ARS | Publication request: Ammonium and skatole biodegradation by swine waste microflora in a flow-through bioreactor

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: April 15, 2011
Publication Date: August 7, 2011
Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Cook, K.L., Loughrin, J.H. 2011. Ammonium and skatole biodegradation by swine waste microflora in a flow-through bioreactor. ASABE Annual International Meeting. Abstract.

Technical Abstract: Animal waste disposal and odor control have become a major issue for animal production facilities. As an attempt to improve efficiency and profit margins, many livestock operations have become large concentrated rearing facilities. As a result, many concerns over potentially adverse environmental impacts from these operations have arisen. While there are many important issues that drive these concerns, the emission of malodorous compounds is undoubtedly the foremost factor driving public awareness of this matter. Odor management has become a crucial issue for the livestock industry. Many have attempted to mitigate malodorous emissions by utilizing chemical amendments. However, these techniques may not be cost effective since chemicals and other absorbents can be quite expensive. Here, we demonstrate that bioaugmentation of bioreactor with enrichment cultures and other species isolated from swine lagoon is a viable alternative in reducing ammonium and skatole, a main malodorous compound in swine effluent. We found that flow-through bioreactors amended with pure and mixed cultures can degrade ammonium and skatole simultaneously. However, pure culture bioreactor required lower dilution rate than the mixed culture. Thus, bioaugmentation of treatment systems with indigenous populations may increase the efficiency of treatment systems and provide a simple, cost-effective bioremediation potential in reducing malodors emission at livestock facilities.