Aerial pollutants in and from a piggery and a broiler house

Airborne pollutants in, and emissions from livestock buildings affect anima l and human health and welfare and contribute to environmental air pollutio n. Field surveys have shown the influence of livestock species and manageme nt strategies on pollutant emissions. Comprehensive measurements were carried out in a mechanically-ventilated fa ttening piggery and in a naturally-ventilated (Louisiana-type) broiler hous e. In the piggery, ventilation rate was directly measured using fan-wheel a nemometers and indirectly estimated by a CO2 balance method. Over 24h, the indirect CO2 method underestimated the direct method by similar to 6,5 %. Concentrations of the gaseous components CO2 and NH3 were detected mainly u sing a photo-acoustic multi-gas monitor. For NH3 only, adsorption tube and wet-chemical analysis were also used. Seasonal influences were detected for inhalable dust concentration in the b roiler house and for ammonia concentration in the piggery. Altogether, the comprehensive study showed that the results of a related field survey, whic h used an array of measuring positions in the central cross-sectional plane of each livestock building, were comparable and sufficiently representativ e.