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<OL> <LI> Develop and evaluate environmentally superior technologies to prevent off-farm
release of nutrients and to reduce pathogens, odors, and ammonia emissions. <LI>Develop
information and technologies to enhance or retrofit existing manure treatment systems
to help producers meet environmental criteria (nutrients, emissions, and pathogens).
<LI>Improve and refine constructed natural treatment technologies to effectively manage
nutrients including reducing emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide. <LI>Develop and
evaluate new and improved technologies that concentrate/sequester nutrients from
manures or create value added products including conversion of livestock waste to
energy. <LI>Evaluate swine wastewater treatment systems that can be used to reduce
emissions, manage nutrients, and control pathogens on small farms. <LI>Develop
cooperative activities as needed to conduct the research.
Approach: This research will take a synergistic approach towards developing more effective
animal waste treatment practices and holistic systems to solve these problems. Four
complementary approaches will be pursued. <P>
First, environmentally superior
technologies and combination of technologies will be developed and evaluated to
prevent off-farm release of nutrients and to reduce pathogens, odors, and ammonia
emissions. These technologies include improved solid-liquid separation, phosphorus
extraction, enhanced biological nitrogen treatment, anaerobic ammonia oxidation,
litter wash, material science and green oxidant application development, and their
integration into systems of treatment technologies. <P>
Second, investigations will be
conducted to further our limited knowledge on biology of anaerobic lagoons and
develop technologies that can be used to retrofit existing manure treatment systems.
To accomplish this, we will use state-of-the-art tools such as non-invasive
estimation of oxygen absorption, enzyme activities, emission quantification with
open-path laser ammonia detector, and we will develop an improved bio-filtration
method to clean barn air. <P>
Third, research will be conducted to enhance constructed
natural treatment technologies such as constructed wetlands, floating wetlands and
riparian zones to more effectively manage nutrients using passive systems. <P>
Fourth, we
will develop guidelines, protocols and standards for the beneficial use of manure byproducts.
These include improved methods to recycle and recover nutrients from
anaerobic lagoon sludge and to produce hydrogen from livestock manure. <P>
Results from
this project will advance the state of science for more effective animal waste
treatment and implementation of environmentally-safe alternatives to traditional land
application. Systems of treatment technologies that capture nutrients, reduce
emissions, and kill pathogens need to be developed and evaluated. Small farms will
require systems that meet environmental regulations and have a reasonable initial
cost.