Emissions of nitrogen oxide gases during aerobic treatment of animal slurries

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 45; no. 3; pp. 233 - 235
• Main Authors: Burton, C.H., Sneath, R.W., Farrent, J.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1993; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological treatment of sewage sludges and wastes; Biotechnology; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; nitric oxide; nitrogen dioxide; nitrous oxide; piggery; redox control; Slurry; Use of agricultural and forest wastes. Biomass use, bioconversion; nitrogen dioxide; piggery; redox control; nitric oxide; nitrous oxide; Slurry; Aerobic digestion; Gas emission; Biotransformation; Animal slurry; Denitrification; Liquid waste; Water pollution; Animal waste; Pig barn; Nitrogen Oxides
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/0960-8524(93)90117-T

Quantities of nitrous oxide, N 2O, an important greenhouse gas, were found in the effluent gases from controlled continuous aerobic treatment of pig slurry. Where nitrifying-denitrifying conditions were encouraged (4-day treatment time and aeration to a redox potential of −50 mV E cal), concentrations of this gas at times exceeded 1500 ppm and accounted for 19% of the nitrogen lost from the slurry. Smaller concentrations of the gas (170 ppm) were found during short treatments (1·5 days) where nitrifying activity would not be expected; partial nitrification is a possible explanation. Quantities of nitric oxide (NO) (up to 100 ppm), and even small amounts of NO 2, were also found, suggesting these previously unquantified nitrogen transformation routes in the traditional nitrogen cycle exist in aerobic treatment processes.