The Use of Natural Sorbents to Reduce Ammonia Emissions from Cattle Faeces

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 11; no. 12; p. 2543
• Main Authors: Szymula, Agnieszka, Wlazło, Łukasz, Sasáková, Naďa, Wnuk, Wioletta, Nowakowicz-Dębek, Bożena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.12.2021
• Subjects: Acidification; Adsorption; Agricultural management; Agriculture; Ammonia; Animal production; Bentonite; Carbon dioxide; Cattle; cattle farm; Charcoal; Climate change; Dairy cattle; Dairy farming; emission; Emissions; Environmental policy; Farms; Feces; Feeds; Guidebooks; Laboratories; Livestock farming; natural sorbents; Nitrogen; Pollutants; Reduction; Sorbents; Statistical analysis; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Zeolites; Poland
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy11122543
• ISSN: 2073-4395

Intensification of animal production leads to an increase in ammonia emissions into the environment. For this reason, various methods and strategies are sought to reduce ammonia emissions from faeces. The aim of the study was to test the possibility of using natural sorbents and sorbent mixtures to reduce ammonia emissions from cattle faeces. Faecal samples for analysis were collected from Holstein-Friesian dairy cows during the winter. The amount of ammonia emissions from cow faeces was determined every seven days, after mixing the faeces with a mixture of selected sorbents. All of the sorbents used have the potential to remove ammonia. The most effective reduction in ammonia was achieved using biochar and a mixture of bentonite with zeolite. The reduction in these groups was 42.56% and 24.56%, respectively, relative to the control group. The results indicate that these sorbents can be used to reduce ammonia emissions from cattle farms.