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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Mississippi State, Mississippi » Crop Science Research Laboratory » Genetics and Sustainable Agriculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #217405
Title: Instrumentation for evaluating differences in ammonia volatilization from broiler litter and cake

Author
item Miles, Dana
item OWENS, PHILLIP - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Moore, Philip
item ROWE, DENNIS - MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Poultry Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/11/2008
Publication Date: 7/1/2008
Citation: Miles, D.M., Owens, P.R., Moore Jr., P.A., Rowe, D.E. 2008. Instrumentation for evaluating differences in ammonia volatilization from broiler litter and cake. Journal of Applied Poultry Research. 17:340-347.

Interpretive Summary: Ammonia generation from reused poultry bedding (litter) can be problematic for farmers, their birds, and the environment. Knowledge is lacking regarding how to reduce these ammonia emissions. A chamber acid trap system was developed, providing an improved laboratory method for determining ammonia losses from bedding samples and for assessing treatment technologies to decrease losses from poultry litter. The system offers precision air flow through sample chambers as well as straightforward, precise determination of the amount of ammonia lost. This article provides a component list and construction details needed to build the system. This system can be used and modified for researching specific mechanisms, involving physical, chemical, or biological treatments, effecting ammonia volatilization from litter.

Technical Abstract: Greater understanding of the mechanisms affecting ammonia volatilization from reused broiler bedding is needed to determine pathways for mitigating ammonia emissions. A chamber acid trap (CAT) system was developed to provide an improved laboratory method for determining ammonia volatilization from litter or cake samples and for assessing treatment technologies to decrease ammonia losses from poultry litter. The CAT system offers precision control of air flow rate through sample chambers as well as straightforward, precise determination of the amount of nitrogen (N) volatilized. This article outlines the basic set-up of the CAT system and provides component list and construction details needed to build the system. This system can be utilized and modified for researching specific mechanisms, involving physical, chemical, or biological treatments, effecting ammonia volatilization from litter or cake