Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/07

Outputs
OUTPUTS: 1. Work continues on the development of a general purpose siting model (the Community Assessment Model, CAM) to be used by producers and spatial planners. This model has been utilized in several (200+) pre-planning siting cases in Iowa and is gaining acceptance as a useful tool for siting of swine facilities. 2. Presented CAM to several producer and community planning groups throughout the state of Iowa as methods are considered for siting guidelines for new swine production systems. 3. Experimental facility developed to compare the indoor air quality levels in terms of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide from common household cleaners and practices in relation to ambient levels being considered for regulation. 4. Completed a three-state collaborative effort on the collection of odor dispersion data from swine facilities to be used as calibration data for odor dispersion models. Presented these findings at a regional workshop held in Sioux City, Iowa November 15-16, 2006. This workshop was attended by 50+ invited individuals from Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa. All invited guests were in positions of authority with regards to the siting of livestock and poultry operations. PARTICIPANTS: Investigators: D. S. Bundy, and S. J. Hoff. Key project leader participants include Dr. Jay Harmon, Mr. Brian Zelle, Mr. Lide Chen, and Mr. Gang Sun. TARGET AUDIENCES: The intended audience for this research are rural community residents, livestock and poultry producers, commodity groups, and legislative members.

Impacts
This project is related to three vital areas associated with manure management and emissions. First, source reduction methods are being evaluated to minimize the gas and odor load emitted from livestock and poultry production systems. This is a critical area that ultimately will result in the most effective gas and odor reduction method. Secondly, methods are being developed to post-process gases and odors emitted from livestock and poultry production systems with the development of cost-effective biofiltration techniques. Both of these areas of research, once fully developed, are expected to have a positive effect on the environmental impact of livestock and poultry production systems. Third, the issue of receptor health in the community of livestock and poultry production systems is an important question that needs to be addressed. The data that we are collecting as part of this project will become vital science when considerations are being given to ambient air quality standards associated with livestock and poultry production systems.

Publications

• Hoff, SJ, JD Harmon, JJ Zimmerman. 2007. Modeling the Impact of Aerosol Transmission to receptors in Localized Regions. Presented at the 15th Annual Swine Disease Conference for Swine Practitioners, November 8-9, 2007. pp125-132.
• Chen, L., SJ Hoff, JA Koziel, L Cai, B Zelle, G Sun. 2007. Performance Evaluation of a Wood-Chip Based Biofilter Using Solid-Phase Microextraction and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Olfactometry. ASABE Paper No. 074137. St Joseph, MI.: ASABE.

Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06

Outputs
Work has progressed under this project in both the manure management and waste utilization and issues associated with air quality as related to nuisance avoidance. Specifically, manure management issues have been addressed by first developing a state of the art nutrient and air emissions controlled laboratory for investigating the relationship between animal diet, nutrient excretion, and air emissions. Significant progress has been made in identifying diet formulation changes on nitrogen and phosphorous excretion characteristics and the resulting changes in air emissions, especially as related to ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and odor. Work continues on the development of a general purpose siting model to be used by producers and spatial planners. This model has been utilized in several (70 plus) pre-planning siting cases in Iowa and is gaining acceptance as a useful tool for siting of swine facilities. In addition, mitigation work in the form of ventilation air scrubbing using biofilters has progressed to the point where we now have a method that is cost effective for the producer, if this option is required by the producer. Additionally, we have investigated in detail the odorous compounds that adhere to various sized dust particles emitted from swine and poultry production systems. This information will help decide upon dust control strategies when treating ventilation exhaust air. We have also spent a great deal of time investigating the relationship between gas levels at various swine production systems and the resulting ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels outside and inside residences in the community of these swine production systems. Current work is being conducted to compare residential indoor air gas concentrations relative to gas concentration levels being proposed for agriculture. This information is being used to address the air quality impact of animal agriculture on the community.

Impacts
This project is related to three vital areas associated with manure management and emissions. First, source reduction methods are being evaluated to minimize the gas and odor load emitted from livestock and poultry production systems. This is a critical area that ultimately will result in the most effective gas and odor reduction method. Secondly, methods are being developed to post-process gases and odors emitted from livestock and poultry production systems with the development of cost-effective biofiltration techniques. Both of these areas of research, once fully developed, are expected to have a positive effect on the environmental impact of livestock and poultry production systems. Third, the issue of receptor health in the community of livestock and poultry production systems is an important question that needs to be addressed. The data that we are collecting as part of this project will become vital science when considerations are being given to ambient air quality standards associated with livestock and poultry production systems.

Publications

• Hoff, S.J., D.S. Bundy, M.A. Huebner, B.C. Zelle, L.D. Jacobson, A.J. Heber, J. Ni, Y. Zhang, J. Koziel, D. Beasley. 2005. Emissions of Ammonia, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Odor Before, During and After Slurry Removal from a Deep-Pit Swine Finisher. J. Air & Waste Management Assoc., 56(5).

Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05

Outputs
Work has progressed under this project in both the manure management and waste utilization areas and areas associated with air quality as related to nuisance avoidance. Specifically, manure management issues have been addressed by first developing a state-of-the-art nutrient and air emissions controlled laboratory for investigating the relationship between animal diet, nutrient excretion, and air emissions. Significant progress has been made in identifying diet formulation changes on nitrogen and phosphorous excretion characteristics and the resulting changes in air emissions, especially as related to ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and odor. Work continues on the development of a general purpose siting model to be used by producers and spatial planners. This model has been demonstrated to Iowa Department of Natural Resources personnel in hopes that it will become a part of Iowa's decision process for new or expanding livestock and poultry production systems. In addition, mitigation work in the form of ventilation air scrubbing using biofilters has progressed to the point where we now have a method that is cost effective for the producer, if this option is required by the producer. Additionally, we have investigated in detail the odorous compounds that adhere to various sized dust particles emitted from swine and poultry production systems. This information will help decide upon dust control strategies when treating ventilation exhaust air. We have also spent a great deal of time investigating the relationship between gas levels at various swine production systems and the resulting ammonia and hydrogen sulfide levels outside and inside residences in the community of these swine production systems. This information is being used to address the air quality impact of animal agriculture on the community.

Impacts
This project is related to three vital areas associated with manure management and emissions. First, source reduction methods are being evaluated to minimize the gas and odor load emitted from livestock and poultry production systems. This is a critical area that ultimately will result in the most effective gas and odor reduction method. Secondly, methods are being developed to post-process gases and odors emitted from livestock and poultry production systems with the development of cost-effective biofiltration techniques. Both of these areas of research, once fully developed, are expected to have a positive effect on the environmental impact of livestock and poultry production systems. Third, the issue of receptor health in the community of livestock and poultry production systems is an important question that needs to be addressed. The data we are collecting as part of this project will become vital science when considerations are being given to ambient air quality standards associated with livestock and poultry production systems.

Publications

• Kim, I.B., P.R. Ferket, W.J. Powers, H.H. Stein, and T.A.T.G. Van-Kempen. 2004. Effects of different dietary acidifier sources of calcium and phosphorus on ammonia, methane and odorant emission from growing-finishing pigs. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences. 17(8):1131-1138.
• Angel, C.R., W.J. Powers, T.J. Applegate, N.M. Tamim, and M.C. Christman. 2005. The influence of dietary phytase on water soluble phosphorus in broiler chickens, turkeys, and growing swine. J. Environ. Qual. 34(2):563-571.
• Powers, W.J., R.Angel, T. Applegate. 2005. Air emissions in poultry production: current challenges and future directions. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 14:613-621.
• Angel, R., W.W. Saylor, A.S. Dhandu, W. Powers, and T.J. Applegate. 2005. Effects of dietary phosphorus, phytase, and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol on performance of broiler chickens grown in floor pens. Poult. Sci. 84:1031-1044.
• Cai, L., J.A. Koziel, Y.C. Lo, and S.J. Hoff. 2005. Characterization of volatile organic compounds and odorants associated with swine barn particulate matter using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry. J of Chromatography A 1102(Issues1-2):60-72.
• Jerez, S.B., Y. Zhang, J.M. McClure, L.D. Jacobson, A.J. Heber, S.J. Hoff, J. Koziel, D. Beasley. 2006. Comparison of Measured Total Suspended Particulate Matter Concentration Using Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance and a TSP Sampler. J. Air & Waste Management Assoc. 56:261-270.

Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04

Outputs
The odor prediction model (CAM) is being tested by field studies to predict the influence of odor dispersion. Odor threshold and hydrogen sulfide emissions data was collected from swine finisher buildings and downwind to verify the model developed. The data collected is also being used to verify an EPA dispersion model through another research project to be used for predicting odors concentration. The intention of this model was to provide a tool for evaluating the odor load changes to a community when siting new swine production systems or during expansion of existing swine production systems. The model can also be used to predict the odor load for existing production systems and how a change in an odor control technology will impact the odor load in the community. The model developed can handle up to 20 swine production sources with up to 100 receptors in a community of any size. The model incorporates historical average local weather data, coordinate locations of all sources and receptors, source production arrangement, and any odor reducing technologies incorporated. A procedure was developed to quantify the ambient concentration levels of odor, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia gases, and the influence of atmospheric stability on downwind concentrations. Another study reports on 24 months of data collected at a large swine facility in the Midwest. The control technology for the lagoon was an impermeable cover compared to a mature anaerobic lagoon and the effects on the atmosphere in the barn. The odor detection threshold (ODT) was measured on the lagoons, downwind, and in the barns. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide was measured at the lagoon and downwind. The exhaust air had higher odors from the barn when flushed with the effluent from the covered lagoons. The results of the study showed that the odor emission from the permeable covered lagoon system, including odors from the barn, was approximately 40-52 percent of the uncovered. During the summer months of July to September, the net reduction was 66 percent. A low cost bio-filter on exhaust pit fans is being evaluated for reduction of odorous gases from a deep-pit swine building.

Impacts
The impact of the research is very important to the livestock producers and neighbors. The model is being used to provide input in siting new livestock facilities in a community. The model helps producers understand some of the mitigation strategies that may be necessary if new facilities are located in certain areas in the community. Covers on swine lagoons were evaluated to determine the overall effectiveness of covers. This includes the change in manure characteristics for land application. The research is providing a variation of environmental mitigation techniques that may be most helpful for producers in solving environmental problems.

Publications

• Bicudo, J.R., Clanton, C.J., Schmidt, D.R., Jacobson, L.D., Powers, W.J., and Tengman, C.L. 2004. Geotextile Covers To Reduce Odor And Gas Emissions From Swine Manure Storage Ponds. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. Vol. 20(1):65-75
• Hoff SJ, DS Bundy, MA Huebner, BC Zelle, LD Jacobson, BP Hetchler, VJ Johnson, RE Nicolai, DR Schmidt, PR Goodrich, AJ Heber, JQ Ni, TT Lim, PC Tao, Y Zhang, J McClure, S Jerez, M Roberts, JA Koziel, BH Baek, A Balota, JP Spinhirne and JM Sweeten. 2004. Real-Time Ventilation Measurements from Mechanically Ventilated Livestock Buildings for Emission Rate Estimations. Presented at the 2004 International ASAE/CSAE Meeting, Paper No 044178, ASAE, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA.
• Hoff, S.J., D.S. Bundy, M.A. Huebner, B.C. Zelle, L.D. Jacobson, A.J. Heber, D. Beasley, J. Koziel, Y. Zhang. 2004. Emissions of Ammonia, Hydrogen Sulfide, and Odor Before, During and After Slurry Removal from a Deep-Pit Swine Finisher. In: Proceedings of the International AgEng 2004 Conference. Leuven, Belgium. September 12-16, 2004.
• Jacobson, LD, BP Hetchler, VJ Johnson, RE Nicolai, DR Schmidt, PR Goodrich, AJ Heber, JQ Ni, TT Lim, PC Tao, SJ Hoff, DS Bundy, MA Huebner, BC Zelle, Y Zhang, J McClure, S Jerez, M Roberts, JA Koziel, BH Baek, A Balota, JP Spinhirne and JM Sweeten. 2004. Preliminary NH3, H2S, and PM10 Data from Pig and Poultry Buildings from Six-State Project. Presented at the 2004 International ASAE/CSAE Meeting, Paper No 044156, ASAE, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA.
• Panetta, D., W.J. Powers, J.C. Lorimor. 2004. Direct measurement of management strategy impacts on ammonia volatilization from swine manure. Presented at the 2004 ASAE Annual International Meeting Aug 1-4, Ottawa, Canada, Paper No. xxxxx. ASAE, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, Ml 49085 9659 USA
• Schmidt, D.R. and S.J. Hoff. 2004. Comparison of AERMOD, INPUFF II and CALPUFF Predictions of Ambient Hydrogen Sulfide Concentrations Near a Model Swine Farm. Presented at the 2004 International ASAE/CSAE Meeting, Paper No 044200, ASAE, 2950 Niles Road, St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA.
• W.J. Powers and S. Bastyr. 2004. Downwind Air Quality Measurements From Poultry and Livestock Facilities. 2004 Iowa State University Animal Industry Report. ASL-R1927.

Progress 01/01/03 to 12/31/03

Outputs
A model to predict the influence of odor dispersion from multiple sources to multiple receptors was developed. The intention of this model was to provide a tool for evaluating the odor load changes to a community when siting new swine production systems or during expansion of existing swine production systems. The model can also be used to predict the odor load for existing production systems and how a change in odor control technologies will impact the odor load in the community. The model developed can handle up to 20 swine production sources with up to 100 receptors in a community of any size. The model incorporates historical average local weather data, coordinate locations of all sources and receptors, source production arrangement, and any odor reducing technologies incorporated. Much attention is being given in the United States to ambient concentrations of odor, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia. A procedure was developed to quantity the ambient concentration levels of odor, hydrogen sulfide, and ammonia gases, and the influence of atmospheric stability on downwind concentrations. Under this project, two automated downwind sampling systems for capturing static field samples for evaluation in the laboratory were developed. The samplers included methods for assessing downwind area sources measurements and the resulting downwind dispersion as affected by atmospheric stability. In another project, six deep bedded swine finishing production sites were surveyed for hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and odor concentrations, each site was observed four different times with readings 6 times over a 36-hour period. Hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and odor were measured at the building edge and downwind 100 ft. Hydrogen sulfide and ammonia were measured 500 feet downwind. The site averages for hydrogen sulfide were found to range from 25 to 228 ppb at the building edge, 2 to 11 ppb 100 feet downwind and 4 to 8 ppb 500 feet downwind. Ammonia site averages were found to range from 2 to 11 ppm at the building edge, undetectable to 3 ppm downwind 100 feet and undetectable at 500 ft. Odor threshold site averages ranged from 130 to 580 at the building and 80 to 500 at a point 100 feet from the building. Single point hydrogen sulfide monitors were used 100 feet from the building at the four compass points. Analyzing this data by separating it by atmospheric stability classes did not appear to indicate a trend. Another study reports on 16 months of data collected at a large swine facility in the midwest. The control technology for the lagoon was an impermeable cover compared to a mature anaerobic lagoon and the effects on the atmosphere in the barn. The second technology was in spraying a chemical mist in the barn every 10 minutes. The odor detection threshold (ODT) was measured on the lagoons, downwind, and in the barns. Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide was measured at the lagoon and downwind. The odor in the barn from flushing with the effluent was higher. The results of the study showed that the odor emission from the permeable covered lagoon system, including odors from the barn, was approximately 40 percent of the uncovered.

Impacts
The impact of the research is very important to the livestock producers and neighbors. The model provides for the assessment of adding livestock facilities in a community. It is important to be able to assess the impact prior to adding the livestock facility. The model will also allow for evaluating mitigation technologies to determine the cost effectiveness prior to putting the technology in place. Low cost sampling methods were developed which makes the assessment of low levels of odorous gases possible. This allows for more monitoring to be feasible for producers to evaluate their management systems. Covers on swine lagoons were evaluated to determine the overall effectiveness of covers. This included the impact on the change of building odors when being flushed with effluent from beneath the cover. The study shows that the increase in odors from covered effluent must be taken into account in overall mitigation strategies.

Publications

• Jacobson, L.D., A.J. Heber, Y. Zhang, J. Sweeten, J., Kozie, S.J. Hoff, D.S. Bundy, D.B. Beasley, G.R. Baughman. 2003 Air Pollutant Emissions from Confined Animal Buildings in the U.S. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.
• Stout, V., T.L. Richard, A. Singh, S.J. Hoff, P.Dixon, J. Harmon, D.S. Bundy. 2003. Variability in Greenhouse Gas Emission Measurements Using the Tracer Gas Technique. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.
• Schauberger, G., A.J. Heber, T.T. Lim, J.-Q. Ni, D.S. Bundy, B.L. Haymore, C.A. Diehl, R.K. Duggirala. 2003. Simple Odour Release Model for Swine Finishing Houses. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.
• Hoff S. J., D. S. Bundy. 2003. Modeling Odor Dispersion from Multiple Sources to Multiple Receptors. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.
• Hoff, S.J. D.S. Bundy. 2003. Automated Downwind Sampling for Analyzing Gas Dispersion from Livestock Systems. Technique. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.
• J.D. Harmon, D.S. Bundy, T.K. Richard, S.J. Hoff , A. Beatty. 2003. Survey Monitoring of Environmental Factors from Bedded Swine Systems. 2003. International Symposium on GASEOUS AND ODOUR EMISSIONS FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTION FACILITIES. Scandic Hotel Bygholm Park. Horsens 1-4, June 2003. CIGR.

Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02

Outputs
The objectives are to refine the method to quantify odors, and develop methods to reduce odors from livestock systems. One study utilizes two swine sites in close proximity that are managed by the same personnel. Each site has 8,000 finisher pigs with anaerobic lagoons at each site. One of the sites has a conventional anaerobic single stage lagoon. The second lagoon is covered with an impermeable cover. Both lagoons have similar volumes and surface areas. Flux chambers are used to determine the odor emissions from each of the lagoons. Analytical chemical analysis of the liquid effluent from both lagoons is made to determine the change caused by covering the lagoon. The sampling is done on a monthly basis during the winter and bi-monthly basis during the summer. The swine finishing buildings are flushed on a three-hour basis with effluent from the lagoons. Odor measurements are made from a building flushed with effluent from the covered lagoon and the uncovered lagoon. The buildings are 1,000-head finishers. The total odor emissions (OU) from the lagoons are estimated by the flux chamber. The ventilation rates from the buildings are determined based upon the continuous monitoring of the fans multiplied by the odor detection threshold (ODT) to determine the odor emissions from the buildings. Presently, the flux chambers are being replaced by a portable vertical tower equipped with anemometers and sampling tubes for the second-year study. The sampling and wind speeds are being measured at 3 ft, 10 ft, 20, ft and 30 ft above the berm surface on a bi-monthly basis. This is being done to determine if a more accurate method of evaluating emissions can be obtained. A weather station measuring wind speed, wind direction, solar radiation, temperature, and humidity is operating continuously which is a part of evaluating total emissions from the lagoon. Another project is continuously monitoring ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulates, carbon dioxide continuously from two 1,000 head deep-pit tunnel-ventilated swine finisher buildings. These data are being collected for 15 continuous months. Another project is measuring the odor emissions downwind from the two deep pit buildings for validating a community assessment model for siting livestock facilities. Swine lagoons in Colorado are required to be evaluated for odor emissions as a performance standard. All of the samples for evaluation of lagoon performance are being analyzed at the Iowa State University Olfactometry Laboratory for compliance. The evaluation has shown that this is a good technique to determine if the lagoons are mature and functioning properly. Others studies are evaluating dietary ingredients on manure characteristics and odor reduction with swine. Analytical techniques are also being studied for the replacement of sensory techniques for evaluating odors. Odor samples are being collected from high rise and belt layer houses.

Impacts
The projects described will help set criteria for performance standards for the livestock industry. Odor is considered the most important air quality issue the livestock industry. Secondly, the potential health effect of the neighbors living in the community of livestock facilities also generates some concern. These projects will help to identify the facts relating to the impact of air emissions generated from livestock facilities.

Publications

• Powers WJ and LA Flatow. 2002. Effects of flocculent and flocculation rates on solids and phosphorus precipitation in dilute swine manure. Appl. Engng. Agric. 18(5):609-614.
• Gralapp AK, WJ Powers, MA Faust and DS Bundy. 2002. Effects of dietary ingredients on manure characteristics and odorous emissions from swine. J. Anim. Sci. 80(6):1512-1519.
• Van Kempem TATG, WJ Powers and A Sutton. 2002. Technical note: Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as an optical nose for predicting odor sensation. J. Anim. Sci. 80(6):1524-1527.