Atmospheric NH sub(3) dynamics at a typical pig farm in China and their implications

• Published in: Atmospheric pollution research Vol. 5; no. 3; pp. 455 - 463
• Main Authors: Xu, Wen, Zheng, Kun, Liu, Xuejun, Meng, Lingmin, Huaitalla, Roxana M, Shen, Jianlin, Hartung, Eberhand, Gallmann, Eva, Roelcke, Marco, Zhang, Fusuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.2014
• Subjects: China, People's Rep., Beijing
• ISSN: 1309-1042; 1309-1042
• DOI: 10.5094/APR.2014.053

This study investigated NH sub(3) concentrations in and around a large-scale commercial pig farm with the so-called "gan qing fen" manure collection system near Beijing from April 2009 to August 2011. NH sub(3) emissions from the fattening pig houses were calculated based on the heat balance method. Monthly concentrations of time-averaged NH sub(3) in and near the pig house averaged 3 392 and 182 mu g m super(-3) and ranged from 1 044 to 7 514 mu g m super(-3) and 35.4 to 478 mu g m super(-3), respectively. Daily NH sub(3) concentrations varied from 767 to 2 389 mu g m in the pig house and 184 to 574 mu g m super(-3) outside. Time-averaged NH sub(3) concentrations varied from 21.6 to 558 mu g m super(-3) within the farm while concentrations outside the farm ranged from 38.4 mu g m at a distance of 10 m to 14.0 mu g m super(-3) at a distance of 650 m. Calculated average NH sub(3) emission rates per pig were highest in summer and lowest in winter, 8.0+ or -5.5 (average?standard deviation) and 2.0+ or -0.4 g day super(-1) pig super(-1), respectively. Average NH sub(3) emission rates (normalized to 500 kg live weight, expressed as AU) were highest during spring and summer (average 65.4+ or -25.0 and 53.7+ or -35.6 g day super(-1) AU super(-1)) and lowest in autumn and winter (average 25.4+ or -9.3 and 13.7+ or -2.7 g day super(-1) AU super(-1)). Average NH sub(3) emission per area (m super(2)) from house was almost three times higher in summer (average 3.5+ or -2.4 g day super(-1) m super(-2)) than in winter (average 1.1+ or -0.3 g day super(-1) m super(-2) ).