Grantee Research Project Results

2014 Progress Report: Atmospheric Ammonia Emissions from the Livestock Sector: Development and Evaluation of a Process-based Modeling Approach

EPA Grant Number: R834549
Title: Atmospheric Ammonia Emissions from the Livestock Sector: Development and Evaluation of a Process-based Modeling Approach
Investigators: Adams, Peter
Institution: Carnegie Mellon University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2014 (Extended to November 30, 2015)
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2014 through April 30,2015
Project Amount: $483,827
RFA: Novel Approaches to Improving Air Pollution Emissions Information (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air

Objective:

The objective of this project is to build an improved atmospheric ammonia emissions inventory for U.S. livestock by developing and evaluating a process-based approach that accounts for regional and temporal variations in weather and farming practices. We will accomplish this by pursuing the following goals and tasks:

Develop process-based models of ammonia emissions from beef cattle, swine, and chickens that account for differences in farming practices as well as seasonal and diurnal variability
Assess the uncertainty in livestock ammonia emissions and suggest sources of data that can help reduce this uncertainty
Test process-based models at the farm scale against multi-year measurements conducted during the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS)
Develop a revised national emissions inventory based on these results
Test the performance of the revised national emissions inventory in a chemical transport model (CTM) against ambient measurements of NH₃ and NH₄⁺ concentrations and deposition
Assess the sensitivity of inorganic PM_2.5 to NH₃, SO₂, and NO_x emissions under current and future policy regimes

Progress Summary:

The goals of the project have not changed. In the past year, an extension was granted by EPA due to an unforeseen delay in obtaining animal survey data from the US Department of Agriculture. It is fully anticipated that the goals of the project will be met by the new project end date of November 30, 2015. Additionally, the U.S. EPA’s National Emissions Inventory (NEI) team has shown very strong interest in the results of this project and plans to adopt the emissions inventory we are developing for the 2014 NEI. We have been coordinating with Rhonda Thompson and others in the EPA NEI team to make this happen. In the past year, the student working on the project, Alyssa McQuilling (nee Moore), has submitted for publication a manuscript that describes the finalized the farm emissions models (FEMs) for all livestock types (Task 1). This manuscript received a reasonably favorable peer review and has been revised accordingly. We are now awaiting a decision or second review from the journal. Moreover, Alyssa has concluded the comparisons with the NAEMS emissions measurements (Task 2) and has an advanced draft describing these results that will be submitted in the next 1-2 months. She is now proceeding on using the evaluated FEMs to build a national ammonia emissions inventory (Tasks 3 and 4). In summary, Tasks 1 and 2 are complete, Tasks 3 and 4 are underway. Our third and final manuscript will include the results of Tasks 3-5 (inventory development and evaluation).

Future Activities:

Tasks 3 and 4: We currently are constructing a national inventory for livestock ammonia emissions from beef cattle, swine, and poultry (broiler and layer chickens) based on the evaluated farm emission models that have been developed. Using data from the USDA National Animal Health Monitoring Study as well as industry information about regional trends in manure management practices, county-specific (based on practices and meteorology) emissions factors are being produced. Then, using animal census data (also from USDA), we will be able to construct a more highly resolved emission inventory. Tasks 3 and 4 will be completed by the end of August.

Task 5: Additionally, we will be using meteorology (2011 and 2014) and the National Emission Inventory (NEI 2011v2) to evaluate our inventory in the chemical transport model, CAMx. Also, by having multiple years of meteorology we will be able to investigate the differences in emissions and pollutant concentrations resulting from different weather conditions. Finally, data from the Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN) and the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) will be used to compare to model results to real-world observations. Task 5, the evaluation of the new inventory versus ambient observations, will be completed in September and October at which time a third publication will be submitted based on the results of Tasks 3-5.

Journal Articles on this Report : 1 Displayed | Download in RIS Format

Publications Views
Other project views:	All 3 publications	1 publications in selected types	All 1 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	McQuilling AM, Adams PJ. Semi-empirical process-based models for ammonia emissions from beef, swine, and poultry operations in the United States. Atmospheric Environment 2015;120:127-136.	R834549 (2013) R834549 (2014) R834549 (Final)	Full-text: ScienceDirect-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: ScienceDirect-Abstract Exit Other: ScienceDirect-Full Text PDF Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

acid deposition, particulate matter, ecosystem, agriculture

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.