TY - CONF
T1 - Mitigating hydrogen sulfide safety risk and odor for dairy farms using gypsum bedding
AU - Fabian-Wheeler, Eileen
AU - Chen, Long
AU - Hile, Michael
AU - Pate, Michael
N1 - Funding Information:
The field-scale trial was supported by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (Grant No. 69-2D37-13-673). We would like to express appreciation to dairy producers who allowed access to their facilities and the Penn State Conservation Commission and the cooperating partners, Hedin Environmental, USA Gypsum and Industrial Scientific. The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences awarded a competitive graduate student grant that partially funded the laboratory work.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. All rights reserved.
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - Recycled gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate; i.e., construction drywall material) provides a bedding alternative for dairy farmers that can be cost effective while benefiting soil properties and animal welfare. On-farm spot-measurements showed dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas may be present when manure storages containing gypsum products were agitated. Anecdotal evidence suggests gypsum-laden manure can have an intense malodor, likely due to the sulfur-based compounds produced during decomposition. Project objectives included documenting gas concentration and conditions (on-farm) and odor characteristics of manure storages that contained gypsum bedding via commercially-available products (on-farm and laboratory). Ten dairy farms were monitored during manure storage agitation events, which demonstrated highly elevated levels of H2S at farms using gypsum bedding. One manure additive significantly reduced H2S release during the on-farm trial. During laboratory bench-scale trials three molar ratios of iron oxide and a proprietary yeast-limestone-additive were added to 15 kg dairy manure then evaluated for H2S release and odor at agitation events during storage. Results indicated that a 1:1 molar ratio of gypsum to iron oxide successfully reduced H2S concentrations to below that observed from manure containing no gypsum (control). Odor concentration and intensity were reduced with iron oxide (1:1 molar ratio) manure treatment. Improved awareness of risk and adoption of proven practices can enhance safety during any manure agitation event but are particularly important when gypsum bedding is used.
AB - Recycled gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate; i.e., construction drywall material) provides a bedding alternative for dairy farmers that can be cost effective while benefiting soil properties and animal welfare. On-farm spot-measurements showed dangerous levels of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas may be present when manure storages containing gypsum products were agitated. Anecdotal evidence suggests gypsum-laden manure can have an intense malodor, likely due to the sulfur-based compounds produced during decomposition. Project objectives included documenting gas concentration and conditions (on-farm) and odor characteristics of manure storages that contained gypsum bedding via commercially-available products (on-farm and laboratory). Ten dairy farms were monitored during manure storage agitation events, which demonstrated highly elevated levels of H2S at farms using gypsum bedding. One manure additive significantly reduced H2S release during the on-farm trial. During laboratory bench-scale trials three molar ratios of iron oxide and a proprietary yeast-limestone-additive were added to 15 kg dairy manure then evaluated for H2S release and odor at agitation events during storage. Results indicated that a 1:1 molar ratio of gypsum to iron oxide successfully reduced H2S concentrations to below that observed from manure containing no gypsum (control). Odor concentration and intensity were reduced with iron oxide (1:1 molar ratio) manure treatment. Improved awareness of risk and adoption of proven practices can enhance safety during any manure agitation event but are particularly important when gypsum bedding is used.
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U2 - 10.13031/iles.ILES18-136
DO - 10.13031/iles.ILES18-136
M3 - Paper
AN - SCOPUS:85084094706
T2 - 10th International Livestock Environment Symposium, ILES 2018
Y2 - 25 September 2018 through 27 September 2018
ER -