An integrated perspective on assessing agricultural air quality

Abstract: The biogeochemical cycling of trace gases (e.g. nitrogen, sulphur, etc.), and contaminants on local, regional, and global scales is a complex system of emissions, transformations, transport, and deposition. To date, limited, if any, attempt has been made on quantifying and identifying direct emissions of gaseous sulphur compounds from agricultural operations. This represents a major regulatory need for sound and prudent environmental practice. In this paper, we summarise an integrated assessment framework for studying the agricultural air quality issues by discussing the various components of the research, education and outreach involved

A world of cobenefits : solving the global nitrogen challenge

Houlton, Benjamin Z. University of California. John Muir Institute of the Environment. Davis, CA, USA.Houlton, Benjamin Z. University of California. Department of Land, Air and Water Resources. Davis, CA, USA.Almaraz, Maya. University of California. Department of Land, Air and Water Resources. Davis, CA, USA.Aneja, Viney. North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences. Raleigh, NC, USA.Austin, Amy T. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Austin, Amy T. CONICET – Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Investigaciones Fisiológicas y Ecológicas Vinculadas a la Agricultura (IFEVA). Buenos Aires, Argentina.Bai, Edith. Chinese Academy of Sciences. Institute of Applied Ecology. CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management. Shenyang, China.Bai, Edith. Northeast Normal University. School of Geographical Sciences. Changchun, China.Cassman, Kenneth. University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture. Lincoln. NE, USA.Compton, Jana E. Environmental Protection Agency. Western Ecology Division. Washington, DC, USA.Davidson, Eric A. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Appalachian Laboratory. Cambridge, MD, USA.865-872Nitrogen is a critical component of the economy, food security, and planetary health. Many of the world's sustainability targets hinge on global nitrogen solutions, which, in turn, contribute lasting benefits for (i) world hunger; (ii) soil, air, and water quality; (iii) climate change mitigation; and (iv) biodiversity conservation. Balancing the projected rise in agricultural nitrogen demands while achieving these 21st century ideals will require policies to coordinate solutions among technologies, consumer choice, and socioeconomic transformation

A World of Cobenefits: Solving the Global Nitrogen Challenge

Nitrogen is a critical component of the economy, food security, and planetary health. Many of the world\u27s sustainability targets hinge on global nitrogen solutions, which, in turn, contribute lasting benefits for (i) world hunger; (ii) soil, air, and water quality; (iii) climate change mitigation; and (iv) biodiversity conservation. Balancing the projected rise in agricultural nitrogen demands while achieving these 21st century ideals will require policies to coordinate solutions among technologies, consumer choice, and socioeconomic transformation

Measurements and Analysis of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons near a Major Interstate

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured near Interstate 40, just east of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA. The goals of this project were to ascertain whether a sufficient quantity of PAHs could be collected using low flow (16.7 L/minute) over 8-h periods and if so, do investigate how the PAHs correlate to local sources, atmospheric pollutants and meteorology. The 8-h integrated samples were collected on 20 sampling days over a two month period during fall 2014. The samples were collected using low flow (BGI Incorporated PQ200) fine particulate samplers analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Temporal distributions of the PAHs (average mean 9.2 nanogram/cubic meter ±9.0 std) were compared to traffic count, and meteorological and pollutant data collected at the near roadway station. Using the meteorological data (i.e., wind speed and direction vector data), wind roses were created illustrating the local sources of the PAHs. In terms of correlation to atmospheric oxidants, (i.e., ozone, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide) wind rose analysis illustrated the morning hours which were predominantly southern winds, while the afternoon hours illustrated southerly and easterly winds, which suggests that the automobile traffic is the main source of PAHs. The nighttime hours wind rose shows winds from the northerly and easterly direction, which are predominantly from the RDU International Airport. Since the wind direction vectors illustrated that the afternoon hours (i.e., 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.) were from the interstate, comparisons were performed on the samples collected in this time period for both the traffic and pollutant data. The comparison of the traffic data showed a correlation with the number of vehicles (>60 feet i.e., heavy duty diesel engine vehicles). In addition, with the ozone, nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide) there is a significant linear correlation between the sum of the measured PAHs with nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) with the R2 values being 0.1, 0.04 and 0.07 respectively. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical regression was performed on the pollutant data versus the measured sum of the PAHs. With the alpha set at 0.05, (α = 0.05) the p-values for O3, NO2 and NO were 0.00613, 0.000496 and 0.000264, respectively, which are significant. In addition, the PAH concentration found in this study compare favorably to other published studies (0.1 to 193.6 ng/m3) both nationally and internationally

Wildfire Pollution Exposure and Human Health: A Growing Air Quality and Public Health Issue

Wildfires emit large quantities of air pollutants into the atmosphere. As wildfires increase in frequency, intensity, duration, and coverage area, such emissions have become a significant health hazard for residential populations, particularly vulnerable groups. This health hazard is exacerbated by two factors: first, wildfires are expected to increase in frequency as a result of climate change and, second, human health is adversely impacted by fine particulate matter produced from wildfires. Recent toxicological studies suggest that wildfire particulate matter may be more toxic than equal doses of ambient PM2.5. The role of ammonia emissions from wildfires on PM2.5 is examined. The impact of poor air quality on human health is examined and some strategies are discussed to forecast the burden of diseases associated with exposures to wildfire events, both short and long term, and help develop mitigation strategies

Gas-to-Particle Conversion Process between Ammonia, Acid Gases, and Fine Particles in the Atmosphere

Ammonia emissions are associated with many agricultural operations including animal and poultry operations, waste and wastewater treatment operations, and fertilizer and manure land applications. The fate of ammonia released to atmosphere is affected by interaction with other gases, aerosols, and fine particles. These interactions affect the gas-to-particle conversion. This process alters ammonia concentrations downwind from agricultural operations. However, experimental research and modeling of the gas-to-particle conversion processes in ammonia-rich environments is generally limited. This paper summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge related to gas-to-particle conversion of ammonia.Ammonia and inorganic acid gases emitted from livestock and poultry operations and manure treatment, handling and application can affect air quality by formation of secondary particulate in the fine, PM2.5 range (a regulated air pollutant). The process of gas-to-particle conversion of relatively short-lived gaseous ammonia to more persistent fine particulate can affect local and regional air quality far away from the agricultural sources. Emissions of ammonia from livestock and poultry operations can potentially be detrimental to the air quality in non-compliance areas. Several models for the formation of fine PM from substrates such as ammonia are available and have been used for air quality modeling on a local and regional scale. These models can be adapted or modified to include emissions of ammonia and acid gases from livestock and poultry operations.More research is needed to improve the knowledge related to the role of ammonia gas-to-particle conversion. These needs include: (1) simultaneous field measurements of ammonia and acid gases at typical livestock and poultry sources, (2) development of emission factors for ammonia and acid gases, (3) incorporation of ammonia from agricultural sources to local and regional air quality models, and (4) modeling the fate of ammonia and acid gases emissions from livestock and poultry operations.Published in Animal Agriculture and the Environment: National Center for Manure and Animal Waste Management White Papers. J. M. Rice, D. F. Caldwell, F. J. Humenik, eds. St. Joseph, MI: ASABE, 2006: 201–224.</p

Measurement and Modeling of Hydrogen Sulfide Lagoon Emissions from a Swine Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) emissions were determined from an anaerobic lagoon at a swine concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) in North Carolina. Measurements of H₂S were made continuously from an anaerobic lagoon using a dynamic flow-through chamber for ∼1 week during each of the four seasonal periods from June 2007 through April 2008. H₂S lagoon fluxes were highest in the summer with a flux of 3.81 ± 3.24 μg m^–2 min^–1 and lowest in the winter with a flux of 0.08 ± 0.09 μg m^–2 min^–1. An air-manure interface (A-MI) mass transfer model was developed to predict H₂S manure emissions. The accuracy of the A-MI mass transfer model in predicting H₂S manure emissions was comprehensively evaluated by comparing the model predicted emissions to the continuously measured lagoon emissions using data from all four seasonal periods. In comparison to this measurement data, the A-MI mass transfer model performed well in predicting H₂S fluxes with a slope of 1.13 and an <i>r</i>² value of 0.60, and a mean bias value of 0.655 μg m^–2 min^–1. The A-MI mass transfer model also performed fairly well in predicting diurnal H₂S lagoon flux trends