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In recent years, higher penetrations of renewable energy generations helped persuade sustainable energy and environmental targets, although their intermittent and fluctuated nature raised technical challenges. However, hybrid power system can minimize these technical issues by integrating flexible generation capable renewable energy sources like biomass. This study deals with optimizing gridintegrated and stand-alone biomass-based hybrid power system for the energy demand of a rural region containing poultry farms. Besides solar and wind energy, energy storage integration is evaluated regarding overall technical-environmental-economic performance, considering the actual manure potential using HOMER Pro. In addition, sensitivity analyses are performed, considering the estimated load and inflations using an artificial neural network method. Using biomass and solar hybrid options offers more autonomous, environmentally friendly, and economic advantages. Biomass-based hybrid power system with solar energy reduced net present cost by around 12% and increased renewable fraction by 7%, and grid-connected options can provide 88.9% renewable fraction. In addition, the energy storage integration increased renewable fraction by around 10% and reduced excess energy by 16%. The proposed biomass-based hybrid power system achieves cost-effective sizing of solar or wind-based hybrid systems, empowers the reliability of renewable energy and presents good consistency of decarbonization targets.

Solid biomass with high carbon content such as dried manure can be burnt after moisture removal to heat water for any processing and to drive gas turbines to generate electricity. Biomass energy has potential to contribute 45%–55% of total global energy requirements. Biomass energy contributes a major source of renewable energy since it will not pollute the environment by emission of toxic gases and traces of other metal elements. This paper focuses on utilization of manure biomass as a base fuel for power generation in villages where surplus animal wastes can be extracted and processed. The technical aspects of gasification using animal manures as a source of biomass fuel is described with an awareness to gas cleaning requirements to maintain environmental standards. The main idea of present research is to demonstrate the feasibility of generation electricity from animal residues using the concepts of gasification process. Also the present works addresses the possible technical breakthroughs.

The problem of waste recycling becomes more serious every year. As the population grows, the amount of organic bio-waste is increased proportionally. Even the subsequent energy utilization of such bio-waste leaves a huge amount of unprocessed organic mass, as in the case of anaerobic digestion. In this paper, the results of experimental studies of the torrefaction of sewage sludge and animal waste (mixture of horse manure and crop waste) after anaerobic digestion are presented. The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of applying torrefaction to improve the thermotechnical properties of bio-waste products. The research results showed that the torrefaction allows to improve heating value and hygroscopicity, but with increasing of process temperature these values grow insignificantly. In addition, the conclusion about the ash content value of the bio-waste in which it is effectually to apply torrefaction treatment was made.

Chiral pharmaceuticals (CPs), including non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), β-blockers and some herbicide and pesticides, are widely used in aquaculture, clinical treatment and many other fields. However, people are increasingly concerned about such ubiquitous pollutants, which can frequently be detected in contaminated soil and water. In large part, the significant sources of chiral pharmaceuticals stem from industrial processes, such as the direct discharge of untreated or incompletely treated wastewaters containing chiral pharmaceuticals, incorrect storage and use, animal wastes and biosolids. The main ways for human exposure to chiral pharmaceuticals are the disease treatment process and chiral pharmaceuticals contaminants. According to the results of a series of toxic studies, some diseases, even cancers, may be associated with exposure to certain chiral pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the treatment of chiral pharmaceuticals has become an important issue. The current advanced remediation techniques for chiral pharmaceuticals include the conventional method (sorption and sonolysis), biotransformation (an aerobic granular sludge-sequencing batch reactor and constructed wetland system) and advanced oxidation processes (ozonation and photocatalysis). Herein, in this review, we summarize the current status and sources of chiral pharmaceuticals, potential effects on human health, as well as the superiority, disadvantages and prospects of current advanced remediation technologies. Moreover, we also anticipate the prospect of the future research needed for chiral pharmaceuticals pollutant remediation.

Instead of many experimental studies made for the suitability of biodiesel for use in diesel engine, it has become easier to determine by fewer experiments with the development of computer applications. In this research, it was aimed to determine the optimum ratio of animal waste fat biodiesel (AWFBD) and the corresponding engine responses by using artificial neural network (ANN) and response surface methodology (RSM). In addition, a comparison was made with test results to evaluate the performance of ANN and RSM. According to the regression results obtained from RSM, absolute fraction of variance (R2) values greater than 0.95 emerged for all answers. Correlation coefficient (R) values obtained from ANN were found to be higher than 0.97. The developed ANN model was able to predict engine responses with mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) in the range of 3.787–10.730%. MAPE values for RSM were obtained between 2.004 and 11.461%. Combined desirability factor obtained from RSM was found as 0.72288% and optimum engine parameters were found as 22% AWFBD ratio and 1350-Watt engine load. In addition, according to the verification test between the optimum results and the prediction results, it was concluded that there is a good agreement with a maximum error rate of 3.863%.

Natural diets commonly exploited by the flies are animal manures including production from the poultry and livestock facilities. The larvae of the common filth flies such as Musca domestica and Sarcophaga dux are known as voracious feeders and may thus be used to convert manures into non-polluted residue. This study was conducted to observe the impact on flies' growth rate and capability of the larvae to process animal manures using chicken, goat and cow manures. One hundred newly hatched larvae of M. domestica and S. dux were introduced separately into 150 g manures under laboratory conditions. The initial wet mass and larvae length were recorded while mortality rate and dry mass were measured after the larvae were placed into the manures. The results showed that the manure types give significant effects (p

This study focused on the effect of bio-digester shape on biogas production. Bio-digesters of 15-dm3 each with different shapes (cylindrical, cubical and conical) were constructed and their performances for biogas production were investigated using poultry droppings. Also, the performance of the best bio-digester was further assessed using poultry droppings, cow dung and piggery waste. Additionally, the biogas production process was modeled and optimized by co-digesting plantain peels with the animal wastes using the best bio-digester. The average daily biogas productions for cylindrical, cubical and conical-shaped bio-digesters were 0.58, 0.46 and 0.36 dm3/day, respectively. Using 2.5-dm3 cylindrical-shaped bio-digesters, daily average biogas productions for cow dung, poultry droppings and piggery waste were 0.40, 0.23 and 0.01 dm3/day, respectively. Using the developed model coupled with genetic algorithm, the optimum biogas production was 13.65 dm3 with substrate combination of 0.7 kg of poultry droppings, 0.0004 kg of cow dung, 0.6 kg of piggery waste and 0.2 kg of plantain peels. The results showed cylindrical-shaped bio-digester was the best for biogas production, while cow dung gave the highest biogas production. The study demonstrated that maximum biogas production could be obtained using combination of animal wastes supplemented with plantain peels.

Veterinary antibiotics (VAs) are used worldwide in animal farming as drugs to treat or prevent diseases and serve as feed additives. VAs are usually poorly sorbed in the animal gut, and the majority are excreted unchanged or as their recalcitrant metabolites in feces and urine. More importantly, animal wastes are frequently employed in agriculture as a supplement to fertilizer, raising a major international concern about the potential impacts of VAs on agro-ecosystems. Increasing use of these manures in agriculture is thus posing a threat in the form of rapid increase in antibiotic resistance. The current review critically summarizes available literature on the global consumption, exposure pathways, occurrence, fate and environmental effects of VAs in manure-fertilized agricultural soils. Recognizing the importance of the issue of VA resistance in the environment, we focused on the increased abundance and transferability of VA resistance determinants, highlighting details as to how they contribute to the change in human microbiome. Notably, existing regulations and research gaps in association with the spread of VAs and their resistance due to manure application in agricultural fields are also outlined. Finally, we highlight the areas that future research should prioritize and propose certain strategies that could help curtail VAs occurrence and the danger they pose to agro-ecosystems.

The energy costs have increased substantially in recent years due to widespread development in India. Vast agro and animal waste resources are available which can easily be harnessed for biogas production economically Recently, there has been a renewed interest to revive the National biogas programme to meet the ever-increasing energy demand. India has set a target of reducing oil imports by 10% through the increased use of natural gas contribution in the current energy mix of 6.5%–15% by 2022. In this study the new Indian biogas policy initiatives for biogas production, new plant designs are presented along with a comparative analysis of the policy with similar policies of selected countries. The flaws in the past implementation of Indian bio-gas programmes, biogas technology as per most recent data along with identifying gaps in the new Indian biogas policy, are presented. A strategy is outlined to utilize large quantities of available food, agro and animal waste resources for a sustainable bio-gas policy as per UN sustainable development goal numbers 1, 7 and 13. The need for a sustainable biogas policy is emphasized to provide a clean fuel for cooking, heating, and lighting with focus on rural poor worldwide.

Food waste accounts for $161 billion in loss in the US. Meat animal waste and meat products are major contributors to food loss. This study was designed to develop and optimize the process of spray-drying method and evaluate the potential of beef tongue powder as a value-added, multi-purpose food ingredient. To develop and optimize the process of spray-drying, beef tongue was skinned, chopped, micronized, filtered to generate a homogeneous meat slurry. After spray drying, the meat powder properties were characterized for proximate composition, lipid composition, and proteomic profile were evaluated. Our findings indicate that beef tongue powder can be developed by spray-drying and that the beef tongue powder retains both protein and fat content from the raw tongue. Additionally, the results show the presence of native proteins and the retention of unsaturated fatty acids, an abundance of unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutritional elements that could make it a high-quality functional food ingredient. The beef tongue powder will provide a sustainable solution for a meat byproduct to be converted into a value-added food ingredient with potential nutritional and functional application.

Biochar is a carbon-rich organic material used as soil amendment to improve plant growth. However, its diverse effects on crop performance under field conditions have revealed conflicting results among researchers. Based on published peer-reviewed papers, a meta-analysis was conducted to identify the effects of biochar on grain yield (GY), biological yield (BY), and 1000 grain weight (TGW) of four dominant crops (wheat, maize, rice and soybean). Compared to the control, biochar increased GY of maize and wheat by 28 and 13% respectively, whereas other crops were not significantly affected. Our analysis revealed that the most effective application rates of biochar ranged from 1 to 10 t ha−1, which significantly improved GY (65%), BY (38%) and TGW (23%). Biochar applied to a coarsely textured soil with pH ≤ 7.5 increased GY considerably. Biochar feedstocks of animal waste and crop residues origins had significant effects on GY compared to woody residues. Data suggest that biochar produced at ≤550 °C with the pH of ≤8 more effectively enhanced yield and crop growth than biochar that produced at a higher pyrolytic temperature with a higher pH. Findings from this study suggest the combination of type of biochar, soil, crop, and climate should all be considered to maximize fertility and the organic amendment benefits of biochar for crop production.

Waste animal fats and proteins (WAFP) are rich in various animal by-products from food industries. On one hand, increasing production of huge amounts of WAFP brings a great challenge to their appropriate disposal, and raises severe risks to environment and life health. On the other hand, the high fat and protein contents in these animal wastes are valuable resources which can be reutilized in an eco-friendly and renewable way. Sustainable enzymatic technologies are promising methods for WAFP management. This review discussed the application of various enzymes in the conversion of WSFP to value-added biodiesel and bioactivate hydrolysates. New biotechnologies to discover novel enzymes with robust properties were proposed as well. This paper also presented the bio-utilization strategy of animal fat and protein wastes as alternative nutrient media for microorganism growth activities to yield important industrial enzymes cost-effectively.

The gasification of an animal waste biomass (manure) in a dual gasifier was studied using the software Aspen Plus®. For this purpose, a model based on a Gibbs free energy reactor was considered. Effects of the gasification temperature, the gasifying/biomass ratio and the use of steam and CO2 as the gasifying agents on the composition and the low heating value (LHV) of the produced syngas were evaluated. In this sense, the H2/CO ratio and the LHV were the parameters calculated to stablish the best operating conditions for the production of either hydrocarbons via Fischer-Tropsch or energy. Furthermore, the CO2 net emissions generated by the gasification process were also important in the selection of the best operating conditions from an environmental point of view. The obtained results showed that for both gasifying agents the H2 and CO production was favoured at high temperatures whereas the production of CH4 and CO2 was favoured at low ones. On the other hand, the H2 production was higher when steam was used as the gasifying agent and the formation of CO was enhanced when CO2 was considered as gasification agent. An increase of the gasifying agent/biomass ratio had a negatively influence on the production of CH4, leading to a decrease of the LHV. Therefore, steam as the gasifying agent and high temperatures favoured the obtaining of a syngas suitable for the Fischer-Tropsch process whereas CO2 and low gasification temperatures enhanced a syngas with a high LHV which could be used for energy production. Finally, the net CO2 emissions were estimated to be lower when CO2 was again used as the gasifying agent., Se estudió la gasificación de una biomasa de desecho animal (estiércol) en un gasificador dual utilizando el software Aspen Plus®. Para ello se consideró un modelo basado en un reactor de energía libre de Gibbs. Se evaluaron los efectos de la temperatura de gasificación, la relación gasificación/biomasa y el uso de vapor y CO 2 como agentes gasificantes sobre la composición y el poder calorífico bajo (LHV) del gas de síntesis producido. En este sentido, la relación H 2 /CO y el LHV fueron los parámetros calculados para establecer las mejores condiciones de operación para la producción de hidrocarburos ya sea vía Fischer-Tropsch o energía. Además, el CO2Las emisiones netas generadas por el proceso de gasificación también fueron importantes en la selección de las mejores condiciones de operación desde el punto de vista ambiental. Los resultados obtenidos mostraron que para ambos agentes gasificantes la producción de H 2 y CO se vio favorecida a temperaturas altas mientras que la producción de CH 4 y CO 2 se vio favorecida a temperaturas bajas. Por otro lado, la producción de H 2 fue mayor cuando se utilizó vapor como agente gasificante y la formación de CO aumentó cuando se consideró CO 2 como agente gasificante. Un aumento de la relación gasificante/biomasa influyó negativamente en la producción de CH 4, lo que lleva a una disminución de la LHV. Por lo tanto, el vapor como agente gasificante y las altas temperaturas favorecieron la obtención de un gas de síntesis adecuado para el proceso Fischer-Tropsch, mientras que el CO 2 y las bajas temperaturas de gasificación mejoraron un gas de síntesis con un alto LHV que podría utilizarse para la producción de energía. Finalmente, se estimó que las emisiones netas de CO 2 serían menores cuando se usara nuevamente CO 2 como agente gasificante.

One of the most significant challenges in existing livestock production is the negative impact of animal waste on the environment. Accumulative manure produced in intensive swine feeding operations (ISFO) cannot be efficiently utilized in a sustainable and economical way. A successful manure management system should maximize the overall economic benefits while satisfying the environmental requirements. To address the manure management problem in a region that lacks adequate land for manure spreading, this project presents a novel modeling approach (Analytic target cascading, ATC) to optimize the design and operation of a swine manure management system by formulating economic objectives, engineering objectives and environmental objectives into individual tasks. This modeling structure simplifies the formulation of a systematic problem, decomposes “all-in-one” model into small tasks, and integrates the professional assessment models into optimal design. We organized the local agricultural information (swine production, crop production) and treatment operational data into parameters and constraints, then optimized the design capacities of main components, operations of manure management and crop management sequentially through updating the targets and responses in each iteration. To explore the viability of the proposed models and solution methodology, a case study in Hangzhou, China (a swine farm with Anaerobic Digestion process + Ectopic Fermentation) is designed using ATC approach. Additionally, the scenario analyses are discussed to provide further insights of opportunities and risks. Our analysis will improve the ability to deal with agricultural systematic problems with social, environmental and economic agreements.

Therapeutic and sub-therapeutic use of antibiotics in livestock farming is and has been, a common practice worldwide. These bioactive organic compounds have short retention period and partial uptake into the animal system. The uptake effects of this pharmaceutics, with plants as the primary focus, has not been reviewed so far. This review addresses three main concerns 1) the extensive use of veterinary antibiotics in livestock farming, 2) disposal of animal waste containing active biosolids and 3) effects of veterinary antibiotics in plants. Depending upon the plant species and the antibiotic used, the response can be phytotoxic, hormetic as well as mutational. Additionally, the physiological interactions that make the uptake of these compounds relatively easy have also been discussed. High water solubility, longer half-lives, and continued introduction make them relatively persistent in the environment. Lastly, some prevention measures that can help limit their impact on the environment have been reviewed. There are three methods of control: treatment of animal manure before field application, an alternative bio-agent for disease treatment and a well targeted legalized use of antibiotics. Limiting the movement of these biosolids in the environment can be a challenge because of their varying physiological interactions. Electron irradiation and supervised inoculation of beneficial microorganisms can be effective remediation strategies. Thus, extensive future research should be focused in this area.

A simplistic theoretical study of anaerobic digestion in order to predict the biogas amount of agricultural waste is proposed. A wide variety of models exist, but most of them rely on algebraic equations instead of biochemical equations and require many input parameters as well as computation time. This work provides a simplified model that predicts the biogas amount produced and could be applied for agricultural energy feasibility studies for instance dimensioning bioreactors digesting animal waste slurries. The method can be used for other feedstock materials and repeated for other similar applications, in an effort to expand anaerobic digestion systems as a clean energy source.

In many developing countries where pathogenic diseases of animal waste origin, such as giardiasis and cryptosporidiosis, are often prevalent, facilities are limited to treat livestock waste. However, household-scale anaerobic digesters are currently being promoted for bioenergy production from livestock manure. Since the effluent is often used as a fertilizer for food crops, it is critical to understand the effect of environmental conditions within household-scale digesters on the viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and Giardia lamblia cysts. In this study, key environmental parameters affecting (oo)cyst inactivation were measured in four tubular anaerobic digesters, which are a type of household-scale digester promoted for treatment of swine waste in rural Costa Rica. Interviews and participant observations were used to understand digester operation and maintenance procedures. Ambient temperatures (21-24°C), near-neutral pH, total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations

Urine patches contribute greatly to greenhouse gas emissions within livestock grazed ecosystems. The effective area of a ruminant urine patch comprises the wetted area, the diffusional area and the pasture response area. This study specifically assesses the importance of considering the diffusional area for monitoring urine patch N2O emissions. Spatial and temporal changes in N2O emissions and potential drivers of emissions (soil pH, EC, redox potential, dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, NO 3 − and NH 4 + ) were measured in sheep urine amended Eutric Cambisol mesocosms, maintained at 50% or 70% water-filled pore space (WFPS). At 70% WFPS, over 10 weeks, the emission factor (EF) was greater when considering the wetted area plus a 9 cm diffusional area (EF = 2.75 ± 0.72% of applied N) than when considering the wetted area alone (EF = 1.44 ± 0.30% of applied N); differences were not statistically significant at 50% WFPS. Redox potential, total extractable N and WFPS contributed significantly to the observed variation in daily N2O fluxes from the urine patch. We conclude that the urine patch diffusional area is an extremely important source of emissions from urine patches. This has implications when measuring EFs, as the lateral diffusion of solutes may be restricted by chamber walls resulting in an underestimate of N2O emissions, particularly at higher soil moisture contents. Site-specific assessments of the urine patch diffusional area should be made, and accounted for, prior to monitoring emissions and calculating emission factors from urine patches applied within chambers.

Utilizing compost derived from waste offers an alternative nutrients source to cultivate microalgae for biofuel production. This is because compost is a low-cost nutrients source which contains high amount of nutrient composition that suitable for microalgae cultivation. Thus, in the present work, plant-based compost and animal waste-based compost were used to cultivate Chlorella vulgaris . The results shows that C. vulgaris favoured to grow at the following condition: 50 ml amount of goat waste-based compost, under pH of 9, and illuminated continuously for 15 days using fluorescent light. Based on these cultivation conditions, 30% of lipid was successfully extracted from the dried microalgae biomass.

Livestock production in the United States has been transformed over the past several decades, largely as a result of widespread development of industrial-scale mass production facilities, termed Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs). These facilities generate massive amounts of animal waste that can concentrate in small areas. Animal wastes from AFOs have led to high levels of nutrients and other pollutants in nearby surface waters, as well as groundwater. The environmental problems associated with these disposal practices have led to federal and state modifications to the rules and regulations governing waste practices. We summarize the federal guidelines for AFO nutrient management, focusing on swine, and compare the regulations of four AFO-rich states in different regions of the USA. Furthermore, we discuss inconsistencies among regulations and regulatory gaps, and identify issues with waste nutrient management practices that lead to environmental degradation in watersheds hosting AFOs. Finally, we address these shortcomings and the need to implement policy updates that would alleviate some of these environmental and human concerns.

The authors reviewed the global methods of biogas production, enrichment, compression and storage for energy generation and highlighted its potential application in meeting energy needs in developing countries, with emphasis on Nigeria. Biogas is becoming an increasingly important source of clean energy for rural and urban areas in developing countries, as can be seen by the increased construction of biodigesters. Biogas digester technology has been domesticated in Nigeria and a number of pilot biogas plants have been built with majority (over 75%) of operational Nigerian manure digesters on piggery, cattle farms or abattoirs. A trend is now seen among academic institutions in Nigeria in the design and construction of biogas digesters, for instance, the Usman Danfodio University Biogas Plant, the Obafemi Awolowo University plant, the University of Ibadan prototype (with a patent), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Private sector involvement, which shows increasing interest and availability of biogas technology. Biogas is a renewable fuel that is 60–70% methane and can be used to power household appliances and generate electricity using appropriate technologies. These technologies include Biogas digesters which are being used to collect farm animal waste and convert it to biogas through anaerobic bacterial processes. The biogas generated is enriched through a process of scrubbing to obtain at least 95% purity. The current research focus of the authors towards improving biogas yield, enrichment, compression and storage for use in Nigeria is discussed. The current findings indicate that there are economic advantages for the utilisation of biogas in developing countries like Nigeria.

The long-term measurement of emissions from defined open area sources is needed to properly inventories annual emissions and assess regulatory compliance. Comparisons between the NH3 emissions calculated using the Vertical Radial Plume Mapping (VRPM) method and a backward Lagrangian Stochastic (bLS) method were made using NH3 concentration and wind measurements from eight livestock farms between 2006 and 2009. Concentration measurements were made along twenty optical paths using open-path tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Wind measurements were made at three heights using three-dimensional sonic anemometers. Two concentration measurement configurations were evaluated: when the area source was surrounded by concentration measurements (‘fenced’) and when the concentration measurements were made perpendicular to the area source. The mean ammonia (NH3) emissions from the eight farms ranged from 0.3 g s−1 to 2 g s−1 with the bLS-calculated NH3 emissions on average 0.06 g s−1 (8%) lower than the VRPM-calculated NH3 emissions in the perpendicular configuration and 0.04 g s−1 (5%) lower than the VRPM-calculated emissions in the ‘fenced’ configuration. There was great variability in the comparison farm to farm due to the wide range of atmospheric, measurement, and farm configurations. Variability in the mean difference between the two methods from farm to farm was less than the difference in calculated bLS emissions resulting from the measured turbulence from the source or the surrounding landscape. The overall mean difference between the bLS and VRPM emissions methods under optimal conditions was −0.05 g NH3 s−1 (−5%). The variability in the VRPM NH3 emissions (1.4 g2 s−2) was significantly different (F = 1.2) from the bLS NH3 emissions (1.6 g2 s−2).

A pipeline network that collects and transports animal wastes to a treatment plant (e.g., a digester) is an interesting alternative to vehicles (no traffic increase, −61.31% CO2 emissions, −42.46% energy consumption in the case study presented here). However, pipeline networks require careful design to minimise installation costs, costs that depend on pipe length more than diameter. The optimisation can therefore be modelled as a “Euclidian Steiner minimum tree” problem that can be solved by using Kruskal's and Simpson's algorithms respectively to delineate a preliminary minimum-spanning-tree path and to optimise the paths by introducing new bifurcation points. The presented case study involved 32 dairy farms belonging to a milk consortium in a 1000-km2 area. The proposed procedure resulted in a network that extended 98.75 km. However, this was reduced to 97.47 km by introducing additional branching points (total length −1.30%, locally up to −8.54%). Another possibility for cost minimisation is to select farms based on their position. If only farms within 20 km from the centre were considered, the network length decreases to 69.25 km and was optimised to 67.97 km (−1.84%). Although the decreases achieved by optimisation were small, they fall within the estimated range (μ = 2.35%, σ = 1.24%) and correspond to 73 632 € and 76 696 € in investment savings. Economically speaking, selecting farms is more efficient with −30.15% of the investment and annual costs and −21.83% of the cost-per-mass-unit. The universality and versatility of the algorithms used makes the proposed approach suitable for designing piping networks in extended geographical areas.

The logistics and the handling of animal waste or other biomasses to and from a biogas plant are a vital part of the overall operational, economic, and energetic viability of the biogas production process. Therefore, there is a need for comprehensive modelling approaches considering different operational constraints. The objectives of this paper were to design the logistics and estimate the cost of different transport scenarios for the application of organic fertiliser on fields originated from a biogas plant. Two distribution systems, the tanker system and the umbilical system, were analysed using two discrete event simulation models and involving parameter fitting values based on experimental data. Results showed that for all combinations of input parameters the umbilical system appears to be less laborious that the tanker system, while, regarding the distribution cost the tanker system appears to be more economical for most combination of input parameters except for large application rates as compared to the umbilical system.

Biogas is a potentially important energy source that can be used for the production of heat, electricity and fuel. It can be produced at wastewater treatment plants, landfills, food and other industrial operations throughout the world. There is largely untapped potential in agricultural operations where animal waste is often land applied or otherwise disposal of without conversion to energy. According to the last agricultural census (2009) in Turkey; there are a total of 3,076,650 agricultural enterprises and approximately 70% of these enterprises are running livestock farming. 10,811,165 of total animal is cattle, 26,877,793 of total animal is small ruminant and 234,082,206 is poultry. The amount of wet waste of these animals is about 120,887,280 t. These wastes could be a major problem for enterprises and cannot be utilized properly. The best way to utilize waste is to produce biogas. In this study, biogas amount which will be obtained from animal waste was calculated for all provinces by using the number of livestock animals and also considering various criteria such as the rate of dry matter and availability. Animal origin waste map of Turkey was also produced with these calculated values. The biogas energy potential of Turkey was found to be 2,177,553,000 m3 (2.18 Gm3) by using the animal numbers in the last agricultural census (2009). The total biogas potential is originated from 68% cattle, 5% small ruminant and 27% poultry. Biogas energy equivalence of Turkey is approximately 49 PJ (1170.4 ktoe). When the prepared waste map is examined; provinces that have more than 1 GJ of biogas energy potential are found to be; Bolu, Balikesir, Izmir, Sakarya, Konya, Manisa, Erzurum, Afyon, Kars and Ankara respectively.

Since the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy crisis, meat and bone meal (MBM) have been considered animal wastes. Nowadays, these animal residues are generally burnt in cement kilns and disposed of in landfills. However, several technologies are being developed in order to achieve energy valorisation of MBM by means of combustion, pyrolysis and gasification. These thermal treatments of MBM will reduce the environmental impact of landfill and, at the same time, take advantage of the MBM heating value (13–30 MJ/kg). The main results of research into combustion, pyrolysis and gasification of MBM show that the products could be used as fertilizer (solid product) and as fuel (gas and liquid products). The present work aims at reviewing the most significant studies about energy valorisation of MBM and the potential application of the products obtained in these thermochemical processes.

The use of protein-based baits applied with insecticide or within several varieties of traps is still a widespread tool in fruit flies control. Fruit flies' proteinaceous baits, agricultural supplements and animal waste just as any decomposing biological matter share a common feature of production and emitting gaseous ammonia. This process is highly influenced by biotic and abiotic factors affecting the instability of ammonia release rate. Several common fertilizers were as attractive as several common commercial fruit fly baits to Mediterranean fruit fly females. Chicken litter served also as nutritional source of protein decreasing females' eagerness to baits. The potential of ammonia-emitting sources to interfere with fruit fly baits during control is discussed. The implications of using fertilizers during control procedure should be taken into account.

Of the Clean Development Mechanism projects that exist in Mexico, methane destruction from hog farms dominates the landscape with 56% of the projects developed and 49% of the certified emission reductions that will be generated within the country by 2012. These biodigesters, however, have experienced many technical difficulties that place their future viability and continued development in question. Because of these challenges, future methane capture in the country may focus around other agro industries or landfills.

Buildings housing livestock are the second largest source of ammonia (NH3) emissions from UK agriculture. In the UK c. 42% of NH3 emissions from buildings are from those in which cattle and pigs are bedded on straw. Additional straw may reduce NH3 emission by reducing airflow across surfaces soiled by urine, and by immobilization of ammonium–N. The object of this study was to quantify the effects of increasing straw use on NH3 emission from buildings housing cattle or pigs. The extra straw was applied in increments of up to 100%, either over the entire floor (broadcast) or targeted to the areas where most excreta were deposited. An increase of 33% straw, broadcast over the entire floor, reduced NH3 emission from cattle by 50%, but greater addition did not give any further significant reduction. However, for pigs only the broadcast addition of 100% more straw reduced NH3 emission and then by only c. 20%. Targeted use of an additional 33% straw reduced emission from cattle by 22%, compared with broadcasting the same quantity of straw, but further additions of targeted straw use did not increase abatement. When the straw was targeted in the pig buildings there was no benefit from using additional straw. Thus optimum results may be obtained from an addition of 33% extra straw, targeted to the soiled areas for cattle, but 100% extra straw broadcast over the whole floor for pigs.

Agricultural and animal wastes constitute a high proportion of biomass in Greece, and are able to play an important role towards the satisfaction of heat and/or energy and related material supply, with respect to the environmental protection targets. This paper describes pyrolysis, gasification and combustion, as a potential agricultural and animal waste exploitation method, and presents a comparison between those treatments when utilized as a source for renewable energy. The aim of the present work was to strengthen the interest in agricultural and animal waste potential for energy production in Greece, through a methodology for the feasibility of utilization of those kinds of wastes as renewable energy resources. A combination of technical, economic and environmental issues is presented here, and focus on the benefits that thermochemical conversion is able to offer, either in investigation or in future technological application for alternative exploitation methods of animal and agricultural wastes.

Military barracks throughout Taiwan produce large quantities of organic wastes from gardening, such as leaves, grass and flowers. By manipulating and observing the related parameters of the windrow composting process, the study seeks to find an optimum treatment method for plant wastes. Mature compost was used in small amounts as a fermenting source for each experimental sample. Results show that unpleasant smells that other composting methods produce is significantly decreased with effective control of relationships between temperature, saturation and turnover frequency. Furthermore, the time required to complete composting is shortened to 2–3 months. The fertility of the products depends on the original compost materials and the composting method. Through windrow composting, composted matter can reach a fertility level between that of soil and manure. Additionally, this process greatly reduces waste management costs because it utilizes the barrack's undeveloped area. Experiments in the barracks show that advantages of windrow composting include low facility investment, high environmental-friendliness, easy operation and low failure rate. Thus, it is particularly suitable for military barracks, institutions or schools with large open areas, highly green environments and plenty of labor.

For 40 years, aerobic thermophilic (AT) processes have been presented as a possible way of treating liquid manure, especially swine wastes. If they are well designed, bioreactors can be self-heating and a temperature up to 75 °C (but preferably in the 55–65 °C range) can be reached. Claimed benefits are the efficient destruction of pathogens, the simplicity of the process, its robustness, a higher reaction rate (and consequently smaller bioreactors), the conservation of nitrogen and the possibility of heat recovery. However, there are very few examples of implementation of AT technologies for this particular application. The aim of this review is to present the knowledge that has been acquired over the last 40 years through experimentations of AT processes with livestock wastes.

A sufficiently high composting temperature should inactivate many common pathogens likely to be present in solid animal waste. Monitoring core temperatures inside compost heaps is not straightforward, which means that heaps are not generally monitored. An alternative is to monitor surface temperatures and use those data to infer core temperatures, and thus whether pathogen inactivation has occurred. This paper describes two methods (thermal imaging and thermocouples) for the measurement of surface temperature, and a modelling approach using time series analysis to predict the temperatures obtained in the core of aerated heaps of composting pig farmyard manure (FYM) from surface temperature data. The model was able to predict core temperatures in the heap quite closely for a period of time for well insulated parts of the heap, although predictions were further from observed values close to the surface of the heap and the aeration pipe.

The Ogawa passive sampler (Ogawa USA, Pompano Beach, Florida) is a useful tool for monitoring atmospheric ammonia (NH3(g)) concentrations and assessing the effects of agricultural waste management practices on NH3(g) emissions. The Ogawa sampler, with filter-discs impregnated with citric acid, was used to trap and determine NH3(g) concentrations in a variety of agricultural settings. A wide range of NH3(g) concentrations can be monitored by varying the sampler exposure time, provided that no more than ∼10 μg of NH3-N are adsorbed on the acid-coated filters. Concentrations less than 1 μg NH3-N m−3 can be detected using long deployments (⩽14 days), while concentrations as great as 10 mg NH3-N m−3 may be determined in very short (e.g. 5 min) deployments. Reproducibility ranged from 5% to 10% over the range of concentrations studied and passive determinations of NH3(g) were similar to those determined using dilute-acid gas scrubbers. Background levels of NH3(g) at a non-agricultural site in southern Delaware were typically

Injection has been recognised as the most effective method for land application of liquid manure, in terms of reducing nuisance odour and nutrient losses. A high performance liquid manure injection tool (prototype) was designed, based on a number of pre-set design criteria, including minimising the draft force requirement and soil surface disturbance, and maximising the manure–soil mixed zone. The range of manure application rates sought was up to 100 m 3 ha −1 . The prototype featured an open sweep, leading tip, manure deflector and manure delivery tube. Tests of the prototype with different tool cutting widths (200, 300 and 400 mm) were performed at different injection depths (50, 100 and 150 mm) in both field and laboratory conditions. To reduce the draft force and soil surface disturbance, a tool cutting width of 200 or 300 mm should be used and injecting should be performed as shallow as practical. As compared with two commercial injection tools, the prototype required lower draft force, caused less soil surface disturbance and produced a larger manure–soil mixed zone.

Ammonia emissions from mink houses were measured over two seasons for growing kits in a two-row open-sided building with slurry gutters (385 mm wide). In the first season, a layer of sand was placed below the cages, and in the last season a layer of chopped barley straw on sand, to serve as a collector for urine and faeces dropped outside the gutter. When the slurry was removed weekly in the houses with slurry gutter and sand layer, the ammonia emission was 0·59 g [N] per animal per 24 h at 6°C and 1·15 g [N] per animal per 24 h at 16°C. By covering the ground area below the cages with a layer of chopped barley straw, renewed weekly, the nitrogen loss increased with the time since the latest renewal of the straw. One week after renewal of straw and removal of slurry, the emission amounted to 0·70 g [N] per animal per 24 h at 6°C and 1·44 g [N] per animal per 24 h at 16°C. Nine-week nitrogen balance measurements were carried out in three sections over the second season. When a layer of chopped barley straw on the ground area was renewed once a week, about 45% of the nitrogen in the consumed feed was collected in the slurry gutter by emptying the gutter twice a week. About 19% was collected in straw beneath the cages, about 5% was deposited in the carcass, about 20% evaporated, and the rest, about 11%, was assumed to be collected in the sand layer below the cages.

This study has focused on the response of lambs and its ruminal bacteria to diets with 0, 15 or 25% of shrimp shell waste (SSW). Fifteen lambs (Suffolk×Corriedale; average BW, 21.74 kg) were allotted at random (five per treatment) to diets calculated to contain 0, 15 and 25% of SSW (DM basis) in a growth and digestion trial during 72 days. Average feed intake was similar between treatments, but at the end of the experiment (periods 4 and 5) feed intake decreased ( P P P P

Chitin nanofibers were prepared from prawn shell by a simple grinding treatment after the removal of proteins and minerals. Since the exoskeleton of prawn is made up of a finer structure than crab shell, nano-fibrillation of prawn shell was easier than that of crab shell, which allow chitin nanofibers to be prepared under neutral pH conditions. The prepared chitin nanofibers were highly uniform and the width was 10–20 nm, which was similar to nanofibers from crab shell treated under acidic conditions. The preparation method for chitin nanofibers from prawn shells without an acidic chemical was applicable to many prawn species.

The data reported by L.M. Safley, P.W. Westerman [Bioresource Technology 47 (2) (1994) 165–171] from the laboratory digestion of dairy and swine manure at psychrophilic temperatures (i.e., 10–23°C) have been used to determine the response of the latest comprehensive dynamic mathematical model of methanogenesis [D.T. Hill, S.A. Cobb, Transactions of the ASAE 39 (2) (1996) 565–573] in this low temperature range. Extensive performance data from digesters using animal waste in this temperature range have been lacking, thus allowing limited validation of the comprehensive model. The results of the comprehensive model simulations were compared with the actual data reported by Safley and Westerman (loc. cit.) and with their empirical regression models. Results indicate that the comprehensive model is as accurate as Safley and Westerman's models for three of the four cases reported, but shows a great dissimilarity for the fourth case.

This paper reviews literature on co-firing of coal with biomass fuels. Here, the term biomass includes organic matter produced as a result of photosynthesis as well as municipal, industrial and animal waste material. Brief summaries of the basic concepts involved in the combustion of coal and biomass fuels are presented. Different classes of co-firing methods are identified. Experimental results for a large variety of fuel blends and conditions are presented. Numerical studies are also discussed. Biomass and coal blend combustion is a promising combustion technology; however, significant development work is required before large-scale implementation can be realized. Issues related to successful implementation of coal biomass blend combustion are identified.

Hebeloma radicosoides sp. nov. is described, illustrated and characterised. It superficially resembles H. radicosum in having a long-rooting stipe with a well-formed, membranous annulus and in having preference for animal wastes as its resources. Its pileus is yellower than that of H. radicosum, and it fruits after addition of urea to soil, whereas H. radicosum does not. It also fruits on various animal wastes whereas H. radicosum specifically fruits on mole or mouse middens. Unlike H. radicosum, H. radicosoides has no distinct odour. Hebeloma radicosoides also resembles Hebeloma luchuense and H. spoliatum in having a long-rooting stipe and in fruiting on urea-treated soil, but differs from them by having a yellowish scaly pileus and distinct, membranous annulus.

In most soils, biogenic formation of N 2 O is enhanced by an increase in available mineral N through increased nitrification and denitrification. N-fertilization, therefore, directly results in additional N 2 O formation. In addition, these inputs may lead to indirect formation of N 2 O after N leaching or runoff, or following deposition of NO y and NH x from gaseous losses of NO x and NH 3 . Anthropogenic N input into agricultural systems includes N from synthetic fertilizer, animal wastes, increased biological N-fixation, mineralization of crop residue returned to the field and cultivation of organic soils through enhanced organic matter mineralization. Nitrous oxide may be emitted (1) directly to the atmosphere from agricultural fields, (2) from animal confinements or pastoral systems, or (3) from N applied to agricultural systems which is transported into ground and surface waters through atmospheric deposition, sewage and surface runoff and eventually into surface water (rivers and oceans) where additional N 2 O is produced. Eventually, all N that moves through the soil system will be either terminally sequestered in soil or buried sediments or denitrified in aquatic systems. Using Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) databases for fertilizer input, crop and animal production, and human population and the IPCC (1997) methodology for estimating N 2 O from soil, we first estimated the N input into food production and then calculated N 2 O emissions derived from N input into food production systems from 1500 until the year 2020. Using these estimates for N 2 O emissions (∼6 Tg N in 1990 and ∼9 Tg N in 2020) as input to a simple atmospheric box model we estimated global atmospheric N 2 O concentrations over time. During the 20th century, a fast expansion of agricultural land coupled with intensification of land use probably caused about 80% of the net increase in atmospheric N 2 O, from ∼275 ppbv in 1900 to ∼294 ppbv in 1970, to projected concentrations of ∼317 in 2000 and ∼345 in 2020. With the increasing amount of fertilizer N application needed to feed an additional 1.5 billion people in the next 20 years, an accelerated rate of N 2 O accumulation in the atmosphere is calculated for the coming decades. This is in contrast with the observed trends during the past decade, which indicate a linear increase in atmospheric N 2 O, but is in line with observed trends during the whole 20th century, which show a non-linear increase in atmospheric N 2 O.

Due to storm events, spills and careless practices, nutrients from animal feeding operations have denigrated water quality in the United States. Governments at all levels are taking action to reduce pollution problems from these operations. The numerous legislative and regulatory responses have not been directed at employing nutrients from animal wastes in crop production. Instead, the command and control provisions respond to some of the concerns voiced by the public, but their generalized coverage makes them costly and imposes expenses on producers who are not causing any problems. Governments need to consider alternative strategies that would incorporate a relationship between crop land and the animal wastes from feeding operations to more accurately account for environmental costs from excess nutrients.

An efficient mathematical modeling package called Aquaculture Waste Transport Simulator (AWATS) provides first-order estimates of the physical dispersion of finfish aquaculture wastes for regulatory purposes. The modeling strategy entails the utilization of a vertically averaged, two-dimensional flow model to produce flow-field information. This information is input to a particle-tracking waste transport model to simulate the resulting transport of wastes. Since earlier studies have shown that the transport modeling results are sensitive to the threshold shear stress at which settled fish-pen wastes are resuspended, fieldwork was conducted to improve the parameterization of erodibility in the transport model. Application of AWATS to aquaculture sites in coastal Maine (selected by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection) shows that it is a convenient tool in the regulatory process.

Generation of odors is a complex process that involves many bacterial species, producing an extensive array of volatile organic compounds under different manure storage systems currently used. A lack of understanding of the basic microbiology in manure leads to a poor odor prevention and control from animal wastes. This review covers pertinent available information about the indigenous bacterial genera in swine manure and their potentials of producing odorous volatile compounds. It addresses not only the odorous compounds in swine manure but also the inherent relations between the bacterial species and the related compounds. It also discusses several odor control techniques that have been developed based on microbial activities and the limitations with these techniques. Two bacterial genera, Eubacterium and Clostridium, are most likely the major contributors to odorous volatile fatty acids. It appears that anaerobic lagoons may not be an appropriate choice for treating swine manure for odor control due to the reduced methonogenic activities resulted from the low temperatures in lagoon liquid. Also, it seems questionable that the microbial-based manure additives will work, without aeration, in a real storage system for the purpose of odor control.

Comment se debarrasser d'un lisier de porc qui devient envahissant ? Concentration et intensification des elevages aidant, l'epandage en champs ne suffit plus. Les bacteries viennent alors a la rescousse...

Effective sterilisation of animal waste is an important prerequisite for the use of animal meal as an ingredient of compound feed for non-ruminants. Specific conditions for the rendering process aimed at the inactivation of the causative agent of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), and the prevention of other pathogens in feedingstuff, are defined by European law. A validation study encompassing 21 laboratories from 12 European countries was performed using a commercially available test kit based on an enzymelinked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA) which allows proof of the appropriate heat treatment of the processed animal waste. The evaluation of the results regarding the R-value reveals the robustness of the method, a sufficient sensitivity to detect a deviation of the processing conditions from the regulation and a low standard deviation of the data. Moreover the statistical evaluation of the results allows for the estimation of the coefficient of variation which is between 11 and 22% depending on the magnitude of the response of the test.

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) release from manure was investigated under "eld conditions in one of the compartments in a mechanically ventilated fattening pig house. The potential of CO 2 release was tested in the emptied compartment by imposing high ventilation rate and measuring CO 2 concentrations in the incoming and exhaust air. When the compartment was "lled with pigs, a model of tranquil CO 2 exhalation rate (TCER) was used to estimate the part of CO 2 produced by animals, in addition to the measurement of CO 2 concentrations and ventilation rate. Useful data were extracted from 135 days of continuously measured "eld data obtained when the housing system was in steady-state. The CO 2 release per m2 of pit surface was 18.4 and 25.8 g h~1 m~2 in the emptied pig compartment during the impulse and pulse ventilation rate tests, respectively. It ranged from 1.1 and 116.7 g h~1 m~2 and averaged 42.1 g h~1 m~2 during the 135-day continuous "eld measurement. In 128 of the 135 days when the compartment was "lled with pigs, the mean CO 2 release from the manure reached an average of 37.5% of the TCER by pigs, instead of less than 5% believed by many researchers. The maximum CO 2 release rate in 2-h steady-state measurements was 94% of the TCER by pigs. This research demonstrated that, in the previous knowledge, there might be a serious underestimation of the CO 2 release from the manure in pig houses. The total pig weight, manure temperature and ventilation rate were found the most important variables related to the CO 2 release. A mathematical model was developed to estimate the CO 2 release as a function of these three variables with R2"0.525. ( 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recycling animal waste as a feedstuff could have a considerable effect on reducing costs and solving some disposal problems. Although the technology of animal waste handling, treatment and disposal is available in many cases it is not adequate to guarantee a pathogen-free end product. However, radiation processing can make an important contribution to solve these problems. Effects of radiation processing, on crude and true protein, amino acid profile, minerals and thiamine content of dried broiler and cow manure, at dose levels of 5, 10 and 25 kGy have been studied. Short-term feeding tests were carried out to determine the effect of radiation pasteurization of such animal waste on growth performance of young chicks. The results suggested that radiation pasteurization of dried manure has a beneficial effect on recycling of such waste and it permits waste to be included in animal diet without nutritional problems.

Drainage properties of and ammonia emissions from slatted floors and drainage channels were investigated using a laboratory arrangement development for the purpose. The arrangement consists of a steel-framed box with two levels in order to simulate different slatted floor systems. The slatted floor under test is laid on the top level and manure is dropped on to it from various heights. The lower level consists of a drainage channel, the top of which is covered by a lid perforated with holes of different shapes. Drainage experiments on slatted floors for cows with slits from 30 to 45 mm wide showed an average total drainage value for faeces and urine of 72% and an average urine drainage value of 82%. Drainage experiments on slatted floors for pigs showed results varying between 38 and 46% for total drainage depending on different drainage arrangements. The best drainage capacity was obtained when the drainage channel cover had holes giving a large drainage area. The ammonia experiments on slatted floors for cows with 2 and 30 mm spacing showed an accummulated ammonia emission of about 8 and 3 g respectively, during the 20 h testing period. On slatted floors for fattening pigs, the accumulated ammonia emission was calculated to be about 2 g during the 20 h testing period. These ammonia emission results are related to the mass quantities and the nitrogen contents of faeces and urine, which normally are dropped to slatted floor surfaces in animal buildings.