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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Bowling Green, Kentucky » Food Animal Environmental Systems Research » People » John H. Loughrin

John H Loughrin

Research Chemist

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Contact Information

Phone:  +1 270-781-2260 ext. 235

Email:  john.loughrin@usda.gov

 

Areas of Expertise

Analytical and natural products chemistry

Anaerobic digestion processes

Biochemical processes

 

Education

BS: Botany, 1981, University of Kentucky

MS: Plant Physiology, 1989, University of Kentucky

PhD: Plant Physiology, 1991, University of Kentucky

Postdoc: USDA-ARS Insect Attractants, Behavior, and Basic Biology Research Laboratory in Gainesville, FL

Dr. John H. Loughrin is a Research Chemist at the USDA-ARS Food Animal Systems Environmental Research Unit in Bowling Green, KY. He specializes in odor analysis and greenhouse gas management. The goal of Dr. Loughrin’s research is to mitigate the environmental damage done to land, water, and air by excessive application of animal manure to farmland. Specific areas of research include improving the efficiency and cost effectiveness of anaerobic digesters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide renewable energy production and reduce manure volume and strength.

Area of research

  • Enhancing the production of biogas from anaerobic digesters at reduced costs
  • Studying the effect of sound on biogas production and the microbiome of anaerobic digesters
  • Investigating manipulation of the microbiome of anaerobic digestion to reduce the concentration of malodors in animal wastes.
  • Reducing and/or capturing dissolved greenhouse gases in animal waste slurries to reduce fugitive emissions of greenhouse gases.
  • Uncoupling solid waste retention time from wastewater hydraulic retention time to determine its effectiveness in reducing phosphate and heavy metal pollution.

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