ARS | Publication request: Volatile Organic Carbons in Suspended Particulate Matter from Broiler House: Examination of Filtration Conditions and Materials.

Submitted to: ASABE Annual International Meeting
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: April 30, 2009
Publication Date: June 20, 2009
Citation: Lovanh, N.C., Loughrin, J.H., Sistani, K.R. 2009. Volatile Organic Carbons in Suspended Particulate Matter from Broiler House: Examination of Filtration Conditions and Materials.. ASABE Annual International Meeting.

Technical Abstract: The increase in human population has created a parallel increase in demand for agricultural commodities. Satisfying the demand for food has already altered the way we raised crops and carried out livestock productions that had confound effect on the environment. Concentrated production of poultry and other livestock had led to concentrated emissions of odorous pollutants and fugitive dust from these production facilities and had created few concerns regarding health and welfare of animals as well as humans in or near these facilities. For poultry operations, the negative impacts of air contaminants on poultry health and performance have been well documented. The main concern at the local level, however, is the ammonia emission and the persistent odorous smell from poultry operations. The persistent and long life expectancy of odors and toxic pollutants from poultry houses may be due to the ability of suspended particulate matters (SPM) to serve as carriers for odorous compounds such as volatile organic carbons (VOC). Data involving odorous compounds such as VOC and SPM are scarce and incomplete. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine and characterize impinger filtration conditions and materials in determining the profile of various VOC in the SPM from a broiler house over a period of one flock. The results showed that proprionic acid and iso-butyric acid are the major VOC found in the SPM collected from the broiler house. The results also showed that volumetric flowrates and filtration materials had a major effect on the VOC concentrations.