Odor and gas release from anaerobic treatment lagoons for swine manure

Odor and gas release from anaerobic lagoons for treating swine waste affect air quality in neighboring communities but rates of release are not well documented. A buoyant convective flux chamber (BCFC) was used to determine the effect of lagoon loading rate on measured odor and gas releases from two primary lagoons at a simulated wind speed of 1.0 m s(-1). Concentrations of ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitric oxide (NO) in 50-L air samples were measured. A panel of human subjects, whose sensitivity was verified with a certified reference odorant, evaluated odor concentration, intensity, and hedonic tone. Geometric mean odor concentrations of BCFC inlet and outlet samples and of downwind berm samples were 168 +/- 44 (mean +/- 95% confidence interval), 262 +/- 60, and 114 +/- 38 OU(E) m(-3) (OU(E), European odor unit, equivalent to 123 microg n-butanol), respectively. The overall geometric mean odor release was 2.3 +/- 1.5 OU(E) s(-1) m(-2) (1.5 +/- 0.9 OU s(-1) m(-2)). The live mass specific geometric mean odor release was 13.5 OU(E) s(-1) AU(-1) (animal unit = 500 kg live body mass). Overall mean NH3, H2S, CO2 and SO2 releases were 101 +/- 24, 5.7 +/- 2.0, 852 +/- 307, and 0.5 +/- 0.4 microg s(-1) m(-2), respectively. Nitric oxide was not detected. Odor concentrations were directly proportional to H2S and CO2 concentrations and odor intensity, and inversely proportional to hedonic tone and SO2 concentration (P < 0.05). Releases of NH3, H2S, and CO2 were directly proportional (P < 0.05) to volatile solids loading rate (VSLR).     

FLOOD HAZARD STUDIES IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN USING REMOTE SENSING1

ABSTRACT. The Spring 1973 Mississippi River flood was investigated using remotely sensed data from ERTS-1. Both manual and automatic analyses of the data indicate that ERTS-I is extremely useful as a regional tool for flood management. Quantitative estimates of area flooded were made in St. Charles County, Missouri and Arkansas. Flood hazard mapping was conducted in three study areas along the Mississippi River using pre-flood ERTS-1 imagery enlarged to 1:250,000 and 1:100,000 scale. The flood prone areas delineated on these maps correspond to areas that would be inundated by significant flooding (approximately the 100 year flood). The flood prone area boundaries were generally in agreement with flood hazard maps produced by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers and U. S. Geological Survey although the latter are somewhat more detailed because of their larger scale. Initial results indicate that ERTS-1 digital mapping of flood prone areas can be performed at 1:62,500 which is comparable to some conventional flood hazard map scales.     

WATER QUALITY SIMULATION AND PUBLIC LAW 92–500 Case Study: Southwestern Illinois1

ABSTRACT: Section 208 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972 has provided the Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission (SIMAPC) with a unique opportunity for comprehensive planning of the region's water quality. SIMAPC initiated the 208 study by researching available technology for the analysis of point and nonpoint sources of pollution and establishing criteria by which to judge the various technniques. This led to SIMAPC'S choice of continuous simulation of stream and reservoir water quality as the most appropriate analytical tool for their needs. A continuous simulation model was calibrated and verified on three basins in the SIMPAC region. It was then used to produce load source analysis, pollution event frequency analysis, and pollution event duration analysis for ten pollutants under existing stream conditions and then under alternative future conditions. These results enabled the weighting of pollutant sources, analysis of the effectiveness of control measures, and quantitative analysis of the marginal benefit of each alternative.     

Superovulation fails to increase human blastocyst yield after uterine lavage

Uterine lavage affords the potential for non-invasive human blastocyst recovery, with obvious potential for preimplantation genetic diagnosis. In an effort to duplicate in women the multiple blastocyst recovery per cycle that can be achieved in several other species, we initiated a programme in which fertile women underwent superovulation, followed by lavage and embryo collection. We superovulated 15 fertile women, aged 21–40, in 29 cycles using one of four regimens. Insemination was by either intercourse or artificial intracervical donor insemination with cryopreserved sperm from men of proven fertility. In 28 of 29 cycles, the uterus was lavaged daily for 1, 2, or 3 days between 5 and 10 days after human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration or luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. Almost total fluid volume was recovered in every lavage. There were no retained pregnancies and no complications. Surprisingly, only two morulae, one blastocyst, and four unfertilized ova were recovered. Thus, alterations in ovulation induction, insemination timing, or lavage techniques must be contemplated in order to increase the blastocyst yield and thus fulfil the potential of uterine lavage for preimplantation diagnosis.