Current Agricultural Emissions Research Projects

Penn State research into limiting and controlling emissions of agricultural gas, dust, and odors covers a broad spectrum. Odor is a sign of escaping gas, and often gas (and odor) is bound to dust particles. In practicality, separating the three is difficult. In an effort to reduce the amount of gases leaving farm buildings that house livestock of all sorts, researchers are experimenting with feed and feed additives, various processes to break down manure, and methods of mitigating releases of gases and odors emanating from livestock buildings and manure-storage facilities.

Sixteen agricultural-emissions-related research projects are either now under way or just concluded at Penn State, largely funded by approximately $3 million in grants from the U.S. and Pennsylvania Departments of Agriculture.

Reducing Ammonia Emissions from Dairy Farms: Evaluating Whole Farm Strategies.
This study, taking place in Penn State’s Dairy Research Center, is manipulating cows’ diets to limit ammonia excreted in manure. (USDA, $332,000)

Odor-Reduction Wetland Performance.
Researchers are studying the long-term performance attributes of an indoor wetland system using gravel containing microbes and bulrush plants to treate swine wastewater. (PDA, $52,000)

Enzymatic Deodorization of Swine Manure.
Scientists are studying oxidation of odorants by adding horseradish peroxidase (present in plant tissue) and peroxide. (PDA, $119,000)

Deodorization of Livestock and Poultry Manure by Microorganisms.
Researchers are experimenting with aeration to allow microbial deodorizers to better break down organic material in manure. (PDA, $60,000)

Ferric Iron Treatment to Reduce Manure Odors.
This study is looking at the effect of adding ferric chloride to stimulate the respiration of bacteria to reduce manure odor. (PDA, $120,000)

Reducing Ammonia Emissions from Poultry Houses by Enhanced Manure and Diet Management.
This project is monitoring 22 poultry houses over a one-year period for seasonal and geographical ammonia emission variation. (USDA, $870,000)

Field Olfactometry for Quantifying and Targeting Agriculture Odor Control.
In this study, investigators are assembling and training a human panel for on-farm odor assessments and are evaluating a device called a “Nasal Ranger” to take field odor measurements. (PDA, $70,000)

Optimizing Management and Characterizing Odors Produced with Phase 1 Composting.
Researchers are continuously monitoring odor emissions from composted manure, measuring the release of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. (Mushroom industry, $67,000)

Monitoring the On-Site Production of Odor Emissions during Mushroom Substrate Preparation.
This study involves continuously monitoring gas and odor emissions from commercial mushroom production facilities using different substrate preparations. (PDA, $111,000)

Sensory and Analytical Measures of Odors Associated with Agriculture.
This study provides a research perspective via a relative measure of odor character and intensity across different agricultural activities.

Development of a Practical Anaerobic Digester System for Swine Grower-Finisher Facilities.
Scientists are monitoring digester efficiency, nutrient flow, and indoor air quality at a commercial Pennsylvania swine facility. (PDA, DEP, Pennsylvania Pork Producers, and the Seiple Foundation, $275,000)

Confined-Space Manure Storage Ventilation.
Researchers hope to limit on-farm fatalities by developing standards for ventilating manure storage facilities. (Northeast Center for Agriculture Safety and Agricultural and Occupational Health, $466,000)

Vegetative Shelterbelts to Mitigate Odor and Aerosol Pollutants Emitted from Poultry Production Sites.
This project is aimed at quantifying the efficacy of vegetative shelterbelts to mitigate odor, particulates, and ammonia from poultry facilities. (USDA, $440,000)

Poultry Integrated Pest Management to Control House Flies.
Researchers are investigating manure storage additives and composting to reduce ammonia emissions and control fly larvae, pupae, and adults. (PDA, $22,000)

Swine Farm Neighbors’ Evaluation of Three Odor-Reduction Strategies.
More than 200 neighbors of eight Pennsylvania hog farms evaluated the effectiveness of three odor-reduction technologies. (PDA $125,000)

Minimizing Nitrogen Excretion and Ammonia Volatilization in Poultry Manure.
Scientists are studying the addition of zinc sulfate and magnesium sulfate to hen and broiler litter to limit excretion of fecal ammonia and nitrogen. (Purina Fellowship, $30,000)