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Define the critical environmental and biological factors such as temperature,
moisture content, organic matter content/composition, and nutrient content affecting
emissions of odor compounds, greenhouse gases, and ammonia from beef cattle feedlot
surfaces.
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Measure the effects of critical environmental and biological factors identified in
Objective 1 on nutrient transport of N, P, and indicator microorganisms from beef
cattle feedlot surfaces.
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Determine the potential for emissions of pathogenic, fecal indicator
microorganisms, nutrient and odor compounds in wastewater, soil and air during and
after spray wastewater application.
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Evaluate alternative treatment technologies such as constructed wetlands, cattle
feedlot runoff systems, and water treatment technologies to reduce or eliminate the
occurrence, transmission, or persistence of manure-borne pathogens and excessive
nutrients (N and P) and other constituents (biological oxygen demand, pH, and total
suspended solids).
Approach: Experiments will be conducted in the field and in the laboratory to evaluate gas
emissions, nutrient transport, and microbial transport and fate associated with
specific types of confined animal feeding operations and wastewater treatment
processes. Specific areas within beef cattle feedlot pens will be identified that
disproportionately emit gases (odor compounds, ammonia, and greenhouse gases) or have
a large potential for nutrient runoff through the use of flux chambers and gas
chromatography and by the use of artificial rainfall simulators. Flux chambers, mass
losses from soil, and bioaerosol sampling will be used to determine the loss of
nutrients, odor compounds, and the potential to disseminate manure-borne
microorganisms in multi-year studies at field sites where swine wastewater is center
pivot applied to agricultural fields. Standard microbiological techniques will be
used to determine the prevalence of manure-borne microorganisms after alternative
treatments have been used to treat wastewater.