384-10 Removal of Solids and Phosphorus From Liquid Swine Manure by Gravitational Settling: Chemical Amendment Effects.



Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Hall C, Street Level

Ikechukwu V. Agomoh, Francis Zvomuya and Olalekan Akinremi, Department of Soil Science, University of MANITOBA, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Manure management and disposal are major challenges for pork producers in Manitoba due to the high phosphorus (P) concentration in swine manure, which presents a risk to surface water quality. Chemical treatment of liquid swine manure, in conjunction with gravity settling (sedimentation), has the potential to enhance both the solid/liquid separation of manure and the removal of most of the P bound to fine suspended particles. The P-rich separated solid fraction can be hauled more economically over longer distances for application on low-P cropland. In this laboratory column study, we examined the efficacy of four chemical amendments [calcium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, aluminum sulfate, and polyacrylamide (PAM)] for gravity solid/liquid separation of swine manure slurries containing 1%, 5%, and 8% solids by weight. Manure treated with each amendment was allowed to settle for up to 24 h in 120-cm high, 15-cm diameter sedimentation columns. Samples were collected from sampling ports at the 30-, 60- and 90-cm depths after 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h of settling and characterized for solids content and for N and P concentrations. Preliminary results indicate that PAM was the most effective amendment for removal of suspended solids. For all treatments, most of the solids were removed within the first 4 h of settling. Results on solids and P removal will be presented.
See more from this Division: S08 Nutrient Management & Soil & Plant Analysis
See more from this Session: Managing Nutrients In Organic Materials and by-Products: II