subobjective 2d. Assess treatment methods for their ability to reduce or eliminate pathogens and cell-free, microbially-derived DNA from agricultural waste streams. Subobjective 2e. Improved manure treatment and handling systems, and management strategies for minimizing emissions. Subobjective 2f. Assess the impact of manure treatment and handling systems on agricultural ecosystem services for soil, water, and air quality conservation and protection. 3. Develop beneficial uses of agricultural, industrial, and municipal byproducts, including manure. Subobjective 3a. Evaluate application of designer biochars to soils to increase crop yields while improving soil health, increasing carbon sequestration, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Subobjective 3b. Develop methods and guidelines to remediate mine soils using designer biochars. Subobjective 3c. Evaluate the agronomic value of byproducts produced from emerging manure and municipal waste treatment technologies. |
| Sorghum Biorefining: Integrated Processes for Converting all Sorghum Feedstock Components to Fuels and Co-Products | 0427783 | NGHIEM N P | 10/29/2014 | 10/28/2019 | ACTIVE | WYNDMOOR | SWEET, SORGHUM, GRAIN, SORGHUM, BIOMASS, SORGHUM, ETHANOL, BUTANOL, PLATFORM, CHEMICALS, VALUE-ADDED, CO-PRODUCTS, CELLULOSE, HEMICELLULOSE, LIGNIN, METHANE, BIOREFINERY | Not applicable | 1: Develop technologies that enable the integrated processing of sorghum grains and sweet sorghum juice at existing biofuels production facilities and that enable the commercial production of new co-products at sorghum-based biorefineries. 1A: Develop technologies that enable the integrated processing of sorghum grains at existing biofuels production facilities. 1B: Develop technologies that enable the integrated processing of sweet sorghum juice at existing biofuels production facilities. 1C: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of new co-products at sorghum-based biorefineries. 2: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of marketable C5-rich and C6-rich sugar streams from sorghum lignocellulosic components. 2A: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of marketable C5-rich sugar streams from sorghum lignocellulosic components. 2B: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of marketable C6-rich sugar streams from sorghum lignocellulosic components. 3: Develop technologies that enable the commercial conversion of sorghum lignocellulosic components into fuels and industrial chemicals. 3A: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of industrial chemicals from the C5-rich sugar stream obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of pretreated sorghum cellulosic components. 3B: Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of additional ethanol and industrial chemicals from the C6-rich sugar stream obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose-enriched residue. 3C: Develop technologies that enable the use of byproducts and wastes generated in ethanol and other fermentation processes in the sorghum biorefinery for production of energy and chemicals. |
| Enable New Marketable, Value-added Coproducts to Improve Biorefining Profitability | 0427684 | MOREAU R A | 09/08/2014 | 09/07/2019 | ACTIVE | WYNDMOOR | COPRODUCTS, BIOFUELS, ETHANOL, SORGHUM, BIODIESEL, CELLULOSE, HEMICELLULOSE, BRAN, GUMS | Not applicable | 1. Develop processes to fractionate sorghum and corn/sorghum oils into new commercially-viable coproducts. 2. Develop processes to fractionate grain-derived brans into new commercially-viable coproducts. 2a: Develop processes to fractionate grain-derived brans into new commercially-viable coproducts such as lipid-based coproducts and for other industrial uses such as extrusion or producing energy or fuel. 2b: Develop commercially-viable, value-added carbohydrate based co-products from sorghum brans and the brans derived from other grains during their biorefinery process. 3. Develop processes to fractionate biorefinery-derived celluloses and hemicelluloses into new commercially-viable coproducts. 3a: Develop commercially-viable, value-added hemicellulose based co-products from sorghum biomass, sorghum bagasse and other agricultural based biomasses produced during their biorefining. 3b: Develop commercially-viable, value-added cellulose based co-products from sorghum biomass, sorghum bagasse and other agricultural based biomasses produced during their biorefining. 4. Develop technologies that enhance biodiesel quality so as to enable greater market supply and demand for biodiesel fuels and >B5 blends in particular. 4a: Improve the low temperature operability of biodiesel by chemical modification of the branched-chain fatty acids. 4b: Develop technologies that significantly reduce quality-related limitations to market growth of biodiesel produced from trap and float greases. 4c: Further develop direct (in situ) biodiesel production so as to enable its commercial deployment. 5. Develop technologies that enable the commercial production of new products and coproducts at lipid-based biorefineries. 5a: Enable the commercial production of alkyl-branched from agricultural products and food-wastes. 5b: Enable the commercial production of aryl-branched fatty acids produced from a combination of lipids and natural antimicrobials possessing phenol functionalities. |
| Technologies for Improving Industrial Biorefineries that Produce Marketable Biobased Products | 0427427 | ORTS W J | 10/01/2014 | 09/30/2019 | COMPLETE | ALBANY | BIOPRODUCTS, BIOENERGY, SORGHUM, BIOMASS, POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES, POLYSACCHARIDES, BIOMASS, ENZYMES, FIBERS, COMBINATORIAL, CHEMISTRY, DIRECTED, EVOLUTION, NANOTECHNOLOGY, NANO-ASSEMBLIES, CELLULOSE, PECTIN, DIACIDS, POLYMERS, POLY(HYDROXYBUTYRATE), PHA, BIOFUELS, CITRUS, ALMONDS, EXTRACTION, RENEWABLE, FERMENTATION, BIOREFINERY, FOOD, WASTE, ENZYMES | Not applicable | This project provides technological solutions to the biofuels industry to help the U.S. meet its Congressionally mandated goal of doubling advanced biofuels production within the next decade. The overall goal is to develop optimal strategies for converting agricultural biomass to biofuels and to create value-added products (bioproducts) that improve the economics of biorefining processes. Specific emphasis is to develop strategies for biorefineries located in the Western United States by using regionally-specific feedstocks and crops, including sorghum, almond byproducts, citrus juicing wastes, pomace, municipal solid wastes (MSW), and food processing wastes. These feedstocks will be converted into biofuels, bioenergy and fine chemicals. Objective 1: Develop commercially-viable technologies for converting agriculturally-derived biomass, crop residues, biogas, and underutilized waste streams into marketable chemicals. Research on converting biogas will involve significant collaboration with one or more industrial partners. Sub-objective 1A: Provide data and process models for integrated biorefineries that utilize sorghum and available solid waste to produce ethanol, biogas and commercially-viable coproducts. Sub-objective 1B. Convert biogas from biorefining processes into polyhydroxyalkanoate plastics. Sub-objective 1C: Apply the latest tools in immobilized enzymes, nano-assemblies, to convert biomass to fermentable sugars, formaldehyde, and other fine chemicals. Objective 2: Develop commercially-viable fractionation, separation, de-construction, recovery and conversion technologies that enable the production of marketable products and co-products from the byproducts of large-scale food production and processing. Sub-objective 2A: Add value to almond byproducts. Sub-objective 2B: Apply bioenegineering of bacteria and yeast to produce diacids, ascorbic acid and other value-added products from pectin-rich citrus peel waste. Sub-objective 2C: Convert biomass into commercially-viable designer oligosaccharides using combinatorial enzyme technology. |
| Developing Technologies that Enable Growth and Profitability in the Commercial Conversion of Sugarcane, Sweet Sorghum, and Energy Beets into Sugar, Advanced Biofuels, and Bioproducts | 0426599 | KLASSON K T | 09/22/2014 | 09/02/2019 | ACTIVE | New Orleans | SUGARCANE, SWEET, SORGHUM, ENERGY, BEET, SUGAR, PRODUCTION, BIOFUELS, BIOPRODUCTS | Not applicable | The overall objective of this project is to enhance the value of sugarcane, sweet sorghum, and energy beets, and their major commercial products sugar, biofuel and bioproducts, by improving postharvest quality and processing. Specific objectives are: 1. Develop commercially-viable technologies that reduce or eliminate undesirable effects of starch and color on sugar processing/refining efficiency and end-product quality. 2. Develop commercially-viable technologies that reduce or eliminate undesirable effects of high viscosity on sugar processing/refining efficiency and end-product quality. 3. Develop commercially-viable technologies to increase the stability and lengthen storage of sugar feedstocks for the manufacture of sugars, advanced biofuels, and bioproducts. 4. Develop commercially-viable technologies for the biorefining of sugar crop feedstocks into advanced biofuels and bioproducts. 5. Identify and characterize field sugar crop quality traits that affect sugar crop refining/biorefining efficiency and end-product quality, and collaborate with plant breeders in the development of new cultivars/hybrids to optimize desirable quality traits. 6. Develop, in collaboration with commercial partners, technologies to improve the efficiency and profitability of U.S. sugar manufacturing and enable the commercial production of marketable products from residues (e.g. , bagasse, trash) and by-product streams (e.g., low purity juices) associated with postharvest sugar crop processing. Please see Project Plan for all listed Sub-objectives. |
| On-farm Biomass Processing: Towards an Integrated High Solids Transporting/Storing/Processing System (UKRF Subaward No. 3048109826-13-061) | 0423960 | FLYTHE M D | 07/01/2012 | 06/30/2016 | ACTIVE | LEXINGTON | BIOMASS, SWITCHGRASS, DOE, BIO-ENERGY | Not applicable | 1. Demonstrate and test a universal bio-energy crop single-pass harvesting system applicable to agricultural residues (corn stover, wheat straw), switchgrass, and miscanthus with bale densities at or above 210 kg/m3 with appropriate best management practices for sustainable biomass harvest. 2. Demonstrate the technical feasibility of on-farm storage and processing of high density bio-energy crops to enhance biomass conversion to value added products using a solid substrate fungal cultivation followed by a percolating anaerobic fermentation with recycle. 3. Develop and validate integrated geographic information system (GIS)-based economic and life cycle analysis models for the proposed on-farm processing system, and use these models to evaluate different landscape-scale management scenarios on food and energy production and the environment. Determine the incentives required to increase carbon sequestration and bioenergy production when they conflict with maximum farm profitability. |
| Efficient Management and Use of Animal Manure to Protect Human Health and Environmental Quality | 0420394 | SISTANI K R | 10/01/2010 | 09/30/2015 | COMPLETE | BOWLING GREEN | ANIMAL, MANURE, ODOR, NUTRIENT, BYPRODUCT, ATMOSPHERIC, EMISSIONS, KARST, TOPOGRAPHY, PATHOGEN, TREATMENT, TECHNOLOGY, MICROORGANISMS | Not applicable | The overall goal of the research project which is formulated as a real partnership between ARS and Western Kentucky University (WKU) is to conduct cost effective and problem solving research associated with animal waste management. The research will evaluate management practices and treatment strategies that protect water quality, reduce atmospheric emissions, and control pathogens at the animal production facilities, manure storage areas, and field application sites, particularly for the karst topography. This Project Plan is a unique situation in the sense that non-ARS scientists from WKU are included on an in-house project to conduct research under the NP 214. The objectives and related specific sub-objectives for the next 5 years are organized according to the Components (Nutrient, Emission, Pathogen, and Byproduct) of the NP 214, which mostly apply to this project as follows: 1) develop improved best management practices, application technologies, and decision support systems for poultry and livestock manure used in crop production; 2) develop methods to identify and quantify emissions, from poultry, dairy and swine rearing operations and manure applied lands; 3) reduce ammonia, odors, microorganisms and particulate emissions from dairy, swine and poultry operations through the use of treatment systems (e.g. biofilters and scrubbers) and innovative management practices; 4) perform runoff and leaching experiments on a variety of soils amended with dairy, swine, or poultry manures infected with Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), Salmonella sp. or Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) and compare observed transport with that observed for common indicator organisms such as E. coli, enterococci, and Bacteriodes; and 5) use molecular-based methodologies to quantify the occurrence of pathogens and evaluate new methods to inhibit their survival and transport in soil, water, and waste treatment systems. |
| Innovative Bioresource Management Technologies for Enhanced Environmental Quality and Value Optimization | 0420348 | SZOGI A A | 10/01/2010 | 09/30/2015 | COMPLETE | FLORENCE | ANIMAL, WATER, PHOSPHORUS, TRACE, AMMONIA, DENITRIFICATION, REMOVAL, REDOX, OXYGEN, WETLAND, WASTE, QUALITY, NITROGEN, NITRIFICATION, SOLIDS, POTENTIAL, PLANTS, TREATMENT, CARBON, BIOCHAR, PYROLYSIS, ANAMMOX, GENES, AMENDMENT, FERTILIZER, EMISSIONS, GAS, NITROUS, OXIDE | Not applicable | 1. Develop improved treatment technologies to better manage manure from swine, poultry and dairy operations to reduce releases to the environment of odors, pathogens, ammonia, and greenhouse gases as well as to maximize nutrient recovery. 2. Develop renewable energy via thermochemical technologies and practices for improved conversion of manure into heat, power, biofuels, and biochars. 3. Develop guidelines to minimize nitrous oxide emissions from poultry and swine manure-impacted riparian buffers and treatment wetlands. 4. Develop beneficial uses of manure treatment technology byproducts. |
| BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF MANURE AND ORGANIC RESIDUALS TO CAPTURE NUTRIENTS AND TRANSFORM CONTAMINANTS | 0420063 | MULBRY III W W | 04/03/2010 | 04/02/2015 | COMPLETE | BELTSVILLE | SWINE, WASTE, SOIL, POULTRY, MANAGEMENT, DAIRY, EMMISION, MANURE, TREATMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, BYPRODUCTS, FATE, ORGANIC, BIOENERGY, COMPOST, RESIDUE, DESTRUCTION, NUTRIENTS, APPLICATIONS, ANAEROBIC, DIGESTION, ALGAL, METHANE, AMMONIA, ANTIBIOTIC | Not applicable | Development and evaluation of manure treatment systems. Specific objectives: (1) Develop treatment technologies and management practices to reduce the concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds (antibiotics and natural hormones) in manures, litters, and biosolids utilized in agricultural settings; (2) Develop management practices and technologies to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure and litter storage and from composting operations by manipulating the biological, chemical, and physical processes influencing production and release of ammonia and greenhouse gases during composting; (3) Develop technology and management practices that improve the economics and treatment efficiency of anaerobic digestion of animal manures and other organic feedstocks (e.g. food wastes, crops/residues) for waste treatment and energy production. |
| DEVELOPING ANALYTICAL AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE CROP UTILIZATION OF .... AND REDUCE LOSSES TO THE ENVIRONMENT | 0420031 | DAO T H | 04/03/2010 | 04/02/2015 | COMPLETE | BELTSVILLE | MANURE, NUTRIENTS, ENVIRONMENTAL, FATE, AND, TRANSPORT, PHOSPHORUS, BIOTRANSFORMATIONS, PHOSPHORUS, REALTIME, SENSING, NITROGEN, MANAGEMENT, NUTRIENT, SENSORS, PRECISION, MANAGEMENT, BIOENERGY, BYPRODUCTS, CARBON, SEQUESTRATION, ALGORITHMS, DECISION-AID, TOOLS | Not applicable | 1. Develop practices to enhance the beneficial use of manure nutrients and reduce offsite losses through management of the environmental fate and transport of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus derived from poultry, dairy, and beef cattle manures. 2. Develop integrated crop, soil, and dairy/beef/poultry manure management strategies to improve nutrient utilization and minimize leaching and runoff losses. |
| BIOREFINING PROCESSES | 0418775 | ORTS W J | 11/16/2009 | 09/30/2014 | COMPLETE | ALBANY | BIOFUELS, EFFICIENCY, SEPARATION, CORN, MOLECULAR, ENZYMES, WHEAT, SORGHUM, PROTEIN, FERMENTATION, ENERGY, ETHANOL, STARCH, ALCOHOL, EVOLUTION, BIOREFINERY, REFINING | Not applicable | Objective 1: Develop enzyme-based technologies (based on cleaving specific covalent crosslinks which underlie plant cell wall recalcitrance) thereby enabling new commercially-viable* saccharification processes. Objective 2: Develop new enzyme-based technologies that enable the production of commercially-viable* coproducts such as specialty chemicals, polymer precursors, and nutritional additives/supplements from raw or pretreated lignocellulosic biomass. Objective 3: Develop pretreatment technologies that enable commercially-viable* biorefineries capable of utilizing diverse feedstocks such as rice straw, wheat straw, commingled wastes (including MSW), sorghum, switchgrass, algae, and food processing by-products. Objective 4: Develop new separation technologies that enable commercially-viable* and energy-efficient processes for the recovery of biofuels, biorefinery co-products, and/or bioproducts from dilute fermentation broths. |
| METABOLIC VARIABLES AFFECTING THE EFFICACY, SAFETY, AND FATE OF AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS | 0410345 | SMITH D J | 02/03/2006 | 02/02/2011 | COMPLETE | FARGO | RESIDUE, CHEMICAL, FOOD, ANIMAL, DETECTION, METABOLISM, PATHOGEN, SOIL, MANURE, COMPOST, WATER | Not applicable | Objective 1: Determine metabolic variables (rates of absorption, tissue and microbial biotransformation, excretion) that positively or negatively influence the practical use of novel pre-harvest food safety chemicals in food animals. Objective 2: Determine the fate of endogenous animal hormones, novel pre-harvest food safety compounds, and antibiotics in animal wastes, including their transport through soil and water, and develop intervention strategies that reduce their environmental impact. Objective 3: Develop sensitive and accurate analytical tools to rapidly detect and quantify agriculturally important chemicals studied under objectives 1 and 2. |
| INNOVATIVE ANIMAL MANURE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY | 0409671 | SZOGI A A | 04/03/2005 | 04/02/2010 | COMPLETE | FLORENCE | ANIMAL, WASTE, WATER, QUALITY, PHOSPHORUS, NITROGEN, TRACE, ELEMENTS, AMMONIA, NITRIFICATION, DENITRIFICATION, SOLIDS, REMOVAL, WETLANDS, REDOX, POTENTIAL, OXYGEN, BOD, WETLAND, PLANTS | Not applicable | Develop and evaluate environmentally superior technologies to prevent off-farm release of nutrients and to reduce pathogens, odors, and ammonia emissions. Develop information and technologies to enhance or retrofit existing manure treatment systems to help producers meet environmental criteria (nutrients, emissions, and pathogens). Improve and refine constructed natural treatment technologies to effectively manage nutrients including reducing emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide. Develop and evaluate new and improved technologies that concentrate/sequester nutrients from manures or create value added products including conversion of livestock waste to energy. Evaluate swine wastewater treatment systems that can be used to reduce emissions, manage nutrients, and control pathogens on small farms. Develop cooperative activities as needed to conduct the research. |
| VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS FROM FORAGES AND BIOMASS ENERGY CROPS | 0408533 | WEIMER P J | 06/04/2004 | 06/03/2009 | COMPLETE | MADISON | ENZYMES, FRACTIONATION, FERMENTATION, ADHESIVES, GLYCOCALYX, HARVESTING, ALFALFA, GERMPLASM, RESIDUES, BIOENERGY, COMPOSITES, VALUE-ADDED, SWITCHGRASS | Not applicable | 1. Develop harvesting, fractionation and storage processes for forages and bioenergy crops that are economical, and that retain product quality. 2. Identify specific varieties of energy crops that display maximum fermentability when grown at specific locations under defined environmental conditions. 3. Develop switchgrass germplasm having broad adaptation to the northern USA and improved fermentability for conversion to value-added products. 4. Develop and improve fermentations for direct bioconversion of cellulosic biomass to value-added products (viz., ethanol, chemical feedstocks and novel bioadhesive components). |
| VALUE-ADDED PRODUCTS FROM PLANT MATERIALS | 0402375 | WEIMER P J | 10/01/1999 | 06/02/2004 | COMPLETE | MADISON | manures, alfalfa, value added, agricultural engineering, non food commodities, forage legumes, plant enzymes, transgenic plants, fractionation, fermentation, adhesives, energy sources, composites, glycocalyx, filtration, product development, product evaluation, industrial uses, construction materials, phytases, plant fibers, saccharification | Not applicable | 1. Develop methods for harvesting forages and other cellulosic materials that retain feedstock qualtiy. 2. Develop methods to assess the energy feedstock quality of herbaceous biomass crops. 3. Develop low-cost, user-friendly assessment and processing technologies for biomass producers and processors. 4. Develop varieties of switchgrass adapted to the northern USA. 5. Develop technologies for processing and converting biomass materials to value-added products, including fuels, industrial chemicals, and enzymes. |
| US Dairy Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Systems Integrating Multiple Emerging Clean Technologies:Climate, Environmental and Economic Impact | 0230080 | Kruger, Chad | 08/01/2012 | 07/31/2016 | COMPLETE | Pullman | CAFOs, anaerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion systems, biofertilizers, clean water, climate mitigation, dairies, nutrient recovery, pyrolysis, renewable energy, techno-economic evalation, water recovery | Based on considerable preliminary research, we propose that anaerobic digestion (AD) systems are the most effective means for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also improving air/water quality, nutrient cycling impacts, and farm economics. Our projects goals are to quantify the climate, air, water, nutrient and economic impacts of integrating next generation technologies in AD systems within US animal feeding operations (AFOs), contribute to increased AD adoption rates, and reduce GHG impacts. The project focuses on AD for dairy operations, although lessons learned are readily applicable to feedlot, swine, and poultry operations. We emphasize a systems approach in order to address AFO nutrient and economic concerns while enhancing GHG mitigation. Evidence suggests that addressing these nutrient and economic issues improves marginal returns on investment and could enhance currently poor U.S. AD adoption rates. Successful AD systems will integrate emerging technologies, complementary to AD, which are being developed by the project team through leveraged research: pyrolysis (P), nutrient recovery (NR), and water recovery (WR).<p> Our approach utilizes a multi-disciplinary team to quantify (against baseline) multiple scenarios for AD systems with varying combinations of complementary technology. Analysis against various levels of technology incorporation and farm scenarios will allow us to determine both direct as well as upstream and downstream impacts of a system or technology on total and component (CO2, CH4, N2O) GHG emissions, nutrient and energy flows, project economics, and crop yields. Project outputs will provide accessible technical information to industry, regulatory agencies, and private carbon market entities, overcoming previously identified barriers to new technology adoption. Together, the project will assist US AFOs, rural communities, and the AD industry in adopting improved agricultural waste management and move AFOs from a GHG source to a carbon sink. We will leverage relevant research (completed or ongoing) to complete assigned objectives and tasks, thereby allowing for a wealth of outputs using a relatively short timeline and budget. Specific project objectives include: (1) enhancement of pyrolysis platform through modification of resulting bio-char for nutrient recovery; (2) agronomic evaluation of AD system bio-fertilizer and co-products to determine potential for carbon sequestration, GHG mitigation, and crop yield; (3) GHG emissions, nutrient-flow, and crop yield modeling analysis; (4) techno-economic analysis; and (5) extension of relevant research results to key stakeholders best positioned to facilitate AD system adoption on AFOs. | Project goals are to quantify the climate, air, water, nutrient and economic impacts of integrating emerging, next generation technologies within anaerobic digestion (AD) systems on US animal feeding operations (AFOs), primarily dairies, although lessons learned apply to feedlot, swine, and poultry operations. Systems are emphasized as evidence suggests that addressing AFO concerns regarding nutrients and economics improves marginal returns on investment and could enhance currently poor U.S. AD adoption rates. Successful AD systems will integrate emerging technologies, complementary to AD, which are being developed by the project team through leveraged research: pyrolysis, nutrient recovery, and water recovery. Analysis against various levels of technology incorporation and farm scenarios will allow for determination of both direct as well as upstream and downstream impacts of a system or technology on total and component (CO2, CH4, N2O) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, nutrient and energy flows, project economics, and crop yields. Project objectives include: (1) enhancement of pyrolysis platform through modification of bio-char for nutrient recovery; (2) agronomic evaluation of AD system bio-fertilizer and co-products; (3) GHG emissions, nutrient-flow, and crop yield modeling analysis; (4) techno-economic analysis; and (5) extension of relevant research results to key stakeholders. Project outputs will provide accessible technical information to industry, regulatory agencies, and private carbon market entities, overcoming previously identified barriers to new technology adoption. This proposal addresses priority areas related to research and extension for GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration within AFOs for reductions in agricultural emissions while improving sustainable joint use of nitrogen and water. |
| Enhancing Greenhouse Gas Mitigation And Economic Viability Of Anaerobic Digestion Systems: Algal Carbon Sequestration And Bioplastics Produc | 0229956 | Feris, Kevin | 09/01/2012 | 08/31/2016 | COMPLETE | Boise | Algae, Anaerobic digestion, Bio-plastics, Bioproducts, Polyhydroxyalkanoates, Process Model, algae, anaerobic digestion, bio-plastics, biogas, bioproducts, carbohydrates, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, polyhydroxyalkanoates, process model | Over 9 million dairy cows generate an estimated 226 billion kg (249 million tons) of wet manure and produce approximately 5.8 billion kg of CO2 equivalents annually in the U.S. (BSSC 2008; Liebrand & Ling 2009). For an average 10,000 head dairy, decomposition of this organic waste produces ?6,000 tons of CH4, 74 tons of N2O, and 130,000 tons of CO2 per year, or ~290,000 tons of CO2 equivalents (USEPA 2011). These emissions constitute approximately 2.5% of the annual production of greenhouse gasses (GHGs) in the United States, and make dairies one of the largest single industry sources of GHG in the US (USEPA 2011). Anaerobic digestion (AD) can significantly reduce dairy GHG emissions by enhancing CH4 generation and capturing and converting CH4 to CO2 in a generator while producing electricity and offsetting farm energy usage. AD biogas could be used to generate >6,800 GWh/yr in power, roughly equivalent to the average annual electricity usage of 500,000 to 600,000 homes (U.S.EPA 2010). Recognizing the potential of ADs to mitigate GHG emissions and produce power, in January 2009, the Innovation Center (IC) for U.S. Dairy announced a voluntary goal to reduce GHG emissions 25% by 2020. Central to achieving this goal is the construction of approximately 1,300 new ADs, which the EPA estimates could reduce U.S. CH4 emissions by 90%. Despite industry support behind broad AD deployment, the on-the-ground reality is that AD projects are not always commercially feasible, due in part to generally low electricity rates. Perhaps more importantly, ADs emit relatively large quantities of GHGs in the form of CO2. Thus, new strategies are necessary to improve AD economics and consequently promote the adoption of AD as a mitigation strategy to achieve the ICs GHG reduction goals. To enhance dairy carbon (C) sequestration, this project will advance a novel integrated manure-to-commodities system that converts pre-fermented manure to bioenergy, sequesters carbon by converting volatile fatty acid (VFA)-rich fermenter supernatant to bioplastics, and sequesters AD effluents (CO2, nitrogen, phosphorus) by producing algae that can be harvested and returned to the AD to enhance PHA production and enhance overall C-sequestration. GHG reduction and C sequestration will be quantified and used to parameterize a system model and web-accessible management decision tool that will be developed at the Idaho National Laboratory. Research product and decision tool dissemination along with workforce and student training will be facilitated by connecting to an on-going, USDA funded outreach and education effort centered on biofuel literacy led by the University of Idaho's McCall Outdoor Science School (MOSS). The outcomes and impacts of this project will include changes in the agricultural knowledge system. Change in knowledge will come from applied research developing a novel approach to GHG reduction and economic development. Change in action will come from experimentally-based information generation and development of data driven decision tools with potential to lead to change in actions by agricultural producers. | We propose a novel strategy that enhances the utility of anaerobic digestion for reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of dairy manure management. Additionally, we propose that by producing carbohydrate rich algal biomass and directing the fixed carbon (C) to a longer-term storage pool than biofuels (i.e. PHA-based bioplastics), we can further reduce the GHG footprint. The potential exists to make these systems net C sinks rather than sources, while simultaneously enhancing the overall process economics; thereby improving the likelihood that coupled AD-Algae-PHA systems will be adopted by the dairy industry. Our project objectives and milestones follow: Objective 1: Quantify C flow from manure to CH4 and polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) via a two stage AD system. The goal of this task is to identify critical bioreactor operating conditions that maximize PHA synthesis and CH4 production and optimize carbon sequestration. Milestones/target dates: Manure fermentation potential investigations will be completed within the first 90 days of the project and the fermentation factorial will be completed over the subsequent 12 months. The PHA and AD investigations have been allocated 24 months. Objective 2: Quantify C-capture, characterize C-quality, and quantify nutrient recovery via algal production from AD effluent streams (e.g. gas and liquid). Assess C-sequestration potential of algal biomass as a fermenter feedstock to enhance PHA synthesis. Assess influence of spatial-temporal variability of algal community structure on these processes. Milestones/target dates: The algal cultivation systems will be assembled and baseline conditions determined in the first 6 months. 24 months is allocated for the remaining algal cultivation objectives. Objective 3: Develop and deploy user-friendly web-based management decision tools to quantify and parameterize GHG reduction, C-sequestration, and enhancement of AD commercial viability. Milestones/target dates: The model will be defined and functional specifications and input/output flows established within the first 6 months. Between year 1 and 2 individual sub-models will be wrapped and integrated into the overall process model. By the second year the web interface will be prepared. During the third year the web-based model will be demonstrated to stakeholders and decision-makers. Objectives 4 and 5: Produce the next generation of bio-product innovators and system operators by integrating undergraduate and graduate training and work force development. Develop an outreach and education program targeting dairy managers and AD system operators. Milestones/target dates: Student training will occur throughout the project. Outreach and educational programs will be delivered during years 2 and 3 of the project. Outputs: We will define optimal operating conditions for the AD, PHA, and Algal reactors, quantify carbon sequestration potential of the PHA and algal reactor systems, develop a web-based modeling tool, and train students and system operators. Project results will be communicated via manuscript publication, outreach and educational programs, and interactions with our stakeholder group. |
| Accelerated Renewable Energy | 0228524 | MARKLEY, JOHN | 07/15/2012 | 07/14/2017 | COMPLETE | MADISON | Bio-diesel Bio-gas Ethanol, bio-diesel, bio-gas, cellulosic Fertilizer, custom Manure, dairy Polymer separations, economic analysis, ethanol, cellulosic, fertilizer, custom, manure, dairy, polymer separations, precision-ag | A dairy with 1,700 cows produces 15 tons of manure per day. To handle the manure, the dairy must recycle 2.5 million gallons of water per day. The conventional solutions to these problems are wash the manure into a lagoon, dredge and manure solids and haul them to fields. Manure on the fields may not provide the correct nutrients and is subject to running off and polluting rivers. Our goal is to demonstrate the economic feasibility on the scale of a large dairy farm (1,700) cows of converting the manure produced into valuable commodities including methane gas for heating purposes in the farm, fuel ethanol, and custom fertilizer. Part of the farm acreage (5%) will be devoted to oilseed production, which will be converted to biodiesel to power vehicles on the farm. Our approach utilizes biomass processing technology developed by a small Wisconsin business (Soil Net) and engineering and fabrication expertise of another small Wisconsin business (Braun Electric). We foresee a strong potential for commercialization of this technology and its widespread adoption. | We propose a public (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and private (Cottonwood Dairy; Soil Net, LLC; Braun Electric; Resource Engineering Associates, Inc.) collaboration that encompasses both R&D and prototypical farm-based demonstration of the four components of the BRDI FOA: 1. Feedstocks Development: The bioenergy generated will derive primarily from recycled cellulosic components of dairy manure, which have minimal food/fuel issues. 2. Bio-Fuels and Bio-based Products Development: The project will demonstrate/evaluate multiple sub-processes and associated "value added" bio-based co-products -- vegetable oil/meal; oil/biodiesel; cellulosic ethanol; bio-gas/manure digestion; recycled rinse water; low and high P (phosphorus) crop nutrients; and multiple cellulosic manure fiber "fractions" (for mulches, bedding, etc.). 3. Bio-Fuels and Bio-based Products Development Analysis: The project will evaluate (calibrate, implement, validate) economic, environmental, lifecycle, process efficiency, and mass balance analysis and incorporate these into a business decision/management framework. In particular, an analysis of the economics of scale of the various system components will form a major part of the research effort. 4. Use of Oil/Biodiesel for the Production of Grain or Cellulosic Ethanol: The proposed system will be capable of producing oil/biodiesel from vegetable oil seed produced on the farm. Our research will determine the economic benefits of biodiesel vs. purified vegetable oil for direct use in operating farm vehicles and machinery. The expected outcome is the demonstration of cost effective livestock manure separation and processing to produce bio-energy, bio-feedstocks, and value added co-products (mulch/fertilizers) for on-farm and off-farm ("export") markets that can be carried out at a variety of large/medium/small scales. This technology will provide opportunities to exploit readily available, relatively low value potential cellulosic bio-feedstocks-ones that largely avoid food/fuel concerns-to improve economic sustainability: on-farm substitution for purchased energy and feed/fertilizer nutrients or as potential farm revenue diversification; improve environmental sustainability. The approach will reduce GHG/carbon footprint, soil/nutrient losses, and potential manure borne pathogens; and, improve regional economic development. We have shown that a demand exists for many of the manure fiber (mulch/fertilizer) co-products. The flexibility to adopt one (or several) of process/flow components, sequentially, based on the specifics of extant farm infrastructure (manure type/volumes, manure handling/processing, etc.) increases the proposed project's commercialization potential. The extensive process/flow measurement and analysis R&D, at both lab/bench and commercial scale, will provide the analytic/measurement tools to evaluate the economic, environmental, food safety, and regional economic development impacts of this potential commercialization at a variety of resolutions (farm, county, region). |
| An Integrated BioGas-Solar Dehydration System: Increasing Sustainability through Value-Added Agriculture | 0226170 | Akiona II, William K. | 09/01/2011 | 08/31/2014 | COMPLETE | Waianae | Anaerobic Digester, Biogas, Jatropha Seedcake, Solar Dehydration, Value-Added Agriculture, biogas, jatropha, biodiesel, anaerobic digestion, low-value,, residues, seedcake, glycerin, methane gas, solar dehydration, food, waste, moringa, bioenergy, oilseed | Mandates for biofuels have resulted in the significant increase of biodiesel production in rural communities. Hawaii's Jatropha biodiesel production will produce nearly 650-700 kg of residues, consisting of Jatropha seedcake and fruit hulls for every metric ton of seeds harvested for oil production. In addition, the biodiesel conversion process will produce another 30-50 kg of crude glycerin, as a co-product for every metric ton of oilseed processed. In Hawaii, nearly 270 million gallons of petroleum diesel is consumed annually. As the local production of just one million gallons of Jatropha biodiesel will result in more than 20 metric tons of processed residuals each day. This substantial production of biofuels leaves a tremendous amount of low-value residues needing to be properly disposed of, on an island setting that is environmentally fragile. Thus, the onsite anaerobic digestion (AD) of these organic residues, into a methane gas, will not only generate energy - through the use of a combined heat and power (CHP) micro turbine - but will also resolve the issues of wastes disposal. The system will supply enough power and heat to efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility, as well as an adjacent solar dehydration plant, with all of its surplus power, sold to the utility grid. This integrated biogas-solar dehydration system is a natural progression, as Hawaii lays abundant in solar radiation, throughout the year. The project will build a scalable pilot system producing up to 50kW of electricity. Thermal recovery is integrated through the CHP for drying food and co-products. Design benefits will facilitate rural replication, to where the AD system will utilize a broad range of locally-available low-value residues and waste materials that relies on a simple technology, which can be developed and supported locally, while being designed to minimize operational costs. The plan is to set-up and utilizes an integrated biogas facility that will fully utilize and appropriately capitalize on all the synergies provided by a biogas plant. The system biologically converts organic waste and residues into energy-rich biogas that also provides nutrient-rich digested solids that is utilized as an organic fertilizer. Thus, local food production, processing and preservation are realized benefits from this biogas facility's electrical and thermal generation. Hence, food and energy security can now be achieved for our geographically isolated rural communities. Therefore, commercialization plans will focus on the main Hawaiian Islands, first. And thereafter, pursue the market potential that exists throughout the American Pacific Protectorates of Micronesia and American Samoa. Wherever imports of nutrients, food and energy have outpaced rural production, there is a similar biogas development opportunity that exists. While incentives are substantial for renewable energy projects and realizing the financial benefits of tax credits, environmental credits and loan programs can be complex. Hawaii's generous feed-in-tariff will ultimately provide the needed financial support for smaller projects that cannot benefit from the economies of scale principal. | The goal of the project is to definitively determine the design, construction and operation of a modular anaerobic digestion (AD) facility, or biogas plant, that will utilize Jatropha biodiesel residues that consists of Jatropha seedcake, glycerin and fruit hulls; to include other co-digestion substrates, such as Moringa oleifera, agricultural residues, processed food waste, MSW (municipal solid waste) organic residuals and commercial food-waste materials. The AD system will convert these low-value residues into a renewable energy, in the form of biogas to generate electricity and thermal energy. The system will also produce valued co-products in the form of organic fertilizers. The objectives of this project are to utilize crop production residues, as a feedstock, to rid the farm of its wastes stream accumulation. Thus, we can further process these organic waste materials, into value-added energy products to power our food and fuel processing facilities, while utilizing the resulting effluent nutrients to enhance crop production. An integrated biogas-solar dehydration system will be installed, on the farm, to illustrate the proper utilization of waste materials to produce several lines of value-added products and revenue streams. Therefore, the biogas that is generated by the AD system will be utilized to operate a combined heat and power (CHP) unit to produce electrical power that will efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility and solar dehydration plant - selling its surplus power to the local utility grid. The system will also generate a stream of nutrient-rich materials that can be utilized as an organic fertilizer for use on the farm or bagged for the wholesale market. Thus, the waste stream generated from both the biodiesel production facility and solar dehydration plant, will become the primary throughput feedstock for the AD system; augmented with other co-substrates, that will include the receipt of MSW food- and green-waste materials that also generates an additional revenue stream, through tipping fees. The expected output will be that of a whole-systems model for meeting many of our predictable needs; in decentralized green energy production, job creation, watershed protection, regional food production, agricultural nutrient cycling, reduced greenhouse gas production and carbon sequestration. This project is an innovative concept that will spawn replication elsewhere in Hawaii and the American Pacific. |
| Improving the Sustainability of Livestock and Poultry Production in the United States (OLD S1032) | 0213075 | Zhu, Jun | 10/01/2007 | 09/30/2013 | COMPLETE | MINNEAPOLIS | ecological footprint, effluents, emergy, emissions, land application, life cycle analysis;, manure, treatment, waste, odors | The project proposes to develop computer based mathematical descriptions of the animal production industries using measures of sustainability and environmental impacts that will help describe and define that scientific framework. Although all aspects of animal production must be included, we propose to put special emphasis on evaluating manure management and utilization best management practices and their impact on sustainability and environmental impacts beyond the farm and field scale. A number of interesting and useful analytical paradigms already exist for describing and modeling the sustainability of arbitrarily defined systems, and we do not intend to suggest that one of them is necessarily superior to the others in every conceivable use or context. Each of them has strengths and shortcomings that depend on the way in which it is used. | Not applicable |
| Development of Horticultural Containers from Anaerobically Digested Cow manure | 0211231 | Gardner, Perry | 09/01/2007 | 08/31/2009 | COMPLETE | EAST CANAAN | manure digester anaerobic nutrient cowpots | Freund's Farm, Inc. has developed an innovative process that transforms cow manure into value-added, biodegradable containers for horticultural use. Work performed to date has demonstrated that container pots can be molded from processed manure that offer the desired characteristics of biodegradability and decomposability, allow for exceptional penetration of plant roots through pot walls, and provide nutrient content. Further work is needed to improve the efficiency and consistency of the solids separation done on the discharge from the anaerobic digester since the solids stream is the source of material that is ultimately used to form the pots. Also further work is needed to determine if it is possible to use the bio-gas in a direct fired drying unit without imparting undesirable odor to the horticultural containers. This utilization of the bio-gas will help the product economics if it can be done satisfactorily. The work to be performed under this grant will
characterize and identify the solids separation method that separates solids from the liquid manure discharging from the anaerobic digester. This project will also determine the practicality of direct firing bio-gas fuel generated from the digester to efficiently dry the formed horticultural pots in a manufacturing facility. Prototype horticultural containers will be fabricated using Freund's Farm's existing manure digester and pulp molding equipment. The test pots formed will be tested for horticultural performance and odor at the University of Connecticut and in a greenhouse and farm settings. | The project is broken down into 3 separate but related work efforts called Experiments. EXPERIMENT 1 Solids Separation The objective of Experiment 1 is to research methods of manure solids separation to reduce water content consistently to facilitate composting. The solids separation has been accomplished with a single stage screw press but this alone it is not practical to routinely control the moisture content of the solids separated to the degree and consistency needed. High and inconsistent moisture levels in the solids that feed the in-vessel composter have resulted in inconsistent modification of fiber characteristics. These variations in the fibers cause variation in the quality of the molded pots. Investigation of the options to make the separation a proven two step process will be researched EXPERIMENT 2 Bio-gas fuel The objective of Experiment 2 is to research methods required to replace indirect fired oil heat with direct fired bio-gas in the drying ovens.
Biogas is produced from the Freund manure digester. Biogas is a potential fuel, available for manufacturing horticultural containers. Because bio-gas is a low heat fuel, it is necessary to direct fire a dryer to reasonably use the gas. The primary concern with direct fired bio-gas is that it will impart an odor or other undesirable properties(effecting horticultural performance) to the pots or deposit by -products of combustion that are harmful to plant development EXPERIMENT 3 Phytotoxicity The objective of Experiment 3 is to research the plant growth characteristics using the horticultural containers. Previous trials with different formulations of manure pots have produced inconsistent results. In some trials manure pots were superior to conventional peat pots, and apparently provided available nutrients. In some cases, manure pots were inferior, but the cause was not evident. The production process has evolved to the point that re-evaluation of current process pots is warranted.
The changes induced with the work in experiments 1 and 2 also cause the need to test the effect, if any, of those changes. The objectives of this research are: 1. To evaluate manure pots for effects on plant growth prior to transplant. This objective will include the effects of source material characteristics on the performance of manure fiber pots. The primary focus will be on the potential for growth stimulation from nutrients supplied by the pots, and potential negative effects including stunting or phytotoxicity. 2. To investigate cause(s) if stunting or phytotoxicity is observed. 3. To evaluate physical properties of manure pots relevant to production and transplanting, including durability and root breakthrough. |
| Measuring and Modeling Gaseous, Particulates, and Odor Emissions from Livestock Operations | 0205501 | Ndegwa, P | 12/01/2009 | 11/30/2014 | COMPLETE | PULLMAN | air quality, ammonia, animal feeding operations, computer models | Over the last two decades, animal feeding operations (AFO's) have become larger and more concentrated in fewer geographical regions. This change in production patterns has resulted in huge volumes of manure in these regions, increasing tremendously the challenges of manure handling, storage, and use without endangering the environment. Air quality degradation presents a serious challenge to the sustainability and continued growth of the livestock industry. The long-term goal of this research initiative is to develop cost-effective technologies and methods to quantify and to mitigate gaseous, odor, and particulate emissions from AFO's. | The overall goal of this project is to develop a process-based model for the prediction of ammonia emissions from typical anaerobic lagoons or similar structures that hold or treat dairy wastewater. Specific objectives are: Develop a sub-model for the convective mass transfer of ammonia from dairy wastewater; Develop a sub-model for dissociation constant of ammonia in dairy wastewater; Conduct direct measurement of ammonia emissions from typical dairy wastewater lagoons; Perform validation of the process model in predicting ammonia emissions from anaerobic lagoons that treat dairy wastewaters; Perform sensitivity analyses to determine most critical parameters for ammonia emissions mitigation; Develop a user friendly computer interface for ammonia emissions model for dissemination to end-users |