Effectiveness of Biocoatings for Ammonia Emission from Manure

Ammonia is the main gas that acidifies precipitation and thus damages the ecosystem. These gases pollute the atmosphere and harm animals kept in barns and working people. The largest amount of dangerous gases enters the environment when urine bacteria break down proteins in cattle urine and manure. The change in gas emissions during manure storage is highly dependent on the biocoating used for manure. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of reducing emissions, studies were conducted with these biocoatings - chopped straw, sawdust, hemp leaves, peat. Ammonia (NH3) gas concentration measurement analyzer GME700 (SICK MAIHAK GmbH, Germany) based on the principle of laser spectroscopy, using automatic mode (continuous or cyclic measurement with data accumulation). The obtained experimental research results were recalculated into conditional values: ammonia emission intensity per square meter of manure surface area, fixed ventilation intensity per square meter of manure surface area. Research has shown that the reduction of ammonia emissions from manure is greater when it is covered with bio-organic coatings with lower porosity and more liquid absorption. In order to achieve high efficiency in reducing ammonia emissions, it is recommended to cover with a layer of straw thicker than 10 cm, a layer of 8 cm of crushed hemp leaves, a layer of 5 cm of coniferous sawdust, a layer of 3 cm of wood peat. Scientific research was financed by the Lithuanian Science Council's Necessary Research Project (S-REP-22-5).