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A Two-Year Study of the Effectiveness of Geotextile Covers to Reduce Odor and Gas Emissions from Manure Storages

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  024195,  2002 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.10527) @2002
Authors:   José R. Bicudo, David R. Schmidt, Charles J. Clanton, Wendy Powers, Carrie L. Tengman, Larry D. Jacobson
Keywords:   Swine manure, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, odor, covers

Odor, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), ammonia (NH3) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) were measured between May and October 2000, and between April and October 2001 at three sites in Southwest Minnesota. Each site consisted of a pair of farms (nursery N1A, N1B; 2,000-head finishing F2A, F2B; 3,000-head finishing F3A, F3B). A manure storage from each pair was selected as treatment, where a geotextile cover (BioCap .) was installed. Results showed that there was a significant deterioration of the performance of geotextile covers in reducing odor and gas emissions from manure storages on the second year of the study. Odor emissions were, in average, reduced by 48% over the two-year period. Emission rates were reduced by 90% in terms of H2S in the first year, but no significant differences were found between covered and non-covered manure storages in 2001. NH3 emissions were, in average, reduced by 44% in 2001. No significant differences in total-VOC emissions from covered and noncovered manure storages were observed during the two-year study. Analysis of the ambient H2S data suggested that the covers were effective in reducing ambient H2S concentrations near manure storages located at the two finishing sites. Odor and gaseous emission rates from all sites were poorly correlated with most manure characteristic parameters (nutrients, solids, organic matter, VOCs).

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