Odor and Odorous Chemical Emissions from Animal Buildings: Part 2. Odor Emissions

Abstract

This study was an add-on project to the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) and focused on comprehensive measurement of odor emissions considering variations in seasons, animal types, and olfactometry laboratories. Odor emissions from four of 14 NAEMS sites with nine barns/rooms (two dairy barns at the WI5B and IN5B sites, two pig finishing rooms at IN3B, and two sow gestation barns and a farrowing room at the IA4B site) were measured during four 13-week cycles. Odor emissions were reported per barn area (OU h-1 m-2), head (OU h-1 head-1), and animal unit (OU h-1 AU-1). The highest overall odor emission rates were measured in summer (1.2 105 OU h-1 m-2, 3.5 105 OU h-1 head-1, and 6.2 105 OU h-1 AU-1), and the lowest rates were measured in winter (2.5 104 OU h-1 m-2, 9.1 104 OU h-1 head-1, and 1.5 105 OU h-1 AU-1). The highest ambient odor concentrations and barn odor emissions were measured from the sow gestation barns of the IA4B site, which had unusually high H2S concentrations. The most intense odor and the least pleasant odor were also measured at this site. The overall odor emission rates of the pig finishing rooms at IN3B were lower than the emission rates of the IA4B sow gestation barns. The lowest overall barn odor emission rates were measured at the IN5B dairy barns. However, the lowest ambient odor concentrations were measured at the ventilation inlets of the WI5B dairy barns.