EMISSIONS OF MALODOROUS COMPOUNDS AND GREENHOUSE GASES FROM COMPOSTING SWINE FECES

Emissions of harmful gases, malodorous compounds and greenhouse gases emitted during composting of swine feces under continuous aeration wer e studied using a laboratory-scale composting apparatus. Concentration s of ammonia and sulfur compounds in the exhaust gas rose remarkably a fter starting and at every turning, and their changes reflected the od or concentrations calculated from sensory tests. Volatile fatty acids, in high concentrations at the start were rapidly reduced within sever al hours from starting and did not rise again. Methane emission was ob served within only I day from starting. Nitrous oxide repeatedly rose and fell after every fuming, as did ammonia. From the viewpoint of nit rogen loss during composting, however the total amount of nitrous oxid e emission seemed quite small compared with that of ammonia. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.