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Abstract
Ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from livestock farms contribute to negative environmental impacts such as acidification and climate change. A significant part of these emissions is produced from the decomposition of slurry in livestock facilities, during storage and treatment phases. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the additive “SOP LAGOON” (made of agricultural gypsum processed with proprietary technology) on (i) NH3 and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, (ii) slurry properties and N loss. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to assess the potential environmental impact associated with stored slurry treated with the additive. Six barrels were filled with 65 L of cattle slurry, of which three were used as a control while the additive was used in the other three. The results indicated that the use of the additive led to a reduction of total nitrogen, nitrates, and GHG emissions. LCA confirmed the higher environmental sustainability of the scenario with the additive for some environmental impact categories among which climate change. In conclusion, the additive has beneficial effects on both emissions and the environment, and the nitrogen present in the treated slurry could partially displace a mineral fertilizer, which can be considered an environmental credit.
Highlights
In recent decades, farming systems have evolved considerably
The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was used to evaluate the potential environmental impact and benefits associated to the adoption of this additive in slurry storage systems compared to traditional techniques
The high R2 values are characteristic of a model that explains all the variation in the response variable around its mean, and p-values below the level of significance highlight how changes in the independent variable are associated with changes in the response at the population level
Summary
In recent decades, farming systems have evolved considerably. The intensification of livestock activity has significantly increased production levels. Intensification of livestock production (as the increased use of external inputs and services to increase the output quantity and/or value per unit input) has led to a considerable increase in the volumes of manure. To manage such an amount of manure, treatments, such as solid-liquid separation, anaerobic digestion, etc., is necessary. Manure treatments could have a negative impact on the environment including ecosystem acidification, mainly due to ammonia (NH3) volatilization, and climate change, as a result of the contribution of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the most important of which are nitrous oxide (N2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and methane (CH4) [1,2]. The management of large volumes of excreta produced from livestock farms can cause malodorous emissions
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