Aerial Pollutant Emissions from Animal Confinement Buildings

Larry Jacobson, Professor
David Schmidt, Assistant Extension Engineer
Philip Goodrich, Associate Professor
Richard Nicolai, Assistant Professor, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, South Dakota State University
Verlyn Johnson, Information Technology Professional
Five other university cooperators: Purdue University, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, Texas A&M University, and North Carolina State University

Funding Source

CSREES/USDA

Objective

The goal of this project is to document the emissions of odors, gases, and particulate matter from animal facilities in order to assess their impact on the environment and society.

Need or Impact

Information from this research will provide producers, technical assistance providers, regulators, and compilers of emission inventories at county, state, and federal levels with accurate information that is consistent with rigorous environmental protection requirements and rural socioeconomic needs. Once emission rates are known for the parameters mentioned, producers will be able to determine if they are in compliance with state or federal regulations and if not what mitigation technologies are needed to meet the governing air quality standards.

Project Status

This multi-state, 2.5-year, federally-funded (IFAFS) project began in the fall of 2001 to measure air emissions (NH3, H2S, CO2, PM10 and bimonthly values of odor) from six animal housing systems (pig farrowing, gestation, and two different finishing buildings as well as chicken layer and broiler facilities) located in six different states. Common protocols were developed for air sampling using instrument trailers from the two side-by-side buildings at each site. Data collection was started in 2002 and will continue into the spring of 2004.