Reducing Ammonia Emissions from Poultry Litter with Lignite and Lignosulfonate

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of lignite, a low-quality coal, and lignosulfonate, a byproduct of paper milling, in reducing ammonia emissions from poultry litter.

What Did We Do?

We utilized a laboratory

 acid-trap chamber system to assess the effectiveness of varying rates of lignite and lignosulfonate on ammonia reduction when compared to an industry standard, sodium bisulfate (PLT), and an untreated control. In the volatilization experiment, 12 treatments were tested, including five application rates of lignite and lignosulfonate (0.75, 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 kg m-2), PLT, and an untreated control. Acid traps of 0.02 M phosphoric acid were changed 11 times over the 14-day experiment. Acid trap solutions were then analyzed for ammonia to quantify cumulative ammonia emissions.  

What Have We Learned?

Both lignite and lignosulfonate were effective in reducing ammonia volatilization in this laboratory setting. While both lignite and lignosulfonate required higher application rates to achieve the same ammonia reduction as PLT, these could be effective alternatives and should be further studied on a larger scale.

Future Plans

While we have no active plans to continue this work, future efforts should include small scale testing in a commercial setting, cost analysis, and sourcing options.

Authors

Presenting & Corresponding author

Stephanie Kulesza, Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University, sbkulesz@nscu.edu

Additional Information

This research is not yet published. Reach out to Stephanie Kulesza at sbkulesz@ncsu.edu if you would like to know more about this work.

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