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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Livestock Nutrient Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #232227
Title: Ambient and indoor particulate aerosols generated by dairies in the Southern High Plains

Author
item Purdy, Charles
item Clark, Ray
item STRAUS, DAVID - TEXAS TECH UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Dairy Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2009
Publication Date: 1/12/2009
Citation: Purdy, C.W., Clark, R.N., Straus, D. 2009. Ambient and indoor particulate aerosols generated by dairies in the Southern High Plains. Journal of Dairy Science. 92:6033-6045.

Interpretive Summary: In this study, we quantified and sized the ambient aerosolized dust generated by four large dairies in the Southern High Plains and determined whether worker's health might be at risk due to aerosol particulates. The mean PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations were significantly different among the dairies. We showed that the milking parlor PM10 and PM2.5 particulate concentrations were significantly higher in the winter than in the summer. Our study showed that dairy personnel should be protected from high concentrations of aerosol particles that were found at the commodity barn, the compost field, and the milking parlor in the winter.

Technical Abstract: The objectives were to quantify and size ambient aerosolized dust in and around the facilities of four Southern High Plains dairies of New Mexico and to determine where health of workers might be vulnerable to particulate aerosols, based on aerosol concentrations that exceed national air quality standards. Ambient dust air samples were collected upwind (background) and downwind of three dairy location sites (loafing pen boundary, commodity, and compost field). The indoor milking parlor, a fourth site, was monitored immediately upwind and downwind. Aerosolized particulate samples were collected using high-volume sequential reference air samplers, laser aerosol monitors, and cyclone air samplers. The overall (main effects and estimable interactions) statistical general linear model statement for particulate matter (PM10); particulate matter with an aeerodynamic diameter of up to 10 up) and PM2.5 resulted in a greater mean concentration of dust in the winter (PM10 = 97.4 +/- 4.4 ug/m**3; PM2.5 = 32.6 +/- 2.6 ug/m**3) compared with the summer (PM10 = 71.9 +/- 5.0 ug/m**3; PM2.5 = 18.1 +/- 1.2 ug/m**3). The upwind and downwind boundary PM10 concentrations were significantly higher in the winter (upwind = 64.3 +/- 9.5 ug/m**3; downwind = 119.8 +/- 13.0 ug/m**3) compared with the summer (upwind = 35.2 +/- 7.5 ug/m**3); downwind = 66.8 +/- 11.8 ug/m**3). The milking parlor PM10 and PM2.5 concentration data were significantly higher in the winter (PM10 = 119.5 +/- 5.8 ug/m**3; PM2.5 = 55.3 +/- 5.8 ug/m**3) compared with the summer (PM10 = 88.6.0 +/- 5.8 ug/m**3; PM 2.5 = 21.0 +/- 2.1 ug/m**8). Personnel should be protected from high aerosol concentrations found at the commodity barn, compost field, and milking parlor during the winter.