scholarly journals Evaluation of a new inference method for estimating ammonia volatilisation from multiple agronomic plots

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Loubet ◽  
Marco Carozzi ◽  
Polina Voylokov ◽  
Jean-Pierre Cohan ◽  
Robert Trochard ◽  
...  

Abstract. Tropospheric ammonia (NH3) is a threat to the environment and human health and is mainly emitted by agriculture. Ammonia volatilisation following application of nitrogen in the field accounts for more than 40 % of the total ammonia emissions in France. This hence represents a major loss of nitrogen use efficiency which needs to be reduced by appropriate agricultural practices. In this study we evaluate a novel method to infer ammonia volatilisation from small agronomic plots made of multiple treatments with repetition. The method is based on the combination of a set of ammonia diffusion sensors exposed for durations of 3 hours to 1 week, and a short-range atmospheric dispersion model, used to retrieve the emissions from each plot. The method is evaluated by mimicking ammonia emissions from an ensemble of 9 plots with a resistance-analogue-compensation-point surface exchange scheme over a yearly meteorological database separated into 28-days periods. A multi-factorial simulation scheme is used to test the effects of sensor number and heights, plot dimensions, source strengths and background concentrations, on the quality of the inference method. We further demonstrate by theoretical considerations in the case of an isolated plot that inferring emissions with diffusion sensors integrating over daily periods will always lead to underestimations due to correlations between emissions and atmospheric transfer. We evaluated these underestimations as −8 % ± 6 % of the emissions for a typical western European climate. For multiple plots, we find that this method would lead to median underestimations of −16 % with an interquartile [−8 % −22 %] for two treatments differing by a factor of up to 20 and a control treatment with no emissions. We further evaluate the methodology for varying background concentrations and ammonia emission patterns and demonstrate the low sensitivity of the method to these factors. The method was also tested in a real case and proved to provide sound evaluations of ammonia losses from surface applied and incorporated slurry. We hence showed that this novel method should be robust and suitable for estimating ammonia emissions from agronomic plots. Further work should anyway be produced for validating this method in real conditions.

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 3439-3460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Loubet ◽  
Marco Carozzi ◽  
Polina Voylokov ◽  
Jean-Pierre Cohan ◽  
Robert Trochard ◽  
...  

Abstract. Tropospheric ammonia (NH3) is a threat to the environment and human health and is mainly emitted by agriculture. Ammonia volatilisation following application of nitrogen in the field accounts for more than 40 % of the total NH3 emissions in France. This represents a major loss of nitrogen use efficiency which needs to be reduced by appropriate agricultural practices. In this study we evaluate a novel method to infer NH3 volatilisation from small agronomic plots consisting of multiple treatments with repetition. The method is based on the combination of a set of NH3 diffusion sensors exposed for durations of 3 h to 1 week and a short-range atmospheric dispersion model, used to retrieve the emissions from each plot. The method is evaluated by mimicking NH3 emissions from an ensemble of nine plots with a resistance analogue–compensation point–surface exchange scheme over a yearly meteorological database separated into 28-day periods. A multifactorial simulation scheme is used to test the effects of sensor numbers and heights, plot dimensions, source strengths, and background concentrations on the quality of the inference method. We further demonstrate by theoretical considerations in the case of an isolated plot that inferring emissions with diffusion sensors integrating over daily periods will always lead to underestimations due to correlations between emissions and atmospheric transfer. We evaluated these underestimations as −8 % ± 6 % of the emissions for a typical western European climate. For multiple plots, we find that this method would lead to median underestimations of −16 % with an interquartile [−8–22 %] for two treatments differing by a factor of up to 20 and a control treatment with no emissions. We further evaluate the methodology for varying background concentrations and NH3 emissions patterns and demonstrate the low sensitivity of the method to these factors. The method was also tested in a real case and proved to provide sound evaluations of NH3 losses from surface applied and incorporated slurry. We hence showed that this novel method should be robust and suitable for estimating NH3 emissions from agronomic plots. We believe that the method could be further improved by using Bayesian inference and inferring surface concentrations rather than surface fluxes. Validating against controlled source is also a remaining challenge.


Author(s):  
Zuzanna Jarosz ◽  
Antoni Faber

The aim of the study was to present ammonia emissions from animal production on a regional scale in 2016. Emission estimates in particular regions were based on methodology developed by EEA in 2016 and applied in Poland by The National Centre for Emissions Management (NCEM). The conducted analyses were based on the size of livestock population, farming system and emission factors at every stage of manure management. The analysis showed substantial spatial differentiation of ammonia emissions from animal production. Voivodships that accounted for the biggest share in emissions from cattle farming were as follows: Mazowieckie, Podlaskie and Wielkopolskie. Estimated emissions in these voivodships amounted to: 47.4, 32.8 and 21.7 Gg NH3, respectively. The highest levels of ammonia emissions from pig production were identified in the region of Wielkopolska. Ammonia emissions in this voivodship amounted to 16.2 Gg NH3. The Wielkopolska region is also distinguished by the highest ammonia emissions from poultry production. The emissions equaled 11.4 Gg NH3 and accounted for 24.1% of total emissions in this region. The realization of reduction commitments for ammonia imposed by the NEC Directive depends on the introduction of a set of changes in livestock production: regarding the housing method, animal nutrition, fertilizer storage and application as well as dissemination of good agricultural practices aiming at ammonia emission reduction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celeste Righi Ricco ◽  
Alberto Finzi ◽  
Viviana Guido ◽  
Elisabetta Riva ◽  
Omar Ferrari ◽  
...  

Fertigation can be a suitable technique for utilizing digestate, minimizing nitrogen losses, and contributing to circularity within a farming system. For this purpose, digestate usually is first processed with a screw-press separator. However, further filtration is required to remove particles that could clog the nozzles of drip or sprinkling irrigation systems. Advanced filtration can be obtained using mechanical separation with screens having openings of 100- 300 μm. This operation can be another source of ammonia emission, but this aspect has not been adequately investigated. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap by evaluating the emissions from three different filtration systems for digestate. The study was conducted in three different farms located in Lombardy (Italy) using digestate to fertigate maize by drip irrigation (two farms) and pivot irrigation (one farm). Ammonia emissions were measured with passive samplers and the fluxes were examined using an inverse dispersion model implemented in Windtrax software. The emissions were measured both when the filtration systems were in operation and when they were switched off. Ammonia emissions (mean values between 375 and 876 μg NH3/m2/s) tended to increase during operation of the filtration systems. However, no significant differences were found in the emissions from active and inactive equipment on any of the farms. The emissions from the filtration systems were higher than from a storage tank (22-67 μg NH3/m2/s). However, the mean emissions amounted to only 0.3% of the nitrogen content of the digestate. These emissions can be considered irrelevant in the context of the whole management scheme for digestate. This work provides a first insight on ammonia emissions arising from advanced filtration of digestate, with specific reference to Po Valley farming systems. Further studies are required to improve knowledge about emissions from the entire digestate management process, including the treatments required for specific application techniques.


2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
S M McGinn ◽  
T. Coates ◽  
T K Flesch ◽  
B. Crenna

It is recognized that volatilized ammonia (NH3) from intensive livestock production can be a significant pathway for nitrogen (N) pollution to land and water, and can contribute to poor air quality. The objectives of our study were to document NH3 emissions from a dairy lagoon and to assess the influence of meteorology on NH3 emissions. Ammonia emissions were determined using a backward Lagrangian Stochastic approach using WindTrax software, an open-path NH3 laser and a sonic anemometer. Results indicate that an average 5.1 ± 1.6 g NH3 m-2 d-1 was released over the summer; however, the emission varied typically over 24 h between 3.6 and 8.6 g NH3 m-2 d-1. Wind speed and surface temperature of the lagoon had similar influences on the magnitude of the release, where their direct impact on NH3 emission accounted for 28 and 31% of the variability, respectively. The main implication of this study is that NH3 losses are significant from dairy lagoons, contributing to the issue of N pollution. As well, NH3 emissions are a loss of valuable N for manure used as fertilizer, which in our study amounted to approximately 13% of the total ammoniacal N content of the manure in the lagoon. Key words: Ammonia, dairy, manure, cattle, dispersion model


2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Carlos Daemme ◽  
Renato de Arruda Penteado ◽  
Cláudio Furlan ◽  
Marcelo Errera ◽  
Fátima M. Z. Zotin

AGROFOR ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maarit HELLSTEDT ◽  
Hannu E.S. HAAPALA

Agriculture is the most significant source of Ammonia emission that causes e.g. loss of Nitrogen from agricultural systems. Manure is the main source of Ammonia emissions and causes losses in the nutrient cycles of agriculture as well as local odour nuisance. By using different bedding materials, it is possible to reduce both the Ammonia emissions and to improve the cycling of nutrient. Peat is known as an effective litter material but its use as a virtually non-renewable resource is questionable. Therefore, we need to find new bedding materials to replace peat. In this study, the effect of ten different industrial by-products, reeds and stalks to reduce Ammonia emissions was tested in laboratory in January 2020. Dairy cow slurry and bedding materials were mixed in a volume ratio of 4:1. The Ammonia emission was measured for two weeks once or twice a day. Measurements were performed with a photoacoustic method. The results show that all tested materials reduce the Ammonia emission from the cow slurry used. Interesting new materials to substitute peat are zero fiber and briquetted textile waste. Wheat bran, pellets made of reed canary grass and chopped bulrush had the best effect which is at the same level as that of peat. However, no statistically significant differences between the calculated emission rates were found.


Author(s):  
Rhenny Ratnawati ◽  
Sugito Sugito

The process of aerobic composting the slaughterhouse (SH) solid waste generate ammonia emissions. Aim: The objective of this research to study the ability of the adsorbent to use zeolite to reduce ammonia gas emissions during the composting process of SH solid waste. Methodology and Results: Reduction of ammonia emission is conducted during the aerobic composting process which is 50 days. The raw material composition of the composting process used was 100% rumen contents, 60% rumen contents: 40% straw, 50% rumen contents: 50% straw, and 40% rumen contents: 60% straw. Zeolite used in the form of granular size 100 mesh. The result of the research showed that the level of release of ammonia gas emissions during the composting process could be reduced by zeolite. Conclusion, significance, and impact study: The efficiency of reducing ammonia gas emissions using zeolite adsorbents in the composting process of SH solid waste ranges from 98.09 - 99.40% on average. Zeolite is an adsorbent that has high adsorption power because it has many pores and has a high ion exchange high capacity and serves as an absorbent cation that can cause environmental pollution.


Author(s):  
Atef A. A. Sweed ◽  
Ahmed A. M. Awad

Low soil organic matter, low nutrient availability and the higher soil pH (more than 8) are the major problem of agricultural practices in region of Toshka. An incubation trial at October 2019 was conducted to investigate the effect of potassium humate (KH) and micronic sulfur (MS) on some chemical properties of different soils (sandy clay soils, loamy sand and sandy soils). The used amendments (KH and MS) were added to the studied soil at 4 levels of each amendment i.e. 0.0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0%. A two way randomized completely block design and provided with three replications. Studied parameters were included soil pH, EC, exchange Na and the content of available - P and K. Results showed that, the MS application at 1% level caused a significant decrease in soil pH values compared with the KH application and control treatment. These reductions were more pronounced in case of soil B (loamy sand). Also, KH application gave an increase on exchange Na and available-K. While MS application was cause an increased in soil EC and available-P in the three soils under study. Moreover, the increases in the percentage of available – K with added of KH were higher than added of MS for soils under study. While the percentages of available-P with added of KH were higher than with added of MS for studied soils. It may be recommended to add KH and MS at a rate of 1% to improve the soil chemical properties. But the effect of application from MS has greater than KH to increase dissolved sodium salts on the form of sodium sulfate, which facilitates disposal during soil drainage.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrico Dammers ◽  
Mark Shephard ◽  
Evan White ◽  
Debora Griffin ◽  
Evan Chow ◽  
...  

<p>While ammonia (NH3) at its current levels is known to be a hazard to environmental and human health, the atmospheric budget is still quite uncertain. This can largely be attributed to the short lifetime of ammonia in combination with an overall lack of (dense) in-situ measurement networks. The capability to observe ammonia distributions with satellites has opened new ways to study the atmospheric ammonia budget. Previous studies have demonstrated the capability of current ammonia satellite sensors to resolve emissions from point like sources, biomass burning, and constraining emission sources at a regional level with methods involving the use of air quality models.</p><p>In this study, we present the first spatially resolved ammonia emission estimates across the globe using a consistent methodology based solely on ammonia satellite observations from the Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS) instrument and ECMWF ERA5 wind fields. The concept was evaluated for North Western Europe and demonstrated the ability to constrain annual emissions at county- to provincial-levels with most deviations within the bounds found in the error analysis. Furthermore, we show that for some regions the spatial patterns found in the satellite observations are consistent while others do not match the current inventories. Finally, the results indicate that the absolute emission levels tend to be underestimated for parts of the globe.</p>


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