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Title: TREATMENT OF DAIRY MANURE WITH ANAEROBIC DIGESTION AND AERATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR REDUCING GASEOUS EMISSIONS

Author
item ZHONG, RUIHONG - UC DAVIS
item MITLOEHNER, FRANK - UC DAVIS
item McGarvey, Jeffery - Jeff
item MA, YANGUO - UC DAVIS

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/26/2005
Publication Date: 1/26/2005
Citation: Zhong, R., Mitloehner, F., McGarvey, J.A., Ma, Y. 2005. Treatment of dairy manure with anaerobic digestion and aeration technologies for reducing gaseous emissions [abstract]. California Air Resources Board Symposia, January 26, 2005, Sacramento, CA. Paper No. 005

Interpretive Summary: Animal waste (feces and urine) from large animal feeding operations such as dairies must be treated before being discharged onto land or water. A common way to treat this waste is by anaerobic digestion, which has the advantage of producing methane, a gas that can be used to generate energy such as electricity. Anaerobic digestion also reduces the levels of polluting gasses discharged into the atmosphere such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and volatile organic compounds. This paper discusses research conducted at UC Davis on anaerobic digestion of animal waste and how it is being used to reduce gaseous emissions.

Technical Abstract: Anaerobic digestion and aeration technologies have proven to be effective in providing the necessary treatment of animal waste for the benefits of water pollution control. Anaerobic digesters could also provide dairies with the benefit of biogas-energy production as well. Such waste treatment technologies are expected to reduce the air emissions from manure management systems. However, how much emission reduction that can be achieved for dairies is not known. This paper reports the findings of an on-going study at UC Davis in quantifying the emission reductions of several gases (ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and volatile organic compounds) by anaerobic digestion and aeration treatment processes for dairy manure.