Identification and evaluation of VOCs evolved from warm season swine mortality composts
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Since 1905, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, now the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE), has been a leader in providing engineering solutions to agricultural problems in the United States and the world. The department’s original mission was to mechanize agriculture. That mission has evolved to encompass a global view of the entire food production system–the wise management of natural resources in the production, processing, storage, handling, and use of food fiber and other biological products.
History
In 1905 Agricultural Engineering was recognized as a subdivision of the Department of Agronomy, and in 1907 it was recognized as a unique department. It was renamed the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering in 1990. The department merged with the Department of Industrial Education and Technology in 2004.
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1905–present
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- Department of Agricultural Engineering (1907–1990)
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- College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (parent college)
- College of Engineering (parent college)
- Department of Industrial Education and Technology, (merged, 2004)
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Abstract
The intensive production of swine in Iowa (28.4 % of the U.S.A production) inevitably results in high amounts of piggery waste including animal carcasses. Composting is an environmentally sound and relatively inexpensive method to dispose swine mortalities especially when the carcasses are diseased. Measurement of VOC emissions is an alternative to test progress and completion of the process. In this study, diseased swine mortalities are composted in summer conditions of Central Iowa. Corn silage, oat straw and corn stalks are used as envelope materials. Once a week, air samples are collected from the center of test units and sampled with 85 µm Carboxen/ polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) solid phase microextraction (SPME) fiber. Samples were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) - mass spectrometry (MS). The objective of the study is to investigate the potential usage of VOCs as indicators of swine mortality degradation. It is found that nitrogen and sulfur containing compounds can be used as indicators of the composting process. Sulfur-containing compounds are detected from all test units. Nitrogen-containing compounds are detected from only corn silage test units. It is concluded that carcass degradation is incomplete in all of the test units. Carcass degradation in corn stalks and oat straw test units is better than corn silage test units. These results are supported with respiration rate results. Respiration rates of the remaining swine carcasses are found to be between 5-7 mg CO2-C g VS-1d-1 and swine carcasses are categorized as moderately unstable composts.
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This is an ASABE Meeting Presentation, Paper No. 085047.