Characterization of Particle Size Distributions and Water-Soluble Ions in Particulate Matter Measured at a Broiler Farm

Philip J. Silva (), Tanner Cress, Ryan Drover, Cara Michael, Gregory Docekal, Pierce Larkin, Antonio Godoy, Devin A. Cavero, Crystal Sin, Janise Waites, Rezaul Mahmood, Martin Cohron and Kathleen L. Purvis-Roberts
Additional contact information
Philip J. Silva: USDA-ARS, Food Animal Environmental Systems Research Unit, Bowling Green, KY 42104, USA
Tanner Cress: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Ryan Drover: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Cara Michael: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Gregory Docekal: Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
Pierce Larkin: Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
Antonio Godoy: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Devin A. Cavero: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Crystal Sin: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Janise Waites: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA
Rezaul Mahmood: Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
Martin Cohron: Heritage Farms, 4210 Sugar Grove Rd., Bowling Green, KY 42101, USA
Kathleen L. Purvis-Roberts: W.M. Keck Science Department, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, CA 91711, USA

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: The chemical composition and size distribution of particulate matter produced at broiler poultry houses is not well understood, so this is a novel study to understand the particulate size distributions at a poultry house as well as the ionic composition of the particulate matter using real-time methods. Two optical particle counters provided particle size distributions inside and outside the house. An ambient ion monitor and a particle-in-liquid sampler analyzed the ionic chemical composition of the particulate matter in the house while a scanning mobility particle sizer provided size information in the nanoparticle range. Ammonia concentrations in the house were measured using a chemical sensor. Ammonia concentrations in the house were consistently in the lower part of the per million range 2–20 ppm. The optical particle counter and ion chromatography measurements both showed a strong diurnal variation of particulate matter concentration in the house throughout the study, associated with the lights being on and animal activity. Particulate mass concentration inside the house was dominated by coarse mode particles as opposed to the outdoor sampler which showed much smaller sizes. A few new particle formation and growth events were observed in the house. Ionic constituents detected by chromatography made up a small fraction of the overall mass concentration. The composition of the ionic constituents was similar for most of the study with typical ions being ammonium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, and several carboxylates (formate, acetate, propionate, and butyrate.) At the end of the study, bromide was also detected during the last several days. Overall, we determined that the ionic components of the particulate matter formed through secondary particle formation was small, but also that some ionic constituents can be associated with management practices.

Keywords: poultry; ammonia; fine particles; coarse particles; secondary aerosol; ion chromatography (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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