ARS | Publication request: Bioaugmentation of Treatment System for Skatole Degradation: Bioremediation Potential for Odors Reduction at Livestock Operations.

Submitted to: Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 1, 2008
Publication Date: May 19, 2008
Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Loughrin, J.H., Sistani, K.R. 2008. Bioaugmentation of Treatment System for Skatole Degradation: Bioremediation Potential for Odors Reduction at Livestock Operations.. Mitigating Air Emissions from Animal Feeding Operations.

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 technological techniques such as scrubbers. However, these techniques may not be cost effective since scrubbers may require expensive solvents. Here, we demonstrate that bioaugmentation of bioreactor with enrichment cultures and with a pure culture of Rhodococcus sp. isolated from swine lagoon is a viable alternative in reducing skatole, a main malodorous compound in swine effluent. We found that bioreactor amended with pure culture can degrade skatole as well as the enriched mixed culture after certain lag period. Pure culture bioreactor required longer lag time 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.