ARS | Publication request: Application of analytical pyrolysis-mass spectrometry in characterization of animal manures

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: September 1, 2010
Publication Date: August 8, 2011
Citation: Wang, J.J., Dodla, S.K., He, Z. 2011. Application of analytical pyrolysis-mass spectrometry in characterization of animal manures. In: He, Z, editor. Environmental Chemistry of Animal Manure. New York, NY: Nova Science Publishers. p. 3-24.

Technical Abstract: Different analytical pyrolysis techniques have been used in characterizing natural organic matter and synthesized organic polymers. Most common ones are pyrolysis followed by direct detection using MS such as in Py-FIMS technique or pyrolysis followed by GC separation of pyrosates then detected by MS such as in Py-GC/MS. Pyrolysis GC/MS analysis of two dairy manures showed slight different molecular composition. Although both were dominated in lignin monomers accounting 36-38% of TIC, the manure from organic dairy farm had more guaiacyl and syringyl structures and less p-hydroxyphenyl structures than that of the conventional dairy farm, evidence of more grass origins of materials in the feeds and /or bedding materials mixed with manures. On the other hand, Py-GC/MS of a chicken manure sample showed very different molecular composition from dairy manures. The former contained greater percentage of aliphatics but had less lignin monomers and N-containing compounds than dairy manure. In addition, the TMAH treatment greatly enhanced the identification of aliphatic compounds of the chicken manure but significantly reduced the signals from carbocyclics and carbohydrate-derived compounds. Nonetheless, these analyses demonstrated that analytical pyrolysis can provide unique molecular composition of animal manure organic matter.