Evaluating Environmental Parameters for Minimum Ammonium Losses during Composting of Trimming Residues

Abstract

A neural fuzzy system was used to investigate the influence of environmental variables (time, aeration, moisture, and particle size) on composting parameters (pH, organic matter [OM], nitrogen [N], ammonium nitrogen [NH₄ ⁺-N] and nitrate nitrogen [NO₃ ^--N]). This was to determine the best composting conditions to ensure the maximum quality on the composts obtained with the minimum ammonium losses. A central composite experimental design was used to obtain the neural fuzzy model for each dependent variable. These models, consisting of the four independent process variables, were found to accurately describe the composting process (the differences between the experimental values and those estimated by using the equations never exceeded 5–10% of the former). Results of the modeling showed that creating a product with acceptable chemical properties (pH, NH₄ ⁺-N and NO₃ ^--N) entails operating at medium moisture content (55%) and medium to high particle size (3–5 cm). Moderate to low aeration (0.2 L air/min · kg) would be the best compromise to compost this residue because of the scant statistical influence of this independent variable.     

Influence of aeration rate and reactor shape on the composting of poultry manure and sawdust

To achieve successful composting, all the biological, chemical, and physical characteristics need to be considered. The investigation of our study was based on various physicochemical properties, i.e., temperature, ammonia concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, organic matter (OM) content, moisture content, bacterial population, and seed germination index (GI), during the composting of poultry manure and sawdust for different aeration rates and reactor shapes. Three cylindrical-shaped and three rectangular-shaped pilot-scale 60-L composting reactors were used in this study, with aeration rates of 0.3 (low), 0.6 (medium), and 0.9 (high) L min^?1 kg^?1 DM (dry matter). All parameters were monitored over 21 days of composting. Results showed that the low aeration rate (0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM) corresponded to a higher and longer thermophilic phase than did the high aeration rate (0.9 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM). Ammonia and carbon dioxide volatilization were directly related to the temperature profile of the substrate, with significant differences between the low and high aeration rates during weeks 2 and 3 of composting but no significant difference observed during week 1. At the end of our study, the final values of pH, EC, moisture content, C/N ratio, and organic matter in all compost reactors were lower than those at the start. The growth rates of mesophilic and thermophilic bacteria were directly correlated with mesophilic and thermophilic conditions of the compost. The final GI of the cylindrical reactor with an airflow rate of 0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM was 82.3%, whereas the GIs of the other compost reactors were below 80%. In this study, compost of a cylindrical reactor with a low aeration rate (0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM) was more stable and mature than the other reactors.

Implications: The poultry industry is growing in South Korea, but there are problems associated with the management of poultry manure, and composting is one solution that could be valuable for crops and forage if managed properly. For high-quality composting, the aeration rate in different reactor shapes must be considered. The objective of this study was to investigate various physicochemical properties with different aeration rates and rector shapes. Results showed that aeration rate of 0.3 L min^?1 kg^?1 DM in a cylindrical reactor provides better condition for maturation of compost.     

Optimal operating parameters in the composting of swine manure with wastepaper

Abstract

A series of experiments were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for composting of swine manure and wastepaper. The aeration rate and mixing ratio were the variables investigated. In the first study (Study‐1), four experiments each with the same mixing ratio but a different aeration rate were carried out. In the second study (Study‐2), different mixing ratios were investigated, each however with the same aeration rate which was found to be optimal from Study‐1. Composting efficiencies were evaluated on the temperature profile and the reduction of C/N ratio. From the aeration rates of 200, 500, 1000, and 1500 mL/min.kg_vs that were evaluated, the aeration rate of 500 mL/min.kg_vs and higher showed good results. In Study‐2, where the initial C/N ratios were 20, 25, 30, and 35 respectively, the C/N ratio of 30 was found to be optimal. In conclusion, the composting of swine manure with the amendment of wastepaper was best carried out at the aeration of >500 mL/min.kg_vs and C/N ratio of 30.     

Bio-optimization of the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for efficient vermicomposting of chicken manure and waste paper using <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eisenia fetida</Emphasis>

The main objective of the present study was to determine the optimum C/N ratio for converting waste paper and chicken manure to nutrient-rich manure with minimum toxicity. Six treatments of C/N ratio 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6, respectively) achieved by mixing chicken manure with shredded paper were used. The study involved a composting stage for 20 days followed by vermicomposting with Eisenia fetida for 7 weeks. The results revealed that 20 days of composting considerably degraded the organic waste mixtures from all treatments and a further 7 weeks of vermiculture significantly improved the bioconversion and nutrient value of all treatments. The C/N ratio of 40 (T3) resulted in the best quality vermicompost compared to the other treatments. Earthworm biomass was highest at T3 and T4 possibly due to a greater reduction of toxic substances in these waste mixtures. The total N, total P, and total K concentrations increased with time while total carbon, C/N ratio, electrical conductivity (EC), and heavy metal content gradually decreased with time during the vermicomposting process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed the intrastructural degradation of the chicken manure and shredded paper matrix which confirmed the extent of biodegradation of treatment mixtures as result of the composting and vermicomposting processes. Phytotoxicity evaluation of final vermicomposts using tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), radish (Raphanus sativus), carrot (Daucus carota), and onion (Allium cepa) as test crops showed the non-phytotoxicity of the vermicomposts to be in the order T3 > T4 > T2 > T1 > T5 > T6. Generally, the results indicated that the combination of composting and vermicomposting processes is a good strategy for the management of chicken manure/paper waste mixtures and that the ideal C/N ratio of the waste mixture is 40 (T3).     

Gaseous emission during the composting of pig feces from Chinese Ganqinfen system

The Ganqinfen system – a process of manually cleaning animal feces by means of a shovel – is a widely used manure separating method in Chinese pig farms. Ganqinfen pig feces and chopped corn stalks were mixed at the ratio of 7:1, and composted in 1.5 m³ rotting boxes for 70 d. Evolution of CH₄, N₂O and NH₃ during composting, and the effects of turning and covering, were studied in this research. Results showed that 20–39% and 0.5–4% of total nitrogen were lost in the form of NH₃ and N₂O respectively, and 0.1–0.9% of initial organic carbon was emitted as CH₄. Turning enhanced air exchange in the piles, thus decreasing CH₄ emission by 83–93% and shortening the maturing period. When trials were finished, all non-turned piles were separated to three layers by moisture content. This structure caused the N₂O losses of non-turning treatments to be 6–12.7 times higher than that of turning treatments. Covering materials reduced air exchange at the surface of the pile, thus decreasing the O₂ supply and consequently increasing CH₄ production by 33–45%. Covering also reduced NH₃ emission by 4–34%. For the composting of Ganqinfen pig feces, we suggest that a program of turning twice weekly without covering will result in compost that is sufficiently matured after 6 wk with the lowest resultant greenhouse gas emission.     

The emission of volatile compounds during the aerobic and the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting of biowaste

Two different biowaste composting techniques were compared with regard to their overall emission of volatile compounds during the active composting period. In the aerobic composting process, the biowaste was aerated during a 12-week period, while the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process consisted of a sequence of a 3-week anaerobic digestion (phase I) and a 2-week aeration period (phase II). While the emission of volatiles during phase I of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process was measured in a full-scale composting plant, the aerobic stages of both composting techniques were performed in pilot-scale composting bins. Similar groups of volatile compounds were analysed in the biogas and the aerobic composting waste gases, being alcohols, carbonyl compounds, terpenes, esters, sulphur compounds and ethers. Predominance of alcohols (38% wt/wt of the cumulative emission) was observed in the exhaust air of the aerobic composting process, while predominance of terpenes (87%) and ammonia (93%) was observed in phases I and II of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process, respectively. In the aerobic composting process, 2-propanol, ethanol, acetone, limonene and ethyl acetate made up about 82% of the total volatile organic compounds (VOC)-emission. Next to this, the gas analysis during the aerobic composting process revealed a strong difference in emission profile as a function of time between different groups of volatiles. The total emission of VOC, NH₃ and H₂S during the aerobic composting process was 742 g ton^-1 biowaste, while the total emission during phases I and II of the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process was 236 and 44 g ton^-1 biowaste, respectively. Taking into consideration the 99% removal efficiency of volatiles upon combustion of the biogas of phase I in the electricity generator, the combined anaerobic/aerobic composting process can be considered as an attractive alternative for aerobic biowaste composting because of its 17 times lower overall emission of the volatiles mentioned.     

Nitrogen and phosphorus removal for swine wastewater by ammonium crystallization and intermittent aeration process

Abstract

A process on crystallized precipitation of ammonium by adding magnesium salt and phosphate was carried out to improve C/N ratio in swine wastewater. After completion of crystallized precipitation of ammonium, an intermittent aeration process with aeration and non‐aeration periods alternated at interval of 1:1 hr day^‐1 is used for the improved swine wastewater (T‐N/BOD=0.14: BOD=8200 mg/liter and T‐N=1166 mg/liter). The results obtained from the experiment show that the removal ratios of T‐N and NH₄‐N are 91% and 99%, respectively. T‐P is not removed, while the removal ratio of PO₄‐P is 60% as 3% of CaCl₂ liquid is added. The results also indicate that dilution with water is effective to improve the removal of phosphorus even if raw swine wastewater contains high concentrations of T‐N, T‐P, BOD, and TOC.     

Evaluation of microbially enhanced composting of sophora flavescens residues

The effects of inoculants on the composting of Sophora flavescens residues were evaluated based on several physical, chemical and biological parameters, as well as the infrared spectra. Compared to the control compost without inoculants, the treatment compost with inoculants (Bacillus subtilis strain G-13 and Chaetomium thermophilum strain GF-1) had a significantly longer thermophilic duration, higher cellulase activity and a higher degradation rate of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin (P < 0.05). Thus, a higher maturity degree of compost with apparently lower C:N ratio (15.88 vs. 17.77) and NH₄-N:NO₃-N ratio (0.16 vs. 0.20) was obtained with the inoculation comparing with the control (P < 0.05). Besides, the inoculants could markedly accelerate the composting process and increase the maturity degree of compost as indicated by the germination index (GI) in which the treatment reached the highest GI of 133.2% at day 15 while the control achieved the highest GI of 125.7% at day 30 of the composting. Inoculation with B. subtilis and C. thermophilum is a useful method to enhance the S. flavescens residues composting according to this study.     

Effect of topography on nitrous oxide emissions from winter wheat fields in Central France

We assessed nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions at shoulder and foot-slope positions along three sloping sites (1.6–2.1%) to identify the factors controlling the spatial variations in emissions. The three sites received same amounts of total nitrogen (N) input at 170 kg N ha⁻¹. Results showed that landscape positions had a significant, but not consistent effect on N₂O fluxes with larger emission in the foot-slope at only one of the three sites. The effect of soil inorganic N (NH₄⁺ + NO₃⁻) contents on N₂O fluxes (r² = 0.55, p < 0.001) was influenced by water-filled pore space (WFPS). Soil N₂O fluxes were related to inorganic N at WFPS > 60% (r² = 0.81, p < 0.001), and NH₄⁺ contents at WFPS < 60% (r² = 0.40, p < 0.01), respectively. Differences in WFPS between shoulder and foot-slope correlated linearly with differences in N₂O fluxes (r² = 0.45, p < 0.001). We conclude that spatial variations in N₂O emission were regulated by the influence of hydrological processes on soil aeration intensity.     

Effect of bulking agents on maturity and gaseous emissions during kitchen waste composting

This study investigated the effect of bulking agents on the maturity and gaseous emissions of composting kitchen waste. Three different bulking agents (cornstalks, sawdust, and spent mushroom substrate) were used to compost kitchen waste under aerobic conditions in 60-L reactors for a 28-d period. A control treatment was also studied using kitchen waste without a bulking agent. During the experiment, maturity indexes such as temperature, pH value, C/N ratio, and germination index were determined, and continuous measurements of leachate and gaseous emissions (CH₄, N₂O, and NH₃) were taken. The results showed that all of the composts with bulking agents reached the required maturity standard, and the addition of spent mushroom substrate gave the highest maturity (C/N ratio decreased from 23 to 16 and germination index increased from 53% to 111%). The bulking agents also reduced leachate production and CH₄ and N₂O emissions, but had little impact on NH₃ emissions. Composting with sawdust as a bulking agent was found to emit less total greenhouse gas (33 kg CO₂-eq t⁻¹ dry matter) than the other treatments.     

Effects of biofilter media depth and moisture content on removal of gases from a swine barn

Media depth (MD) and moisture content (MC) are two important factors that greatly influence biofilter performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the combined effect of MC and MD on removing ammonia (NH₃), hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from swine barns. Biofiltration performance of different MDs and MCs in combination based on a mixed medium of wood chips and compost was monitored. A 3 × 3 factorial design was adopted, which included three levels of the two factors (MC: 45%, 55%, and 67% [wet basis]; MD: 0.17, 0.33, and 0.50 m). Results indicated that high MC and MD could improve NH₃ removal efficiency, but increase outlet N₂O concentration. When MC was 67%, the average NH₃ removal efficiency of three MDs (0.17, 0.33, and, 0.50 m) ranged from 77.4% to 78.7%; the range of average H₂S removal efficiency dropped from 68.1–90.0% (1–34 days of the test period) to 36.8–63.7% (35–58 days of the test period); and the average outlet N₂O concentration increased by 25.5–60.1%. When MC was 55%, the average removal efficiency of NH₃, H₂S, and N₂O for treatment with 0.33 m MD was 72.8 ± 5.9%, 70.9 ± 13.3%, and –18.9 ± 8.1%, respectively; and the average removal efficiency of NH₃, H₂S, and N₂O for treatment with 0.50 m MD was 77.7 ± 4.2%, 65.8 ± 13.7%, and –24.5 ±12.1%, respectively. When MC was 45%, the highest average NH₃ reduction efficiency among three MDs was 60.7% for 0.5 m MD, and the average N₂O removal efficiency for three MDs ranged from –18.8% to –12.7%. In addition, the pressure drop of 0.33 m MD was significantly lower than that of 0.50 m MD (p < 0.05). To obtain high mitigation of NH₃ and H₂S and avoid elevated emission of N₂O and large pressure drop, 0.33 m MD at 55% MC is recommended.

Implications: The performances of biofilters with three different media depths (0.17, 0.33, and 0.50 m) and three different media moisture contents (45%, 55%, and 67% [wet basis]) were compared to remove gases from a swine barn. Using wood chips and compost mixture as the biofilters media, the combination of 0.33 m media depth and 55% media moisture content is recommended to obtain good reduction of NH₃ and H₂S, and to simultaneously prevent elevated emission of N₂O and large pressure drop across the media.     

Field study of nitrous oxide production with in situ aeration in a closed landfill site

Nitrous oxide (N₂O) has gained considerable attention as a contributor to global warming and depilation of stratospheric ozone layer. Landfill is one of the high emitters of greenhouse gas such as methane and N₂O during the biodegradation of solid waste. Landfill aeration has been attracted increasing attention worldwide for fast, controlled and sustainable conversion of landfills into a biological stabilized condition, however landfill aeration impel N₂O emission with ammonia removal. N₂O originates from the biodegradation, or the combustion of nitrogen-containing solid waste during the microbial process of nitrification and denitrification. During these two processes, formation of N₂O as a by-product from nitrification, or as an intermediate product of denitrification. In this study, air was injected into a closed landfill site and investigated the major N₂O production factors and correlations established between them. The in-situ aeration experiment was carried out by three sets of gas collection pipes along with temperature probes were installed at three different distances of one, two and three meter away from the aeration point; named points A-C, respectively. Each set of pipes consisted of three different pipes at three different depths of 0.0, 0.75 and 1.5 m from the bottom of the cover soil. Landfill gases composition was monitored weekly and gas samples were collected for analysis of nitrous oxide concentrations. It was evaluated that temperatures within the range of 30–40°C with high oxygen content led to higher generation of nitrous oxide with high aeration rate. Lower O₂ content can infuse N₂O production during nitrification and high O₂ inhibit denitrification which would affect N₂O production. The findings provide insights concerning the production potentials of N₂O in an aerated landfill that may help to minimize with appropriate control of the operational parameters and biological reactions of N turnover.

Implications: Investigation of nitrous oxide production potential during in situ aeration in an old landfill site revealed that increased temperatures and oxygen content inside the landfill site are potential factors for nitrous oxide production. Temperatures within the range of optimum nitrification process (30–40°C) induce nitrous oxide formation with high oxygen concentration as a by-product of nitrogen turnover. Decrease of oxygen content during nitrification leads increase of nitrous oxide production, while temperatures above 40°C with moderate and/or low oxygen content inhibit nitrous oxide generation.     

Nitrification/denitrification in an intermittent aeration process for swine wastewater

Abstract

Nitrogen removal by a methane fermentation plus activated sludge process with the intermittent aeration was presented based upon a full‐scale pig farm experiment. Swine wastewater had a T‐N/BOD ratio from 0.2–0.29. The BOD concentration input to the process ranged from 1050–1608 mg l^‐1 and the T‐N concentration from 273–350 mg l^‐1. More than 90% of organic carbon was removed in each experimental run. Only small concentrations of NO₃‐N were found in the effluent and higher than 60% of the T‐N and 73% of NH₄‐N which were loaded to the intermittent aeration tank was removed. The nitrogen balance of each run was calculated. Denitrification was estimated to be accountable for 45–90% of the T‐N removed in the intermittent aeration tank. Denitrification rate increased as the BOD concentration increased (> 1300 mg l^‐1). The T‐N removal percentage was a function of the T‐N/BOD ratio of the influent. Although higher DO concentration (> 3 mg l^‐1) did not enhance the denitrification rate, nitrification did maintain at relative higher rates at a lower DO concentration (ave. 1.5 mg l^‐1). An operational condition of intermittent interval of aeration/nonaeration at 1:1 hr is better than that of the condition at 3:1 hr. As a result, T‐N and NH4‐N were removed up to 30% and 40% respectively, and the denitrification rate reached 79% in the intermittent aeration tank. An experimental run in a pilot plant on treating anaerobically pretreated swine wastewater was observed to verify simultaneous nitrification/denitrification. The results of the full‐scale plant experimentation seem to be confirmed by those obtained from the pilot plant runs.     

Preventive control of odor emissions through manipulation of operational parameters during the active phase of composting

Better understanding of the effects of key operational parameters or environmental factors on odor emission is of critical importance for minimizing the generation of composting odors. A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to examine the effects of various operating conditions on odor emissions. The results revealed that airflow rates that were too high or too low could result in higher total odor emissions. An optimal flowrate for odor control would be approximately 0.6 L/min.kg dry matter with intermittent aeration and a duty cycle of 33%. Temperature setpoint at 60°C appeared to be a turning point for odor emission. Below this point, odor emissions increased with increasing temperature setpoint; conversely, odor emissions decreased with increasing temperature setpoint above this point. With regard to the composting material properties, odor emissions were greatly affected by the initial moisture content of feedstock. Both peak odor concentration and emission rate generally increased with higher initial moisture content. Odor emission was significant only at moisture levels higher than 65%. An initial moisture level below 45% is not recommended due to concern with the resulting lower degree of biodegradation. Biodegradable volatile solids content (BVS) of feedstock had pronounced effect on odor emissions. Peak odor concentration and emission rate increased dramatically as BVS increased from 45% to 65%, thus, total odor emission increased exponentially with BVS.     

Tissue S/N ratios and stable isotopes (δS and δN) of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum) for showing air pollution in urban cities in Southern China

In urban cities in Southern China, the tissue S/N ratios of epilithic mosses (Haplocladium microphyllum), varied widely from 0.11 to 0.19, are strongly related to some atmospheric chemical parameters (e.g. rainwater SO₄²⁻/NH₄⁺ ratios, each people SO₂ emission). If tissue S/N ratios in the healthy moss species tend to maintain a constant ratio of 0.15 in unpolluted area, our study cities can be divided into two classes: class I (S/N > 0.15, S excess) and class II (S/N < 0.15, N excess), possibly indicative of stronger industrial activity and higher density of population, respectively. Mosses in all these cities obtained S and N from rainwater at a similar ratio. Sulphur and N isotope ratios in mosses are found significantly linearly correlated with local coal δ³⁴S and NH₄⁺-N wet deposition, respectively, indicating that local coal and animal NH₃ are the major atmospheric S and N sources.     

Scenarios of animal waste production and fertilizer use and associated ammonia emission for the developing countries

Livestock production and the use of synthetic fertilizer are responsible for about half of the global emission of NH₃. Depending on the animal category between 10 and 36% of the N in animal excreta is lost as NH₃. The current annual NH₃ emission in developing countries of 15 million ton N accounts for of the global emission from animal excreta. In addition, 7.2 million tons NH₃N of synthetic N fertilizers are lost as NH₃ in developing countries. This is 80% of the global NH₃ emission from synthetic fertilizer's use. Along with human population increase and economic growth, livestock production in developing countries may even increase by a factor of 3 between now and 2025. The net result of rapid increase of livestock production combined with higher efficiency is an increase in NH₃ emissions of only 60% from 15 to 24 million tons NH₃N between 1990 and 2025 in developing countries. Livestock production is an important consumer of feedstuffs, mainly cereals, thereby inducing additional demand for synthetic fertilizers. Despite the projected major increase of synthetic fertilizer use from 42 to 106 million ton N between 1990 and 2025, the NH₃ loss in developing countries may decrease if a shift towards other fertilizer types, that are less vulnerable to NH₃ volatilization, is realized. According to the scenario, the total emission of NH₃ associated with food production in developing countries will increase from 22 to 30 million ton N yr⁻¹ between 1990 and 2025. Although the NH₃ emission increases more slowly than food production, in particular, animal production may show geographic concentration in certain regions, which may lead to high local emission densities and associated environmental problems.     

Nitric oxide and nitrous oxide emission from Hungarian forest soils; linked with atmospheric N-deposition

Studies of forest nitrogen (N) budgets generally measure inputs from the atmosphere in wet and dry deposition and outputs via hydrologic export. Although denitrification has been shown to be important in many wetland ecosystems, emission of N oxides from forest soils is an important, and often overlooked, component of an ecosystem N budget. During 1 year (2002–03), emissions of nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) were measured from Sessile oak and Norway spruce forest soils in northeast Hungary. Accumulation in small static chambers followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection was used for the estimation of N₂O emission flux. Because there are rapid chemical reactions of NO and ozone, small dynamic chambers were used for in situ NO flux measurements. Average soil emissions of NO were 1.2 and 2.1 μg N m⁻² h⁻¹, and for N₂O were 15 and 20 μg N m⁻² h⁻¹, for spruce and oak soils, respectively. Due to the relatively high soil water content, and low C/N ratio in soil, denitrification processes dominate, resulting in an order of magnitude greater N₂O emission rate compared to NO. The previously determined N balance between the atmosphere and the forest ecosystem was re-calculated using these soil emission figures. The total (dry+wet) atmospheric N-deposition to the soil was 1.42 and 1.59 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹ for spruce and oak, respectively, while the soil emissions are 0.14 and 0.20 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹. Thus, about 10–13% of N compounds deposited to the soil, mostly as and , were transformed in the soil and emitted back to the atmosphere, mostly as greenhouse gas (N₂O).     

Bench-scale gasification of cedar wood – Part II: Effect of Operational conditions on contaminant release

Here, we present the evolution profile of tar in the product gas during cedar biomass gasification. We also discuss the evolution of other contaminants (H₂S, COS, NH₃, HCN, and HCl). The cedar wood was gasified under various operating conditions in a bench-scale externally heated updraft gasifier; this was followed by thermal reforming.Tar levels in the product gas were significantly affected by the operating conditions used. At a gasification temperature of 923 K, there was no clear relation between the evolution of phenolic tar in the product gas as a function of residence time. The evolution of PAH tar at a low gasification temperature was lower than the evolution of phenolic tar. With increasing temperature, the proportion of PAH tar content became significant. At a gasification temperature of 1223 K, increasing the residence time reduced the content of PAH tar owing to a catalytic effect associated with ash generation at high temperatures. Increasing the steam-to-carbon (S/C) ratio under thermal conditions had a slight effect on PAH conversion. However, increasing the equivalence ratio (ER) effectively reduced the tar levels.The conversion of fuel-sulfur and fuel-nitrogen to volatile-sulfur and volatile-nitrogen, respectively, increased with increasing S/C ratio and ER. The evolutions of COS and HCN gases were much smaller than the evolution of H₂S and NH₃. The evolution of HCl in the product gas decreased slightly with increasing ER. Increasing the S/C ratio decreased the HCl levels in the product gas. The effect of temperature on contaminant levels could not be fully understood due to limited availability of experimental data at various temperatures. We also compare our findings with data in the literature.     

Ammonia volatilization loss from surface applied livestock manure

Ammonia (NH₃) emission from livestock manures used in agriculture reduces N uptake by crops and negatively impacts air quality. This laboratory study was conducted to evaluate NH₃emission from different livestock manures applied to two soils: Candler fins sand (CFS; light-textured soil, pH 6.8 and field capacity soil water content of 70 g kg^{? 1}) from Lake Alfred, Florida and Ogeechee loamy sand (OLS; medium-textured soil, pH 5.2 and field capacity soil water content of 140 g kg^{? 1}) from Savannah, Georgia. Poultry litter (PL) collected from a poultry farm near Douglas, Georgia, and fresh solid separate of swine manure (SM) collected from a farm near Clinton, North Carolina were used. Each of the soil was weighed in 100 g sub samples and amended with either PL or SM at rates equivalent to either 0, 2.24, 5.60, 11.20, or 22.40 Mg ha^{? 1} in 1L Mason jars and incubated in the laboratory at field capacity soil water content for 19 days to monitor NH₃ volatilization. Results indicated a greater NH₃ loss from soils amended with SM compared to that with PL. The cumulative NH₃volatilization loss over 19 days ranged from 4 to 27% and 14 to 32% of total N applied as PL and SM, respectively. Volatilization of NH₃ was greater from light-textured CFS than that from medium-textured OLS. Volatilization loss increased with increasing rates of manure application. Ammonia volatilization was lower at night time than that during the day time. Differences in major factors such as soil water content, temperature, soil type and live stock manure type influenced the diurnal variation in volatilization loss of NH₃ from soils. A significant portion (> 50%) of cumulative NH₃ emission over 19 d occurred during the first 5–7 d following the application of livestock manures. Results of this study demonstrate that application of low rates of livestock manure (≤ 5.60 Mg ha^{? 1}) is recommended to minimize NH₃ emissions.