Grantee Research Project Results

2010 Progress Report: Towards a Verifiable Ammonia Emissions Inventory for Cattle Feedlots in the Great Plains

EPA Grant Number: R834551
Title: Towards a Verifiable Ammonia Emissions Inventory for Cattle Feedlots in the Great Plains
Investigators: Ham, Jay M , Pressley, Shelley N. , Lamb, Brian , Johnson, Kristen
Current Investigators: Ham, Jay M , Lamb, Brian , Johnson, Kristen , Pressley, Shelley N.
Institution: Colorado State University , Washington State University
EPA Project Officer: Chung, Serena
Project Period: April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2013 (Extended to March 31, 2014)
Project Period Covered by this Report: April 1, 2010 through March 31,2011
Project Amount: $499,875
RFA: Novel Approaches to Improving Air Pollution Emissions Information (2009) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Air

Objective:

The goal of this study is to use novel field measurements, new modeling approaches, and feedback from stakeholders to develop and evaluate an online tool for predicting site-specific beef feedlot ammonia emissions in the Great Plains.

Progress Summary:

Novel systems from measuring and modeling ammonia emissions from cattle feedlots are under development. Progress toward these goals include:

Complete the design of a tower-based REA system for measurement of pen-scale emissions that incorporates a ring-down cavity analyzer. This system now is being tested in the laboratory for quality assurance.
A laboratory chamber system was perfected and used to measure ammonia losses from intact soil cores collected from commercial feedlots. Results showed that the crude protein levels in the diet can change pen emissions by up to 40% (Galles, et al., 2011). These data will provide useful calibration data for the modeling effort.
A modeling strategy for estimating ammonia losses from feedlot pens was developed (Ham, 2010) based on a mosaic approach that considers losses from urine patches and dry soil separately.

Future Activities:

Next steps for the research project include:

Field testing the REA measurement system at commercial feedlots in Colorado, Washington, and Kansas;
Continue to refine the emissions models with emphasis on the physicochemistry of the ammonia volatilization process and how it is altered by management (e.g., pen cleaning, diet, etc.);
Compare measured and modeled results from 2012 field campaigns; and
Begin work on the online software tool that will allow feedlot managers to estimate and report annual NH₃ losses. Get input from stakeholders.

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

Publications Views
Other project views:	All 11 publications	2 publications in selected types	All 2 journal articles

Publications
Type	Citation	Project	Document Sources
Journal Article	Galles K, Ham J, Westover E, Stratton J, Wagner J, Engle T, Bryant TC. Influence of reduced nitrogen diets on ammonia emissions from cattle feedlot pens. Atmosphere 2011;2(4):655-670.	R834551 (2010) R834551 (2011) R834551 (Final)	Full-text: MDPI-Full Text HTML Exit Abstract: MDPI-Abstract Exit Other: MDPI-Full Text PDF Exit

Supplemental Keywords:

Ammonia, Livestock, Air Quality, feedlot ammonia emissions, CAFO

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.