Evaluation of ammonia and odour emissions from animal slurry and digestate storage in the Po Valley (Italy)

It hasn’t even been half a century since, in 1977, the famous book by Nuto Revelli entitled Il mondo dei vinti was published. A symbolic image, which summed up with powerful evocative efficacy the dramatic process of depopulation and dissolution of traditional Alpine societies during the twentieth century. A phenomenon that found its epicenter in the valleys of Carnia and in the south-east of France, and especially in the Piedmont’s valleys of the Cuneo area, with drop-out rates that will reach even 80-90% of the population. A little over forty years have passed by since Nuto Revelli’s book was published and since then a lot seemed to have changed. Today many prestigious and successful tourist and winter centers are experiencing a growing crisis of image and public, while the once neglected Valades ousitanes live an unprecedented season, focused on enhancing the trinomial of natural, historical, and cultural heritage. Maira Valley, Ostana in the Po Valley, Paraloup and Rittana in the Stura Valley, the upper Varaita Valley, the phenomena of rebirth are affecting all the Occitan valleys, with interesting resettlement processes that have their engine in who are defined «the new mountaineers». This renaissance of the Occitan valleys is accompanied by new forms of architecture that focus on the theme of the recovery and reuse of heritage, of dialectical confrontation with environmental and historical contexts, but without forgetting the contemporary and technological innovation.

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Odour, dust and non-methane volatile organic-compound emissions from tunnel-ventilated layer-chicken sheds: a case study of two farms

Animal Production Science ◽

10.1071/an12343 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 53 (12) ◽

pp. 1309 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Mark Dunlop ◽

Zoran D. Ristovski ◽

Erin Gallagher ◽

Gavin Parcsi ◽

Robin L. Modini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dust Emission ◽

Ventilation Rate ◽

Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry ◽

Emission Rates ◽

Layer Chicken ◽

Volatile Organic ◽

Different Seasons ◽

Odour Emissions ◽

Cleaning Cycle ◽

Study Sites

An observational study was undertaken to measure odour and dust (PM10 and PM2.5) emission rates and identify non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and odorants in the exhaust air from two tunnel-ventilated layer-chicken sheds that were configured with multi-tiered cages and manure belts. The study sites were located in south-eastern Queensland and the West Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. Samples were collected in summer and winter on sequential days across the manure-belt cleaning cycle. Odour emissions ranged from 58 to 512 ou/s per 1000 birds (0.03–0.27 ou/s.kg) and dust emission rates ranged 0.014–0.184 mg/s per 1000 birds for PM10 and 0.001–0.190 mg/s per 1000 birds for PM2.5. Twenty NMVOCs were identified, including three that were also identified as odorants using thermal desorption–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry/olfactometry analysis. Odour emission rates were observed to vary with the amount of manure accumulation on the manure belts, being lowest 2–4 days after removing manure. Odour emission rates were also observed to vary with diurnal and seasonal changes in ventilation rate. Dust emissions were observed to increase with ventilation rate but not with manure accumulation. Some NMVOCs were identified at both farms and in different seasons whereas others were observed only at one farm or in one season, indicating that odorant composition was influenced by farm-specific practices and season.

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The Use of Chemical Sensors to Monitor Odour Emissions at Municipal Waste Biogas Plants

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11093916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 3916

Author(s):

Marta Wiśniewska ◽

Andrzej Kulig ◽

Krystyna Lelicińska-Serafin

Keyword(s):

Waste Treatment ◽

Well Being ◽

Municipal Waste ◽

Quantitative Composition ◽

Technological Processes ◽

Odour Activity Value ◽

Gas Detector ◽

Biogas Plants ◽

Odour Emissions

Municipal waste treatment plants are an important element of the urban area infrastructure, but also, they are a potential source of odour nuisance. Odour impact from municipal waste processing plants raises social concerns regarding the well-being of employees operating the plants and residents of nearby areas. Chemical methods involve the determination of the quantitative composition of compounds comprising odour. These methods are less costly than olfactometry, and their efficiency is not dependent on human response. The relationship between the concentration of a single odorant and its odour threshold (OT) is determined by the odour activity value (OAV) parameter. The research involved the application of a multi-gas detector, MultiRae Pro. Measurements by means of the device were conducted at three municipal waste biogas plants located in Poland. In this paper we describe the results obtained when using a detector during the technological processes, the unitary procedures conducted at the plants, and the technological regime. The determination of these relationships could be useful in the development of odour nuisance minimization procedures at treatment plants and the adjustment to them. This is of paramount importance from the viewpoint of the safety and hygiene of the employees operating the installations and the comfort of residents in the areas surrounding biogas plants. Monitoring of expressed odorant emissions allows the course of technological processes and conducted unit operations to be controlled.

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Summary and Overview of the Odour Regulations Worldwide

Atmosphere ◽

10.3390/atmos12020206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 206

Author(s):

Anna Bokowa ◽

Carlos Diaz ◽

Jacek A. Koziel ◽

Michael McGinley ◽

Jennifer Barclay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Areas ◽

Site Specific ◽

Animal Feeding Operations ◽

Odour Source ◽

The Usa ◽

Odour Dispersion ◽

Odour Emissions ◽

Control Technologies ◽

Survey Review ◽

The Uk

When it comes to air pollution complaints, odours are often the most significant contributor. Sources of odour emissions range from natural to anthropogenic. Mitigation of odour can be challenging, multifaceted, site-specific, and is often confounded by its complexity—defined by existing (or non-existing) environmental laws, public ordinances, and socio-economic considerations. The objective of this paper is to review and summarise odour legislation in selected European countries (France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium), North America (the USA and Canada), and South America (Chile and Colombia), as well as Oceania (Australia and New Zealand) and Asia (Japan, China). Many countries have incorporated odour controls into their legislation. However, odour-related assessment criteria tend to be highly variable between countries, individual states, provinces, and even counties and towns. Legislation ranges from (1) no specific mention in environmental legislation that regulates pollutants which are known to have an odour impact to (2) extensive details about odour source testing, odour dispersion modelling, ambient odour monitoring, (3) setback distances, (4) process operations, and (5) odour control technologies and procedures. Agricultural operations are one specific source of odour emissions in rural and suburban areas and a model example of such complexities. Management of agricultural odour emissions is important because of the dense consolidation of animal feeding operations and the advance of housing development into rural areas. Overall, there is a need for continued survey, review, development, and adjustment of odour legislation that considers sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and socio-economic realities, all of which are amenable to a just, site-specific, and sector-specific application.

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