Impact of Manure Type and Spreading Method on Fugitive Air Contaminant Emissions and Odor

Highlights Incorporation plays a vital role in the mitigation of air contaminants. Splash plate results in the highest odor emissions for pig slurry application. Incorporation can control nitrogen volatilization and odor after manure spreading. It is not possible to identify a unique solution for reducing the emission of all contaminants. Abstract. The application of manure on agricultural lands can result in substantial emissions of air pollutants, including gases, particulate matter, and odors, which pose potential risks to environmental quality and community health. This study aimed to quantify and compare the fugitive emissions (gases, particulate matter, and odors) associated with five types of manure (swine, beef, dairy cattle, and poultry with and without litter) applied using different spreading methods. For solid manure, three application techniques were evaluated: two conventional spreaders (horizontal and vertical beaters) and a novel prototype designed for direct incorporation. Three methods were tested for liquid manure: splash plate, dribble bar, and dribble bar application followed by immediate incorporation. All field trials were conducted in triplicate. Results demonstrated that incorporating swine manure reduced odors and tended to decrease ammonia concentrations in the air. Conversely, the application with a splash plate slightly increased atmospheric carbon dioxide and methane concentrations. Odor intensity was markedly higher with the splash plate compared to the dribble bar with incorporation, exhibiting a 2- to 6-fold increase. Additionally, the splash plate generated more particulate emissions than other methods. The novel solid manure incorporator, which was only tested with poultry manure, significantly reduced odor intensity in the field by 36% to 55% and lowered NH3 concentrations compared to the conventional spreaders. These findings highlight the potential for improved manure application methods to mitigate environmental impacts and reduce pollutant emissions.