Using an Acid Scrubber System to Reduce Ammonia Losses from Poultry Houses.

Ammonia (NH₃) emissions from animal manure, such as poultry litter, can result in additional nitrogen (N) loading into aquatic environments via wet and dry deposition. Nitrogen additions can lead to water quality problems, particularly in systems where N is the limiting nutrient for eutrophication, such as estuarine systems, like the Chesapeake Bay. Ammonia can be lost from animal housing, from manure during storage, as well as following land application of manure. The objective of this study is to demonstrate and quantify ammonia captured from a water-acid scrubber system placed on a vent fan on a commercial poultry operation. This study was conducted on a commercial broiler house on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.  The house was mechanically tunnel ventilated with 6 fans on each end with approximately 45,000 chickens present in the house. The house was not completely cleaned out for 6 flocks and received a pre-treatment of Poultry Litter Treatment (PLT) on the brood end prior to chick placement at a rate of 48 kg PLT to 100 m². Solution pH, solution ammonia concentration, and air concentration inside the house and exiting the scrubber were monitored. Results are on-going and will be presented during the conference.