Progress 07/27/16 to 07/05/21

Outputs
PROGRESS REPORT Objectives (from AD-416): 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 ⿿Quick Wash⿝ 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. Approach (from AD-416): New management practices and treatment technologies are required to help the nation⿿s crop and animal producers meet increasing economic and environmental challenges. These challenges include increasing soil productivity and health, as well as reducing unwanted atmospheric emissions, excessive nutrients, pathogens, and odors while concomitantly improving the affordability of animal waste treatment. To solve these challenges this research will pursue three complementary objectives. First, improved tillage and biomass management practices will be developed to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity for Southeastern Coastal Plain soils. Long-term conservation tillage and crop management practices, including stover management and cover crops, will be evaluated to enhance soil productivity and limit the impact of climate change while enhancing nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Second, new manure treatment and handling technologies will be developed to improve soil health and water quality; to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, odors, ammonia, and pathogens; and to maximize nutrient recovery. These technologies include: recovery of ammonia from manure using gas permeable membranes, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment via deammonification, biochar systems engineered to reduce odor, and new and improved methods of recovering phosphorus from manure. This research project will include covered anaerobic lagoons, thermal treatment, and acidification as technologies to reduce or destroy manure pathogens prior to land application. Third, we will develop beneficial uses for byproducts of manure treatments. This includes the use of biochars and hydrochars byproducts as soil amendments to improve physical and chemical properties, and as a fertilizer source for crop production. Research methods include laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale experiments using modern analytical equipment. Research products will advance the state of the science for more effective conservation and management of soil resources, innovative animal waste treatment technologies as environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land application, and guidelines for beneficial byproduct utilization. Nationwide livestock producers, as well as Southeastern crop producers, will benefit from the findings of this research. This project reached its term date and it was continued through a bridging project pending the completion review and implementation of the Location⿿s new 212 National Program Project. The results from this project advanced the state of the science for improved tillage and biomass management practices to improve soil health and agricultural productivity, animal waste treatment technologies, and beneficial uses of manure byproducts. The research of this project has been reported in 71 peer reviewed articles, 4 book chapters, and 5 U.S. Patents. Project summary report: 1) Develop and test improved tillage and biomass management practices to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity in the Southeastern Coastal Plain -Conservation tillage was documented to rebuild surface soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) contents. In sandy Coastal Plains top-soils, long-term (37 years) conservation tillage promoted a significant increase of 23 and 16% (24.7 and 2.3 Mg ha-1) of SOC and total N contents, respectively, compared to topsoil values under conventional tillage (20. 0 and 2.0 Mg ha-1). We showed that the accumulation of SOC eventually reaches a saturation point where adding more crop residue doesn⿿t correspond to a joint increase in SOC. 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. -Novel anammox bacterium isolate for purification and recycling wastewater: A novel anammox bacterium isolate Brocadia caroliniensis (NRRL B-50286) was discovered using manures that thrives in high-ammonia environments. The anaerobic ammonium oxidation process (anammox) converts ammonia (NH3) and nitrite to dinitrogen gas under anaerobic conditions and provides a more energy-efficient alternative to conventional N removal systems. -Recovery of NH3 from wastes using gas-permeable membranes: A new technology was invented to recover gaseous ammonia from wastes using gas permeable membranes. The new process includes the passive passage of NH3 through micro-porous hydrophobic membranes and subsequent concentration in a clear fertilizer solution. The technology can be applied to N capture from liquid manure and N capture inside the barns. -Production of high-grade phosphates from animal effluents. New technologies were invented allowing separation and concentration of phosphorus (P) from animal effluents. It eliminates carbonate and NH3 buffers using biological means (nitrification with high performance nitrifying bacteria) or using physical means (gas-permeable membranes), yielding very-high phosphate grade products. -Innovative manure treatment reduces nutrient pollution and creates commercial products. Excess P found in manure applied as crop fertilizer can contaminate rivers, lakes, and bays through runoff. Researchers in ARS Florence, South Carolina, developed a new biorefinery process that recovers value-added P, proteins, amino acids, and leftover solids from manures. The process is more efficient by combining manure with wastes that contain sugars as acid precursors. -Recovery of calcium phosphates from swine lagoon sludge. The Quick Wash (QW) process developed by scientists at ARS Florence, South Carolina, uses a novel combination of acid, base, and organic polyelectrolytes to selectively extract and recover P from solid wastes. The QW process was combined with a geotextile bag dewatering in a system to extract and recover P from swine lagoon sludges. Products obtained had higher concentrations of P (33.2 to 35.5 % P2O5) than rock phosphate. -A vegetative environmental buffer (VEB) surrounding a broiler house removed 22% of NH3 emission and reduced downwind concentration due to dispersion. The NH3 removal by the VEB was estimated by the difference between the NH3 emission rates before and after the VEB using a backward Lagrangean stochastic inverse dispersion technique. -A commercial biochar made from pine chips was evaluated for its efficacy of removing malodor compounds and hydrogen sulfide using a pilot-scale biochar odor removal system (PSBORS) by placing it in a nursery pen continually treating the indoor air for 21 days. The results showed that the biochar was effective to reduce the concentration of hydrogen sulfide and all odorous compounds in the PSBORS effluent below their detection limits except for acetic acid. - Developed and tested hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) methods to determine pathogen antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) removal from livestock mortality. Treatment conditions at temperatures between 150 and 200 degrees centigrade, at autogenic pressure, and times as short as 30 minutes resulted in complete pathogen kill and total removal of ARGs. -Development of an agriculturally focused new collection of Escherichia coli. ARS researchers assembled a publicly available collection (AgEc) that covers the four major animal production commodities ⿿ beef, dairy, poultry, and swine. This collection was the result of a collaborative effort that included researchers from ARS Florence and eight other ARS research units and covering 12 states. -Experimental data on constructed instream wetlands (ISWs) was used to model the large-scale impact of their implementation on water quality. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to model nitrate export in a highly agricultural watershed located in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina. The results indicated that a watershed-wide implementation of ISWs is likely to reduce annual nitrate export by 49%. Implementation of ISWs on selected sub-basins can mitigate nitrate-N from non-point sources and enhance water quality in the watershed⿿s stream network. 3) Develop beneficial uses of agricultural, industrial, and municipal byproducts, including manure. -Engineered biochars were created to target specific soil deficiencies and their ability to improve corn (Zea mays L.) grain yields, soil fertility contents, soil microbial characteristics and enzymatic-mediated nutrient turnover processes. Although these engineered biochars enhanced nutrient uptake by corn stover, no grain yield or biomass improvement occurred. - Application of biochar to soil has emerged as an effective management strategy for sequestering carbon (C) in soils, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving soil quality. A four-year field study was conducted to evaluate the changes in the C sequestration and C losses in highly weathered soils with one-time application of biochars under corn production. The average concentration of SOC and sequestered C increased by about 50% in highly weathered soils treated with biochar application when compared with the untreated control. - Municipal and agricultural waste byproducts were pyrolyzed to produce designer biochars possessing specific chemical characteristics targeting phytotoxic conditions at two USEPA superfund sites. Engineered biochars improved soil plant relationships by reducing heavy metal concentrations, raising soil pH and organic matter levels for improved plant phyto- stabilization. ACCOMPLISHMENTS 01 Biochar amendment improves soil health and revegetation in mining- impacted soils. The ongoing cleanup and remediation of the Oronogo- Duenweg Mining Belt area in Missouri, with most of the land privately owned, consists of removing and disposing of all heavy metal- contaminated soil materials. The cleanup process removed the soil's top layers, leaving a barren landscape with the soil's parent material exposed and no vegetation cover. Such undesirable terrain dissuaded landowners against costly but necessary remediation efforts to reduce the environmental impact of lead, zinc, and cadmium contamination. Therefore, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) established an inter-agency agreement with ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, to investigate the use of biochar and compost as soil amendments to improve landscape restoration and management of revegetation of the mine-impacted soils. ARS researchers at Florence, South Carolina, developed and utilized an engineered blend of manure- based biochar and compost effective for binding residual heavy metals. The management practice of applying this engineered soil amendment improved the heavy metal-contaminated soils' physical, chemical, and biological properties, increasing soil health and fertility. This research showed that using the engineered biochar-compost blend to treat mine-impacted soils allowed the growth of prairie grasses in vegetation covers. This management practice provides USEPA with an additional tool to assist private landholders in restoring and revegetating mining-impacted land. 02 Enhancement of biogas production with ammonia recovery. Among the alternatives for improving manure management, anaerobic digestion and biogas production is considered a solution. However, the high ammonia concentration in manure reduces the potential production of biogas due to ammonia inhibition of the microorganisms (methanogens). ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, applied a new technology that separates ammonia from wastes with gas-permeable membranes to evaluate if the ammonia capture could improve biogas production from swine manure. Results showed that, by coupling the ammonia recovery technology with anaerobic digestion, the methane yield increased up to 28 % compared to a control treatment without ammonia recovery. In addition, the percentages of methane in biogas were higher. Therefore, the new treatment configuration enhances the quantity and quality of the biogas produced from manure and recovers ammonia nitrogen in a marketable ammonium salt. 03 Use of plastic mulch waste and animal manure to detoxify contaminated soils. Due to the lack of reuse of plastic mulch film (PMF) in agricultural production, recycling technologies are needed to avoid the wasteful, expensive, and environmentally unsustainable accumulation of plastic debris in landfills and natural ecosystems. ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, converted blends of PMF waste and animal manure into energy and a solid byproduct called ⿿plastichar⿝ via the thermal process of pyrolysis. The potential use of plastichar to treat pesticide-contaminated soil included plastichar⿿s enzymatic activation by soil incubation with earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris). The earthworms acted as biological vectors to facilitate the retention of enzymes onto the plastichar surface. Results revealed that plastichar- treated soils increased soil enzyme activity compared to plastichar- free soils, with the highest enzyme activity in the presence of earthworms. Because plastichar did not have lethal effects on earthworms, this finding strongly suggests the potential use of plastichar in tandem with earthworms to detoxify pesticide-contaminated soils.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Molinuevo-Salces, B., Riano, B., Vanotti, M.B., Hernandez-Gonzalez, D., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C. 2020. Pilot-scale demonstration of membrane-based nitrogen recovery from swine manure. Membranes 2020. 10(10):270. https:// doi.org/10.3390/membranes10100270.
• Ro, K.S., Szogi, A.A., Sigua, G.C. 2020. Editorial to special issue "Innovative animal manure management for environmental protection, improved soil fertility and crop production." In: Ro. K.S., Szogi, A.A., Sigua, G.C., editors. Innovative animal manure management for environmental protection, improved soil fertility and crop production. Switzerland: MDPI Books. p. ix-xi.
• Ye, R., Parajuli, B., Szogi, A.A., Sigua, G.C., Ducey, T.F. 2021. Soil Health Assessment after 40 Years of Conservation and Conventional Tillage Management in Southeastern Coastal Plain Soils . Soil Science Society of America Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20246.
• Sanchez-Hernandez, Juan C., Ro, Kyoung S., Szogi, Ariel A., Chang, Sechin, Park, Bosoon. 2021. Earthworms increase the potential for enzymatic bio- activation of biochars made from co-pyrolyzing animal manures and plastic wastes. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat. 2020.124405.
• Ro, K.S., Libra, J.A., Alvarez-Murillo, A. 2020. Comparative studies on water- and vapor-based hydrothermal carbonization: Process analysis. Energies [MDPI]. https://doi.org/10.3390/en13215733.
• Szogi, A.A., Takata, V.H., Shumaker, P.D. 2020. Chemical extraction of phosphorus from dairy manure and utilization of recovered manure solids. Agronomy [MDPI]. 10(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111725.
• Novak, J.M., Frederick, J.R., Watts, D.W., Ducey, T.F., Karlen, D.L. 2021. Corn stover removal responses on soil test P and K levels in Coastal Plain Ultisols. Sustainability. 13:4401. https://doi.org//10.3390/su13084401.
• Cerven, V., Novak, J.M., Szogi, A.A., Pantuck, K., Watts, D.W., Johnson, M. G. 2021. The occurrence of legacy P soils and potential mitigation practices using activated biochars. Agronomy. 11:1289. https://doi.org/10. 3390/agronomy11071289.
• Hollas, C.E., Bolsan, A.C., Venturin, B., Bonassa, G., Tapparo, D.C., Candido, D., Antes, F.G., Vanotti, M.B., Szogi, A.A., Kunz, A. 2021. Second-generation phosphorus: recovery from wastes towards the sustainability of production chains. Sustainability. 2021(13):5919. https:/ /doi.org/10.3390/su13115919.
• Parajuli, B., Ye, R., Luo, M., Ducey, T.F., Park, D., Smith, M., Sigua, G. C. 2021. Contrasting carbon and nitrogen responses to tillage at different soil depths: An observation after 40-year of tillage management. Soil Science Society of America Journal. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20277.
• Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Sigua, G.C., Ducey, T.F. 2021. Corn grain and stover nutrient uptake responses from sandy soil treated with designer biochars and compost. Agronomy. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050942.
• Trippe, K.M., Manning, V., Reardon, C.L., Klein, A.M., Weidman, C.S., Ducey, T.F., Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Rushmiller, H.C., Spokas, K.A., Ippolito, J.A., Johnson, M.G. 2021. Phytostabilization of acidic mine tailings with biochar, biosolids, lime, and locally-sourced microbial inoculum: Do amendment mixtures influence plant growth, tailing chemistry, and microbial composition? Applied Soil Ecology. 165. Article 103962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsoil.2021.103962.
• Hwang, O., Scoggin, K.D., Andersen, D., Ro, K.S., Trabue, S.L. 2021. Swine manure dilution with lagoon effluent impact on odor reduction and manure digestion. Journal of Environmental Quality. 50(2):336-349. https://doi. org/10.1002/jeq2.20197.
• Parajuli, B., Luo, M., Ye, R., Ducey, T.F., Park, D., Smith, M., Sigua, G. C. 2021. Aggregate distribution and the associated carbon in Norfolk soils under long-term conservation tillage and short-term cover cropping. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. https://doi.org/10.1080/ 00103624.2020.1869769.
• Ippolito, J.A., Cui, L., Kammann, C., Wrage-Monnig, N., Estavillo, J.M., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Cayuela, M., Sigua, G.C., Novak, J.M., Spokas, K.A. , Borchard, N. 2020. Feedstock choice, pyrolysis temperature and type influence biochar characteristics: a comprehensive meta-data analysis review. Biochar. 2:421-438. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-020-00067-x.
• Ippolito, J.A., Ducey, T.F., Diaz, K., Barbarick, K.A. 2021. Long-term biosolids land application influences soil health. Science of the Total Environment. 791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148344.
• Ducey, T.F., Novak, J.M., Sigua, G.C., Ippolito, J.A., Rushmiller, H.C., Watts, D.W., Trippe, K.M., Spokas, K.A., Stone, K.C., Johnson, M.G. 2021. Microbial response to designer biochar and compost treatments for mining impacted soils. Biochar. 3:299-314. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42773-021- 00093-3.
• Ibekwe, A.M., Durso, L.M., Ducey, T.F., Oladeinde, A., Jackson, C.R., Frye, J.G., Dungan, R.S., Moorman, T.B., Brooks, J.P., Obayiuwana, A., Karathia, H., Fanelli, B., Hasan, N.A. 2021. Diversity of plasmids and genes encoding resistance to extended-spectrum ÿ-Lactamase in Escherichia coli from different animal sources. Microorganisms. 9(5). Article 1057. https:// doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms9051057.
• Gaffar, S., Dattamudi, S., Baboukani, A.R., Chanda, S., Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Wang, C., Jayachandran, K. 2021. Physiochemical characterization of biochars from six feedstocks and their effects on the sorption of atrazine in an organic soil. Agronomy. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11040716.
• Phuong Pham, T.T., Ro, K.S., Chen, L., Mahajan, D., Siang, T., Ashik, U., Hayashi, J., Minh, D., Vo, D.N. 2020. Microwave-assisted dry reforming of methane for syngas production: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01055-0.
• Gonzalez-Garcia, I., Riano, B., Molinuevo-Salces, B., Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M. 2021. Improved anaerobic digestion of swine manure by simultaneous ammonia recovery using gas-permeable membranes. Water Research. 190. Article #116789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2020. 116789.
• Soto-Herranz, M., Sanchez-Bascones, M., Antolin-Rodriguez, J., Vanotti, M. B., Martin-Ramos, P. 2021. Effect of acid flow rate, membrane surface area, and capture solution on the effectiveness of suspended GPM systems to recover ammonia. Membranes [MDPI]. ll(7):538. https://doi.org/10.3390/ membranes11070538.

Progress 10/01/19 to 09/30/20

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 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 ⿿Quick Wash⿝ 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. Approach (from AD-416): New management practices and treatment technologies are required to help the nation⿿s crop and animal producers meet increasing economic and environmental challenges. These challenges include increasing soil productivity and health, as well as reducing unwanted atmospheric emissions, excessive nutrients, pathogens, and odors while concomitantly improving the affordability of animal waste treatment. To solve these challenges this research will pursue three complementary objectives. First, improved tillage and biomass management practices will be developed to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity for Southeastern Coastal Plain soils. Long-term conservation tillage and crop management practices, including stover management and cover crops, will be evaluated to enhance soil productivity and limit the impact of climate change while enhancing nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Second, new manure treatment and handling technologies will be developed to improve soil health and water quality; to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, odors, ammonia, and pathogens; and to maximize nutrient recovery. These technologies include: recovery of ammonia from manure using gas permeable membranes, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment via deammonification, biochar systems engineered to reduce odor, and new and improved methods of recovering phosphorus from manure. This research project will include covered anaerobic lagoons, thermal treatment, and acidification as technologies to reduce or destroy manure pathogens prior to land application. Third, we will develop beneficial uses for byproducts of manure treatments. This includes the use of biochars and hydrochars byproducts as soil amendments to improve physical and chemical properties, and as a fertilizer source for crop production. Research methods include laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale experiments using modern analytical equipment. Research products will advance the state of the science for more effective conservation and management of soil resources, innovative animal waste treatment technologies as environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land application, and guidelines for beneficial byproduct utilization. Nationwide livestock producers, as well as Southeastern crop producers, will benefit from the findings of this research. A field experiment continues on its 42nd year with the goal to assess long-term impacts of tillage (conservation vs. conventional) operations and crop management (row crop vs. cover crops) on carbon dioxide production, soil organic carbon sequestration, and nutrient cycling (nitrogen, phosphorus), crop yields, biomass production, and soil microbial activity. Two publications in leading scientific journals included the analysis of data collected in this long-term field study. (Obj. 1). In conjunction with co-operator at the Agricultural Technological Institute of Castilla and Leon (Spain), experiments were conducted at pilot scale to investigate the recovery of ammonia from digestate effluent of an anaerobic digester using gas-permeable membranes. (Obj. 2a) . Initiated a laboratory study on deammonification in soils using anammox and nitrifying bacteria to increase the capacity of spray-fields to remove ammonia from liquid manure applications. The study included two soils mixed with various inert media, which was previously inoculated with anammox bacteria. Preliminary studies were done to assess the proportion of anammox and nitrifiers that produces deammonification reaction in soils using swine wastewater. A related project was approved by Office of Technology Transfer Innovation Funds to cooperate with researcher at ARS Fayetteville, Arkansas, to further develop the technology with poultry waste and soil columns. (Obj 2b). Analyzed organic and inorganic components of liquid acid extracts for phosphorus recovery trials after self-acidification of manure solids. Research is ongoing for the recovery of P from the acid extracts. (Obj. 2c). A study of the efficacy of covered anaerobic lagoons to reduce pathogen loads was published. In addition, isolates collected from additional anaerobic swine lagoons from the same region were analyzed to determine antimicrobial resistance prevalence. The results were published in a leading scientific journal. Research is ongoing to test the potential for acidification of manure to reduce pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes in swine waste. (Obj 2d). The effectiveness of a pilot-scale biochar odor removal system was evaluated in collaboration with the ARS Clay Center, Nebraska, in a research swine barn. Post-processing of field emission data collected from a swine farm with covered lagoons in North Carolina is being performed. (Obj. 2e). Watershed-scale scenarios of instream wetlands implementation for nitrate-N removal were modeled using SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) , and the results were published in a scientific journal. An additional study of soil nitrate-N dynamics under corn production in the Coastal Plain sandy soils was modeled using RZWQM and published in a scientific journal. Initiated data mining to model the impact of manure treatment systems on water quality using APEX. (Obj. 2f). Completed a 5-year field experiment to assess the impact of designer biochars with customized properties (i.e., higher pH, and more potassium and phosphorus content) to bolster corn yields, biomass production, water use efficiency, and basic soil fertility conditions in sandy soils. Results published in a scientific journal showed improvement in soil fertility conditions and water use efficiency, but there was no significant impact on corn grain or biomass yields. Results from soil organic carbon mineralization as carbon dioxide production along with soil microbial and enzymatic activity are being interpreted for a scientific journal publication. (Obj. 3a). A field experiment entered its 3rd year of evaluation of the impact of soil amendments on improving plant growth in mine spoil at the Formosa Mine site in Riddle, Oregon. Douglas Fir trees and native forbes and grasses were planted over a 1-hectare area. Spoil chemical, trees, forbes, and grass growth characteristics examined annually showed that plant growth greatly improved as result of installing a perimeter fence to minimize deer grazing. The field experiment continues for two more years and results will be published in a scientific journal, and EPA technical manual for remediating mine spoils. (Obj. 3a). Published two scientific articles to show that biochar and a compost blend added to soil containing phytotoxic heavy metals from the Tri-State Mine were capable of reducing their phytotoxic impact on corn and switchgrass growth. Statistical analyses showed a significant relationship between application rate and biochar pH values with concentrations of extractable heavy metals. This relationship highlights the importance of applying biochars with specific characteristics to reduce phytotoxic effects of heavy metals in soils. (Obj. 3b). Completed greenhouse study conducted to evaluate soil and plant response to selected raw wastes and quick wash treated byproducts (low-phosphorus swine manure, poultry litter, dairy manure and biosolids) applied at four nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg/ha). One journal scientific article was published on nitrogen mineralization in a sandy soil amended with treated low-phosphorus broiler litter. (Obj. 3c). A U.S. Patent (No 10,70,937 B2, July 15, 2020) was awarded for a new biorefinery process developed by ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, that recovers phosphorus, proteins, amino acids and leftover solids from manures using fruit wastes. Accomplishments 01 Conservation tillage rebuilds surface soil organic carbon and nitrogen contents. Conservation tillage is an effective management strategy to rebuild soil organic carbon and total nitrogen levels. However, there are few long-term studies available to quantify either the rate of change or measurable benefits. ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, created a long-term tillage and crop management experiment using sandy soils. Topsoil samples were collected annually over 37 years under conservation and conventional tillage, and organic carbon and total nitrogen contents were measured. Topsoil under conservation tillage had a significant increase of 23 and 16% (24.7 and 2.3 Mg/ha) of organic carbon and total nitrogen contents, respectively, compared to topsoil values under conventional tillage (20.0 and 2.0 Mg/ha). An additional significant finding was that the soils under both tillage systems have reached their maximum capacity to store organic carbon. These unique results obtained over nearly four decades of field research will help landowners and greenhouse gas technical assistance providers to determine the climate value and amount of carbon credits from implementing conservation tillage practices under new USDA carbon credit programs. 02 Development of an agriculturally focused new collection of E. coli. Escherichia coli is one of the bacteria most commonly isolated from both humans and animals. Although most E. coli found in all phases of animal production are harmless, the organism can serve as a reservoir for antibiotic resistances that may be transferred to animal or human pathogens. This antibiotic resistance is a significant concern for the health of producers, their animals, and the public at large. Most collections focus on human health but very few E. coli collections represent the genetic variability and virulence of those affecting United States⿿ food animal production. Therefore, ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, assembled a publicly available collection (AgEc) that covers the four major animal production commodities ⿿ beef, dairy, poultry, and swine. This important development was the result of a collaborative effort of ARS researchers from nine research units and covered 12 states. The collection includes 300 isolates of E. coli. ARS researchers tested the collection for resistance genes to two common antibiotics ⿿ tetracycline and sulfonamide. They found 131 E. coli isolates with resistance genes for tetracycline, 41 isolates with resistance genes to sulfonamide, and a considerable overlap between the 2 antibiotic-resistant gene groups. Further analysis of antibiotic resistance gene patterns revealed significant differences along commodity and geographical lines. This effort ⿿ and its outcome (AgEc) ⿿ provides a new publicly available database useful to producers, as well as food- and animal- inspection communities about the types and distribution of E. coli antibiotic resistance in animal production farms.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Olszyk, D., Shiroyama, T., Novak, J.M., Cantrell, K., Sigua, G.C., Watts, D.W., Johnson, M.G. 2020. Biochar affects essential elements of carrot taproots and lettuce leaves. Horticultural Science. 55(2):261-271.
• Ro, K.S., Dietenberger, M.A., Libra, J.A., Proeschel, R., Atiyeh, H.K., Sahoo, K., Park, W.J. 2019. Production of ethanol from livestock, agricultural, and forest residuals: an economic feasibility study. Environments [MDPI]. 6(8):97.
• Ye, R., Parajuli, B., Ducey, T.F., Novak, J.M., Bauer, P.J., Szogi, A.A. 2020. Cover cropping increased phosphorus stocks in surface sandy Ultisols under long-term conservation and conventional tillage. Agronomy Journal. 112(4):3163-3173.
• Ducey, T.F., Durso, L.M., Ibekwe, A.M., Dungan, R.S., Jackson, C.R., Frye, J.G., Castleberry, B., Rashash, D.M., Rothrock Jr, M.J., Boykin, D.L., Whitehead, T.R., Ramos, Z.D., McManus, M.N., Cook, K.L. 2020. A newly developed Escherichia coli isolate panel from a cross section of U.S. animal production systems reveals geographic and commodity-based differences in antibiotic resistance gene carriage. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 382.
• Sanchez-Hernandez, J.C., Capowiez, Y., Ro, K.S. 2020. Potential use of earthworms to enhance decaying of biodegradable plastics. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. 8(11):4292-4316. Available: https://pubs.acs.org/ doi/pdf/10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b05450.
• Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Bauer, P.J., Karlen, D.L., Hunt, P.G., Mishra, U. 2020. Loamy sand soil approaches organic carbon saturation after 37 years of conservation tillage. Agronomy Journal. 112:3152-6162.
• Sigua, G.C., Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Myers Jr, W.T., Ducey, T.F., Stone, K.C. 2020. Urease activity and nitrogen dynamics in highly weathered soils with designer biochars under corn cultivation. Biochar Journal.
• Ducey, T.F., Rashash, D., Szogi, A.A. 2019. Differences in microbial communities and pathogen survival between a covered and uncovered anaerobic lagoon. Environments [MDPI]. 6(8).
• Szogi, A.A., Shumaker, P.D., Ro, K.S., Sigua, G.C. 2019. Nitrogen mineralization in a sandy soil amended with treated low-phosphorus broiler litter. Environments [MDPI]. 6(8):96.
• Sohoulande Djebou, D.C., Szogi, A.A., Stone, K.C., Novak, J.M. 2020. Watershed scale nitrate-N abatement of instream wetlands: An appraisal using the soil and water assessment tool. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 36(3):387-397.
• Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C., Szogi, A.A., Harrison, J.H., Smith, W.B., Moral, R. 2020. Removing and recovering nitrogen and phosphorus from animal manure. In: Waldrip, H.M., Pagliari, P.H., He, Z., editors. Animal Manure: Production, Characteristics, Environmental Concerns, and Management. p. 275-321.American Society of Agronomy Special Publication.
• Sohoulande Djebou, D.C., Ma, L., Szogi, A.A., Sigua, G.C., Stone, K.C., Malone, R.W. 2020. Evaluating nitrogen management for corn production with supplemental irrigation on sandy soils of the Southeastern Coastal Plain region of the United States. Transactions of the ASABE. 63(3):731-740.
• Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C., Molinuevo-Salces, B., Riano, B. 2019. New processes for nutrient recovery from wastes. Lausanne: Frontiers Media SA. 601 p. ISBN 1664-8714; ISBN 978-2-88963-219-0.
• Ro, K.S., Szogi, A.A., Sigua, G.C. 2020. Innovative animal manure management for environmental protection, improved soil fertility and crop production. Environments. Switzerland: MDI Books. 164 p.

Progress 10/01/18 to 09/30/19

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 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 ⿿Quick Wash⿝ 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. Approach (from AD-416): New management practices and treatment technologies are required to help the nation⿿s crop and animal producers meet increasing economic and environmental challenges. These challenges include increasing soil productivity and health, as well as reducing unwanted atmospheric emissions, excessive nutrients, pathogens, and odors while concomitantly improving the affordability of animal waste treatment. To solve these challenges this research will pursue three complementary objectives. First, improved tillage and biomass management practices will be developed to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity for Southeastern Coastal Plain soils. Long-term conservation tillage and crop management practices, including stover management and cover crops, will be evaluated to enhance soil productivity and limit the impact of climate change while enhancing nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Second, new manure treatment and handling technologies will be developed to improve soil health and water quality; to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, odors, ammonia, and pathogens; and to maximize nutrient recovery. These technologies include: recovery of ammonia from manure using gas permeable membranes, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment via deammonification, biochar systems engineered to reduce odor, and new and improved methods of recovering phosphorus from manure. This research project will include covered anaerobic lagoons, thermal treatment, and acidification as technologies to reduce or destroy manure pathogens prior to land application. Third, we will develop beneficial uses for byproducts of manure treatments. This includes the use of biochars and hydrochars byproducts as soil amendments to improve physical and chemical properties, and as a fertilizer source for crop production. Research methods include laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale experiments using modern analytical equipment. Research products will advance the state of the science for more effective conservation and management of soil resources, innovative animal waste treatment technologies as environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land application, and guidelines for beneficial byproduct utilization. Nationwide livestock producers, as well as Southeastern crop producers, will benefit from the findings of this research. Field experiments are on-going to assess long-term (40 yrs) impacts of tillage (conservation vs. conventional) operations and crop management (row crop vs. cover crop) scenarios on carbon dioxide production, soil organic carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, crop yields, and soil microbial community/enzymatic activity. Results from crop yields and soil chemical characteristics have been synthesized and interpreted for preparation of a scientific manuscript. In conjunction with co-operator from ITACyL, Spain, experiments were conducted to investigate the recovery of ammonia from raw swine manure using gas permeable membranes in an on-farm pilot plant. The experiments looked at the effect of wastewater temperatures on the efficiency of the N recovery process. In cooperation with a small company based in Hampton, Virginia, investigated activity of ARS-developed anammox bacteria Brocadia caroliniensis in various scaffold media used to treat space wastewater in a two-step process in a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project. The first step used the Comandr module of Texas Tech University. The second step used USDA⿿s anammox process. The combined process exceeded Phase I project expectations. A NASA SBIR Phase II project was approved to develop a working prototype for space exploration. In cooperation with a small company in Hampton, Virginia, investigated activity of ARS-developed high performance nitrifiers (HPNS) for use in odor capping and ammonia control of swine lagoons in a USDA SBIR Phase I project. The project used pilot tests with a top aerobic layer along floating modules containing HPNS that effectively reduced odor and ammonia emissions from swine lagoon wastewater. A full-scale system is being planned for testing in Fall 2019. Completed batch treatment laboratory experiments on self-acidification of manure using selected rates of molasses and starch. Validated procedures for elimination of pathogens and ARGs from animal carcasses using HTC and pyrolysis treatment methods. Completed the bench-scale biochar sorption experiments for odorous chemicals from swine manures. Constructed a pilot-scale biochar odor removal system. Completed the second year of field measurements of ammonia and methane emission rates from a farm with covered swine lagoons. Initiated calibration and validation databases for USDA⿿s Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM) models using already existing Center⿿s soil, water, plant production, and manure databases. Results from a 3-year field-scale corn production experiment using biochars and compost blends as soil amendments were published in a scientific journal. There was no impact of these soil amendments on corn grain yields and biomass production. Further investigations are assessing biochars impact on soil profile carbon sequestration and carbon mineralization by collecting and measuring field carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, results from soil amendments impact on corn nitrogen uptake efficiency, corn physiology, and soil microbial enzyme production are being synthesized and interpreted. In cooperation with the USEPA, an amendment blend consisting of a gasified hardwood biochar, lime and biosolids was developed for spoil remediation at the Formosa mine site in Riddle, Oregon. Douglas Fir trees and native grasses were planted in grid patterns and small test plots following application of these amendments. Fir tree and grass growth along with spoil chemical characteristics are examined semi-annually to ascertain the amendments ability to neutralize the acidic mine spoil and promote improved tree and grass growth. The impact of biochars and compost blends on switchgrass and corn growth in a heavy metal contaminated Tri-State mine site was published in a scientific journal. Improved switchgrass and corn growth occurred in mine spoil that was treated with manure-based biochar and compost blends. Results from greenhouse experiments are being synthesized to determine the impact of locally-derived microbial inoculants and amendments made with compost/biosolids to increase soil health characteristics in the mine spoils. The impact of biochars and manure-based compost on phytostabilization of zinc and cadmium using corn in Tri-State mine soils was published in a scientific journal. Results suggest that incorporation of biochar enhanced phytostabilization of zinc and cadmium while improving biomass productivity of corn. Overall, the phytostabilization technique and biochar additions have the potential to be combined in the remediation of heavy metals polluted soils. Greenhouse studies are being conducted to evaluate plant response to selected raw wastes and treated byproducts (swine manure, poultry litter, dairy manure and bio-solids) applied at four nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, and 200 kg/ha). Conducted research to separate phosphorus and amino acids from manure in a cooperative research and development agreement with a chemical company. Experiments evaluated the use of peach waste as acid precursors to substitute the use of acids in the process and lower process costs. A U.S. patent application was filed. Accomplishments 01 Recovery of phosphorus and amino acids from biological materials. ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, have developed a new biorefinery process that recovers value-added chemicals and materials from manure and algae: phosphorus, proteins and amino acids, and a leftover solids biomass. A U.S. patent was granted in 2018 and two other U.S. patent applications were filed in 2019. The recovery of phosphorus and proteins from manure could be advantageous to offset treatment and storage costs, and to lessen the environmental impacts of land application. Phosphorous in manure can contaminate rivers, lakes, and bays through runoff, if applied onto a cropland excessively. Thus, recovering phosphorous from manure not only help reduce such contamination, but also reduces the use of commercial fertilizer based on phosphate rock. Protein is a natural resource used in a wide range of commercial applications. An additional breakthrough came when sugars were used in the process acting as natural acid precursors that lowered costs. Sugar sources successfully tested included sucrose, sugar beet molasses, and peach waste. The manure solids are fermented for just one day after addition of a sugar containing material and an inoculum; this rapid fermentation produced abundant acids that extracted nearly all the phosphorus and an acidic precipitate containing nearly all the proteins. On a dry-weight basis, manure solids contained high amounts of proteins (15.2%-17.4%) and phosphorus (3.0%) available for extraction. Quantitative extraction of phosphorus and proteins from manures was possible with the new process. Furthermore, the process was effective to extract phosphorus and proteins from other biological materials, such as algae or soybean meal. The recovered proteins could be used for production of amino acids and the recovered phosphorus could be used as a recycled material that replaces commercial phosphate fertilizers. This could be a potential new revenue stream from wastes. 02 Novel anammox bacterium isolate for purification and recycling wastewater in space and decentralized wastewater systems. One of America⿿s most widespread and costly environmental problems is nutrient pollution in its streams and waterways caused by excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the environment. Using existing technologies to remove nitrogen from wastewater in treatment plants in the Chesapeake Bay alone costs an estimated $8.2 billion. These environmental problems can be mitigated with a biological process that uses anammox bacteria to remove nitrogen from wastewater at one-third the cost of existing technologies. ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, were successful in developing an active anammox culture isolated from manure sludges, Brocadia caroliniensis, that thrives in high-ammonia environments and is capable of reactivation after being held in dormant conditions. The process is very stable and robust, and simple to use. This made the ARS anammox particularly attractive for use in wastewater treatment systems to help recycle the water used by astronauts in outer space, particularly those staying in the International Space Station. Water in outer space is a scarce commodity, costing $83,000 per gallon to transport it there. Recycling water in space is critical to minimizing operating costs and optimizing operations since water represents approximately 92% of total life-support consumables for the Space Station. ARS has teamed up with a commercial partner, a small company based in Hampton, Virginia, to expand the use of the new technology to space exploration. The ARS discovered anammox was highly effective in NASA SBIR projects for: 1) deammonification of high- ammonia early planetary space wastewater, and 2) its rapid re- activation after long-periods of quiescent operations. The treatment systems using these organisms attained up to 95% removal of nitrogen from wastewater. The new technology could also be used in household septic tanks in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, where 52,000 septic systems need to be upgraded to be able to remove nitrogen. 03 Vegetative environmental buffers for enhanced dispersion and removal of ammonia emitted from poultry houses. Vegetative environmental buffers, composed of tolerant trees, shrubs or tall grasses, are frequently installed near the exhaust fans of poultry houses to control and reduce the off-site transport of potential pollutants, such as ammonia. The vegetative environmental buffers also enhance the aesthetics of these animal feeding operations facilities and the overall landscape, and provide a tangible demonstration of producer environmental stewardship. However, the effectiveness of vegetative environmental buffers in controlling the poultry house ammonia emissions has not been adequately quantitated. ARS researchers in Florence, South Carolina, and Beltsville, Maryland, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Maryland and University of Alberta, Canada, conducted a series of experiments using state-of-art laser systems and micrometeorological techniques to quantify the effect of dispersion and removal of ammonia from a poultry house which was surrounded by a vegetative environmental buffer consisting of a combination of arborvitae, Leyland cypress, and willow. The vegetative environmental buffers not only removed 22% of ammonia, but it also effectively dispersed ammonia, resulting in a net 51% decrease in downwind concentration. These results clearly demonstrated that vegetative environmental buffers are effective both in dispersing and removing ammonia emitted from the poultry houses. The USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service is using the results from this study to refine and bolster the standards defining the mitigation potential and limitations of the vegetative environmental buffers.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Novak, J.M., Moore, E., Spokas, K.A., Hall, K., Williams, A. 2018. Future biochar research directions. In: Ok, Y.S., Tsang, D.C., Bolan, N., Novak, J.M., editors. Biochar from Biomass and Waste. 1st edition, New York, NY: Academic Press. p. 423-432.
• Novak, J.M., Johnson, M.G. 2018. Elemental and spectroscopic characterization of low temperature (350 degrees celsius) lignocellulosic- and manure-based designer biochars and their use as soil amendments. In: Ok, Y.S., Tsang, D.C., Bolan, N., Novak, J.M., editors. Biochar from Biomass and Waste. 1st edition. New York, NY: Academic Press. p. 37-58.
• Ippolito, J.A., Cui, L., Novak, J.M., Johnson, M.G. 2018. Biochar for mine land reclamation. In: Ok, Y.S., Tsang, D.C., Bolan, N., Novak, J.M., editors. Biochar from Biomass and Waste. 1st edition. New York, NY: Academic Press. p. 75-90.
• Riano, B., Mollinuevo-Salces, B., Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C. 2019. Application of gas-permeable membranes for semi-continuous ammonia recovery from swine manure. Environments. 6(3):32.
• Dai, F., De Pra, M.C., Vanotti, M.B., Gilmore, K.R., Cumbie, W.E. 2018. Microbial characteristics and attached growth of nitrifiers, denitrifiers and anammox bacteria on different support media to treat space mission wastewater. Environmental Management. 232:943-951.
• Ro, K.S., Libra, J.A., Bae, S., Berge, N., Flora, J.V., Pecenka, R. 2018. Combustion behavior of animal-manure based hydrochar and pyrochar. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
• Borchard, N., Schirrmann, M., Cayuela, M.L., Kammann, C., Wrange-Monnig, N. , Estavillo, J., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Sigua, G.C., Spokas, K.A., Ippolito, J., Novak, J.M. 2018. Biochar, soil and land-use interactions that reduce nitrate leaching and N2O emissions: A meta-analysis. Science of the Total Environment. 651:2354-2364.
• Novak, J.M., Ippolito, J.A., Watts, D.W., Sigua, G.C., Ducey, T.F., Johnson, M. 2019. Biochar compost blends facilitate switchgrass growth in mine soils by reducing Cd and Zn bioavailability. Biochar Journal.
• Sigua, G.C., Novak, J.M., Watts, D.W., Ippolito, J.A., Ducey, T.F., Johnson, M.G., Spokas, K.A. 2019. Phytostabilization of Zn and Cd in mine soil using corn in combination with manure-based biochar and compost. Environments. 6(6):69.
• Sigua, G.C. 2018. Effects of crop rotations and intercropping on soil health. In: Reicosky, D., editor. Managing Soil Health for Sustainable Agriculture. Volume 2. Cambridge, UK: Burleigh Dobbs Science Publishing Limited. p. 1-27.
• Novak, J.M., Sigua, G.C., Ducey, T.F., Watts, D.W., Stone, K.C. 2019. Designer biochars impact on corn grain yields, biomass production, and fertility properties of a highly-weathered ultisol. Environments MDPI. 6:64-79.
• Bauer, P.J., Szogi, A.A., Shumaker, P.D. 2019. Fertilizer efficacy of poultry litter ash blended with lime or gypsum as fillers. Environments MDPI. 6(5):50.
• Sanchez-Hernandez, J.C., Ro, K.S., Diaz, F.J. 2019. Biochar and earthworms working in tandem: research opportunities for soil bioremediation. Science of the Total Environment. 688:574-583.

Progress 10/01/17 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 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 �Quick Wash� 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. Approach (from AD-416): New management practices and treatment technologies are required to help the nation�s crop and animal producers meet increasing economic and environmental challenges. These challenges include increasing soil productivity and health, as well as reducing unwanted atmospheric emissions, excessive nutrients, pathogens, and odors while concomitantly improving the affordability of animal waste treatment. To solve these challenges this research will pursue three complementary objectives. First, improved tillage and biomass management practices will be developed to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity for Southeastern Coastal Plain soils. Long-term conservation tillage and crop management practices, including stover management and cover crops, will be evaluated to enhance soil productivity and limit the impact of climate change while enhancing nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Second, new manure treatment and handling technologies will be developed to improve soil health and water quality; to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, odors, ammonia, and pathogens; and to maximize nutrient recovery. These technologies include: recovery of ammonia from manure using gas permeable membranes, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment via deammonification, biochar systems engineered to reduce odor, and new and improved methods of recovering phosphorus from manure. This research project will include covered anaerobic lagoons, thermal treatment, and acidification as technologies to reduce or destroy manure pathogens prior to land application. Third, we will develop beneficial uses for byproducts of manure treatments. This includes the use of biochars and hydrochars byproducts as soil amendments to improve physical and chemical properties, and as a fertilizer source for crop production. Research methods include laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale experiments using modern analytical equipment. Research products will advance the state of the science for more effective conservation and management of soil resources, innovative animal waste treatment technologies as environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land application, and guidelines for beneficial byproduct utilization. Nationwide livestock producers, as well as Southeastern crop producers, will benefit from the findings of this research. Field experiments are on-going to assess long-term (40 yrs) impacts of tillage (conservation vs. conventional) operations and crop management (row crop vs. cover crop) scenarios on CO2 production, soil organic carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, crop yields, and soil microbial community/enzymatic activity. In cooperation with co-operator in ITACyL, Spain, experiments were conducted to investigate the recovery of ammonia from swine manure using gas permeable membranes in semi-continuous flow. The experiments looked at the effect of ammonia removal on anaerobic digestion process. In cooperation with Renewable Nutrients LLC, investigated the recovery of ammonia using gas-permeable membrane technology to recover ammonia from side-stream municipal wastewater in pilot scale. In cooperation with Pancopia Inc., investigated activity of two ARS patented microbes (anammox bacteria Brocadia caroliniensis and high performance nitrification bacteria HPNS) in various scaffold media used to treat space wastewater in a National Aeronautics and Space Administration Small Business Innovation Research (NASA SBIR) Phase II project. Batch treatment laboratory experiments are on-going to test self- acidification of manure using selected rates of sugars and starch. Second year lagoon seasonal sampling was completed, and pathogen and DNA survivability assays for covered anaerobic lagoons was performed. Pathogen kill rates were determined for covered anaerobic lagoons, and microbial population differences between covered and open anaerobic lagoons was assessed. Manuscript is currently in preparation. Characterized odorous chemicals from swine manure and conducted bench- scale biochar sorption experiments to determine odorant sorption capacities of 10 biochar samples. Completed first year of field measurements of ammonia and methane emission rates from a covered swine lagoon. Established a field-scale experiment using designer biochars produced from pine chip, poultry litter, and blends to ascertain short-term (4 years) impacts on soil health characteristics, corn yields, and grain quality. Additionally, biochar impacts on soil microbial population dynamics and microbial enzymatic activity are also being assessed. (Obj. 3a) In cooperation with scientists in the Joint Program Initiative on Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change (FACCE-JPI) and United States Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Project, completed two studies examining the effects of biochar on soil nitrification inhibitors and a meta-analysis of published biochar results on nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) formation. Biochar was found to impact the performance of the nitrification inhibitors resulting in higher nitrous production, however, in other studies biochar reduced nitrous oxide formation through greater nitrate binding. In cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, several biochars were evaluated for their ability to improve plant growth conditions and reduce heavy metal bioavailability in mine impacted soils at the Tri-State Mine site in Joplin, Missouri. Field and greenhouse experiments were also conducted using locally-derived microbial inoculants and amendments made with compost and biosolids to increase health characteristics in the mine chat piles and mine-impacted soils. (Obj. 3b) Completed laboratory emission study (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide) of selected waste treatment byproducts used as amendments incorporated into soil. Laboratory experiments were carried to determine the effects compost mixed with biochar and sorbed clays on their carbon mineralization and residence time in soils was completed. Currently, conducting data analysis on emitted CO2 from these experiments (Obj. 3c). Conducted research to separate phosphorus and amino acids from manure in cooperation with a chemical company. Experiments evaluated the use of sugar beet molasses as acid precursors to substitute the use of acids and lower process costs. Accomplishments 01 Remediation of mine spoils using agricultural and municipal byproducts. Development of new remediation amendments is an important advancement for mine site restoration. For example, previous revegetation projects at a mine site in Oregon of untreated mine spoils produced limited plant establishment results because of the spoils poor water retention and acidic conditions that promoted heavy metal releases toxic to plants. By-products such as biochar (residue from thermal decomposition) and biosolids (dewatered sewage sludge) have material characteristics that can improve vegetation establishment in mine spoils because they contain plant nutrients, organic matter, and heavy metals binding properties. This trifecta can enhance both plant growth and soil moisture storage, while reducing toxicity of heavy metals to plants, animals and humans that may come in contact with mine spoil materials. ARS researchers at Florence, South Carolina, ARS-Corvallis, and EPA- Corvallis, Oregon, locations collaboratively engineered an amendment for mine spoils consisting of a mixture of biochar, biosolids, and lime. This engineered amendment was shown to improve plant nutrient uptake and moisture retention of an acidic, heavy metal containing mine spoil in laboratory and greenhouse studies. On a field trial for this new technology, the novel amendment was added to 119 bore holes drilled into spoil material at the mine site four months prior to Douglas fir trees were planted in these bore holes. After six months past planting, 114 of the 119 fir trees were thriving in the amended mine spoils. Establishing a vegetative cover at this mine site is needed because plant debris (e.g., leaves, bark, branches) contribute to formation of a topsoil layer rich in organic matter capable of reducing potential off-site movement of heavy metals. Users of this technology include soil health and land reclamation specialists, wastewater treatment operators, and bioenergy producers. 02 Reduction of gaseous ammonia in poultry barns using gas-permeable membranes. Conservation and recovery of nitrogen from livestock and urban wastes is important because of economic and environmental reasons. ARS researchers at Florence, South Carolina, developed new systems and methods that use gas-permeable membranes to collect and reuse ammonia harvested from wastes when operated in poultry barns to remove the ammonia from the air. The new process includes the passage of gaseous ammonia through gas-permeable membrane modules and subsequent capture and concentration in a stripping acid solution. The membrane manifolds are suspended inside the barns and the gaseous ammonia is removed close to the litter. ARS researchers at Florence, South Carolina, cooperated with University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) through a National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant to demonstrate the technology at UMES chicken houses. In rooms fitted with the ammonia recovery system, the ammonia decreased 46% in the air and 45% in the litter, and bird mortality was reduced 47%. The new system is expected to offer poultry producers a better way to manage ammonia in the poultry barns.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Han, L., Ro, K.S., Sun, K., Sun, H., Libra, J.A., Xing, B. 2017. Oxidation resistance of biochars as a function of feedstock and pyrolysis condition. Science of the Total Environment.
• Edralin, D.L., Sigua, G.C., Reyes, M.R., Mulvaney, M.J., Andrews, S.S. 2017. Conservation agriculture improves yield and reduces weeding activity in sandy soils of Cambodia. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. 37:52.
• Ro, K.S., Szogi, A.A., Moore Jr, P.A. 2018. A simple mathematical method to estimate ammonia emission from in-house windrowing of poultry litter. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part A.
• Ducey, T.F., Bauer, P.J., Sigua, G.C., Hunt, P.G., Miller, J.O., Cantrell, K.B. 2018. Manure-derived biochars for use as a phosphorus fertilizer in cotton production. Journal of Cotton Science. 21:259-264. Available:
• Daguerre-Martini, S., Vanotti, M.B., Rodriguez-Pastor, M., Moral Herrero, R. 2018. Nitrogen recovery from wastewater using gas-permeable membranes: Impact of inorganic carbon content and natural organic matter. Water Research. 137:201-210.
• Ro, K.S., Li, H., Hapeman, C.J., Harper, L.A., Flesch, T.K., Downey, P.M., McConnell, L., Torrents, A., Yao, Q. 2018. Enhanced dispersion and removal of ammonia emitted from a poultry house with a vegetative environmental buffer. Agriculture. doi:10.3390/agriculture8040046. Available:
• Nash, P.R., Gollany, H.T., Novak, J.M., Bauer, P.J., Hunt, P.G., Karlen, D. L. 2018. Simulated soil organic carbon response to tillage, yield, and climate change in the southeastern Coastal Plains. Journal of Environmental Quality. 47:663-673.
• Novak, J.M., Ippolito, J.A., Ducey, T.F., Watts, D.W., Spokas, K.A., Trippe, K.M., Sigua, G.C., Johnson, M.G. 2018. Remediation of an acidic mine spoil: Miscanthus biochar and lime amendment affects metal availability, plant growth and soil enzymatic activity. Chemosphere. 205:709-718.
• Filho-Oliveira, J.D., Daguerre-Martini, S., Vanotti, M.B., Saez-Tovar, J., Rosal, A., Perez-Murcia, M.D., Bustamante, M., Moral, R. 2018. Recovery of ammonia in raw and co-digested swine manure using gas-permeable membrane technology. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems.
• Molinuevo-Salces, B., Riano, B., Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C. 2018. Gas-permeable membrane technology coupled with anaerobic digestion for swine manure treatment. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2:25.
• Szogi, A.A., Vanotti, M.B., Shumaker, P.D. 2018. Economic recovery of calcium phosphates from swine lagoon sludge using quick wash process and geotextile filtration. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 2:37.

Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Progress Report Objectives (from AD-416): 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 �Quick Wash� 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. Approach (from AD-416): New management practices and treatment technologies are required to help the nation�s crop and animal producers meet increasing economic and environmental challenges. These challenges include increasing soil productivity and health, as well as reducing unwanted atmospheric emissions, excessive nutrients, pathogens, and odors while concomitantly improving the affordability of animal waste treatment. To solve these challenges this research will pursue three complementary objectives. First, improved tillage and biomass management practices will be developed to enhance soil health and long-term agricultural productivity for Southeastern Coastal Plain soils. Long-term conservation tillage and crop management practices, including stover management and cover crops, will be evaluated to enhance soil productivity and limit the impact of climate change while enhancing nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Second, new manure treatment and handling technologies will be developed to improve soil health and water quality; to minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, odors, ammonia, and pathogens; and to maximize nutrient recovery. These technologies include: recovery of ammonia from manure using gas permeable membranes, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment via deammonification, biochar systems engineered to reduce odor, and new and improved methods of recovering phosphorus from manure. This research project will include covered anaerobic lagoons, thermal treatment, and acidification as technologies to reduce or destroy manure pathogens prior to land application. Third, we will develop beneficial uses for byproducts of manure treatments. This includes the use of biochars and hydrochars byproducts as soil amendments to improve physical and chemical properties, and as a fertilizer source for crop production. Research methods include laboratory, pilot-scale, and field-scale experiments using modern analytical equipment. Research products will advance the state of the science for more effective conservation and management of soil resources, innovative animal waste treatment technologies as environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land application, and guidelines for beneficial byproduct utilization. Nationwide livestock producers, as well as Southeastern crop producers, will benefit from the findings of this research. Field experiments are on-going to assess long-term (39 yrs) impacts of tillage (conservation vs. conventional) operations and crop management (row crop vs. cover crop) scenarios on soil organic carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, crop yields, and soil enzymatic activity. (Obj. 1) Cooperated with industry on NASA SBIR Phase II project for rapid reactivation of ARS patented microbes with space wastewater. Procedures were developed for quantitative microscopic fluorescence (FISH) confocal images of Brocadia caroliniensis in consociation with High Performance Nitrifying Sludge (HPNS) nitrifiers. Conducted research to separate proteins and phosphorus from manure in cooperation with Mitsubishi Chemical Holding group. A new method to extract proteins and phosphorus was discovered. Conducted bench experiments on self-acidification of swine manure using glucose, sucrose, starch, and cellulose. (Obj. 2c) Two North Carolina commercial swine farms with anaerobic lagoon treatment (one with a lagoon permeable cover, the other uncovered) agreed to participate in our study measuring pathogen reduction and antibiotic resistance gene propagation. Spring samples were taken from each farm, with sampling occurring for the influent and effluent of each lagoon. Total fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus sp., and Salmonella sp. were counted using a drop plate method while DNA has been extracted from the samples for pending Real Time PCR for antibiotic resistance gene analysis. (Obj. 2d) Several research-grade biochar samples were produced and characterized for odor removal bench experiments in cooperation with Rural Development Agency - Korea. A bench scale odor removal column experimental system was set up. Pine, oak, solid-separated swine manure, coconut shell, and poultry litter were selected as feedstocks for producing biochar. Pellets of these feedstocks were pyrolyzed at 350 and 500 degrees centigrade using a Lindburg electric box furnace equipped with a gas tight retort. Some of these biochars were partially activated with steam at 700 degrees centigrade. In addition, swine manure compost and coconut shell char were steam activated using a commercial rotary kiln system by the Korean colaborators. All biochar samples were analyzed for their elemental compositions, volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash contents, size, density, and surface area. (Obj. 2e) An 8,000-head finishing commercial farm with two covered lagoons in North Carolina agreed to cooperate in our study measuring total farm emissions of ammonia and methane gas. (Obj. 2e) Established a field-scale experiment using designer biochars produced from pine chip, poultry litter, and blends to ascertain short term (3 yrs) impacts on corn yields and to link modifications in yields with soil carbon sequestration, fertility, moisture retention, and soil microbial activity. (Obj. 3a) In cooperation with scientists in the European Joint Program Initiative (FACCE-JPI) in collaboration with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) project, a meta-analysis was conducted on peer- reviewed published literature to document impacts of biochar on nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide formation. Results from the analyses showed that biochar reduces nitrous oxide formation, binds nitrate, and later release it back into solution for plant uptake. (Obj. 3a) In cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), designer biochars were developed for mine spoil remediation and improve grass growth. Greenhouse tests were conducted using mine spoils from two different Superfund sites treated with different biochar types to neutralize spoil acidity as well as sequester heavy metals such as zinc. (Obj. 3b) Laboratory tests were carried out to evaluate nitrous oxide, carbon dioxide, ammonia emissions from a Norfolk loamy sand amended with surface applied low-P broiler litter (Quick Wash treated) in loose or pellet forms and raw broiler litter. (Obj. 3c) Accomplishments 01 Recovery of ammonia and production of high-grade phosphates from animal and municipal effluents. New processes and technologies to recover and re-use nutrients from wastes are desirable to close the nutrient cycle in modern human society and address future scarcity of non-renewable nutrients and fossil-based fertilizers. Therefore, conservation and recovery of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from wastes are important because of economic and environmental reasons. ARS researchers at Florence, South Carolina, have developed a new technology that allows separation and recovery of both ammonia and phosphorus from liquid effluents. A US patent application was filed in 2016 (USDA Docket 83.15) . The new technology uses gas-permeable membranes at low pressure that are submerged in the manure liquid. The technology can recover 98% of the N. The process was further improved with little aeration that reduced costs by 70%. The low-rate aeration replaced alkali chemicals that were needed to raise the pH for optimum nitrogen recovery. An additional breakthrough came when the N process was combined with P recovery. Since ammonia and carbonates were taken out, the combined process produced phosphorus bio-minerals containing a very-high phosphate grade (46%), similar to commercial fertilizer favored by the fertilizer industry. The process provided 100% P recovery efficiencies. This technology has applications for anaerobic digester effluents in swine operations, dairies and municipalities. The potential value of recovered P and N from implementation of nutrient recovery technology in dairy farms is about 1.3 billion dollars. The invention provides a more competitive technology for nutrient recovery from the side-stream effluent of municipal plants that contains high P and N concentration. Users are entrepreneurs, livestock producers, municipalities, industrialists, extension practitioners and other scientists interested in manure nutrient recovery technologies.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

• Vanotti, M.B., Dube, P., Szogi, A.A., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C. 2017. Recovery of ammonia and phosphate minerals from swine wastewater using gas- permeable membranes. Water Research. 112:137-146.
• Ippolito, J.A., Berry, C.M., Strawn, D.G., Novak, J.M., Levine, J., Harley, A. 2017. Biochars reduce mine land soil bioavailable metals. Journal of Environmental Quality. 46:411-419.
• Randolph, P., Bansode, R., Hassan, O., Rehrah, D., Ravella, R., Reddy, M., Watts, D.W., Novak, J.M., Ahmedna, M. 2017. Effects of biochars produced from solid organic municipal waste on soil quality parameters. Journal of Environmental Management. 192:271-280.
• Mehmood, K., Chavez Garcia, E., Schirrmann, M., Ladd, B., Kammann, C., Wrage-Monnig, N., Siebe, C., Estavillo, J.M., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Cayuela, M., Sigua, G.C., Spokas, K.A., Cowie, A.L., Novak, J.M., Ippolito, J.A., Borchard, N. 2017. Biochar research activities and their relation to development and environmental quality: A meta-analysis. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. doi:10.1007/s13593-017-0430-1.
• Kammann, C., Ippolito, J., Hagemann, N., Borchard, N., Cayuela, M., Estavillo, J., Fuertes-Mendizabal, T., Jeffery, S., Kern, J., Novak, J.M., Rasse, D., Saarnio, S., Schmidt, H., Spokas, K.A., Wrage-Monnig, N. 2017. Biochar as a tool to reduce the agricultural greenhouse-gas burden-knowns, unknowns, and future research needs. Journal of Environmental Engineering and Landscape Management. 25(02):114-139.
• Laird, D.A., Novak, J.M., Collins, H.P., Ippolito, J.A., Karlen, D.L., Lentz, R.D., Sistani, K.R., Spokas, K.A., Van Pelt, R.S. 2016. Multi-year and multi-location soil quality and crop biomass yield responses to hardwood fast pyrolysis biochar. Geoderma. 289:46-53.
• Camps-Arbestain, M., Shen, Q., Wang, T., Van Zwieten, L., Novak, J.M. 2017. Available nutrients in biochar. CSIRO Australia Griffith NSW. 109-125.
• Sigua, G.C., Stone, K.C., Bauer, P.J., Szogi, A.A. 2016. Nitrate leaching, water-use efficiency and yield of corn with different irrigation and nitrogen management systems in coastal plains, USA. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment. 203:159-170. doi:10.2495/EID160151.
• Connan, R., Dabert, P., Le Roux, S., Chapleur, O., Bridoux, G., Vanotti, M. B., Beline, F., Magri, A. 2017. Characterization of a combined batch- continuous procedure for the culture of anammox biomass. Ecological Engineering. 106:231-241.
• Vanotti, M.B., Dube, P.J., Szogi, A.A. 2017. Recovery of ammonia and production of high-grade phosphates from side-stream digester effluents using gas-permeable membranes. Frontiers in Wastewater Treatment and Modeling. Book Series: Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering. 4:13-17. doi:10. 1007/978-3-319-58421-8_2.
• Ducey, T.F., Collins, J.C., Ro, K.S., Woodbury, B.L., Griffin, D. 2017. Hydrothermal carbonization of livestock mortality for the reduction of pathogens and microbially-derived DNA. Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering. 11(3):9.
• Miller, J.O., Ducey, T.F., Brigman Jr, P.W., Ogg, C.O., Hunt, P.G. 2017. Greenhouse gas emissions and denitrification within depressional wetlands of the southeastern US coastal plain in an agricultural landscape. Wetlands. 37(1):33-43.
• Ro, K.S., Moore Jr, P.A., Szogi, A.A., Millner, P.D. 2017. Ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions from broiler houses with downtime windrowed litter. Journal of Environmental Quality. 46:498-504.
• Han, L., Sun, H., Ro, K.S., Sun, K., Libra, J., Xing, B. 2017. Removal of antimony (III) and cadmium (II) from aqueous solution using animal manure- derived hydrochars and pyrochars. Bioresource Technology. 234:77-85.
• Mandal, S., Sarkar, B., Bolan, N., Novak, J.M., Ok, Y., Van Zwienten, L., Bhupinder, P., Kirkham, M., Choppala, G., Spokas, K.A., Naidu, R. 2016. Designing advanced biochar products for maximizing greenhouse gas mitigation potential. Critical Reviews in Environmental Science Technology. 46(17):1367-1401.
• Berihu, T., Girmay, G., Sebhatleab, M., Berhane, E., Zenebe, A., Sigua, G. C. 2016. Soil carbon and nitrogen losses following deforestation in Ethiopia. Agronomy for Sustainable Development. doi:10.1007/s13593-016- 0408-4.
• Garcia-Gonzales, M.C., Vanotti, M.B., Szogi, A.A. 2016. Recovery of ammonia from anaerobically digested manure using gas-permeable membranes. Scientia Agricola. 73(5):434-438.
• Szogi, A.A., Vanotti, M.B. 2016. Decline of phosphorus, copper, and zinc in anaerobic swine lagoon columns receiving pretreated influent. Scientia Agricola. 73(5):417-423.