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Title: NITRIFICATION AND DENITRIFICATION POTENTIAL ASSOCIATED WITH A SEMI-PERMEABLE SWINE WASTE LAGOON BIOCOVER

Author
item Miller, Daniel
item BAUMGARTNER, JOHN - BAUMGARTNER ENVIRONICS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/2004
Publication Date: 8/16/2004
Citation: Miller, D.N., Baumgartner, J.W. 2004. Nitrification and denitrification potential associated with a semi-permeable swine waste lagoon biocover [abstract]. Third Annual Microbiology Meeting, Lincoln, NE, August 16, 2004.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Ammonia emission from swine waste lagoons presents a serious environmental challenge to pork producers. Semi-permeable swine waste lagoon biocovers have been developed to serve as a physical barrier and as an attachment site for biofilm development, but microbial analysis of the biocover technology is needed to validate their usefulness. Samples of mature biocover and its associated biofilm and lagoon liquids were collected from a swine waste lagoon, and their potential nitrifying and denitrifying activities were determined in laboratory aerobic and anaerobic incubations. Potential nitrification activity for the mature biocover samples produced 1.9 µmoles NO2- L**-1 hr**-1 during a 24-hour period, whereas new biocover (no biofilm) and lagoon supernatant samples produced < 0.008 µmoles NO2- L**-1 hr**-1. Potential denitrifying activity for the mature biocover samples consumed 25 µmoles NOx- (NO3-+ NO2-) L**-1 hr**-1. In the supernatant and new biocover (no biofilm) samples < 1.6 µmoles NOx- L**-1 hr**-1. We conclude that the biocover served as a useful support for the production of a beneficial biofilm community capable of transforming NH3 to N2 via a coupled nitrifying and denitrifying process.