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Title: ELECTROFLOTATION OF DAIRY MANURE LAGOON WATER: CHEMICAL & MICROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

Author
item Hernlem, Bradley - Brad

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/20/2004
Publication Date: 2/4/2004
Citation: Hernlem, B.J. 2004. Electroflotation of dairy manure lagoon water: chemical & microbiological effects. Meeting Abstract.

Interpretive Summary: Manure lagoons are potential sources of transmission of disease to humans and animals. An electrical process was applied to dairy manure lagoon water and was found to reduce levels of bacteria as well as being effective in cleaning the water. This technology is potentially useful to dairymen and livestock feeding operations or other producers that utilize manure lagoons and whose livestock come into repeated contact with such water. The process also is potentially beneficial to reducing the spread of disease causing bacteria to crops fertilized with manure lagoon water.

Technical Abstract: Lagoons are important tools for manure management in dairy and livestock operations but are potential sources of transmission of human or animal pathogens and present potential environmental hazards from release of nitrogen and phosphorus. Electroflotation technology utilizes electrolytic gas generation to separate floatable materials from aqueous process fluids and has the added feature that it may also destroy bacteria and certain chemical compounds by oxidation, particularly when chloride is present. A bench scale electroflotation device was fabricated and used to treat samples of manure lagoon water from a California central valley dairy to quantify disinfection, and physical and chemical effects. Additional experiments were performed on model solutions of urea to examine the fate of urea and other chemical effects of treatment.