In the present study, we evaluated the effect of pH modulation on concentrations of odorous compounds and pollutants in pit slurry from pig operation building. A slurry sample was taken from the pit of a pig operation building where 50 finishing pigs [(Landrase × Yorkshire) × Duroc] were kept. Three levels of pH (6, 8 and 10) were measured and adjusted daily during the incubation periods using chemical reagents of 1 N HCl or 3 N NaOH. Concentrations of odorous compounds and pollutants were analyzed from slurry incubated for 7 days. When these material concentrations were compared with the pH 8 slurry which was the pH of pit slurry, levels of short chain fatty acids, indoles and total organic carbon were reduced 7%, 68% and 2%, respectively, in the pH 6 treatment (P<0.05). Ammonium nitrogen, phenols and total nitrogen concentrations were lower by 31%, 18% and 17%, respectively, than with the pH 10 slurry (P<0.05). When the odor contribution in pH treatments was assessed according to the odor activity value, it was found to be 23% lower in the pH 6 treatment compared with pH 8. The pH modulation would affect odor emissions and microbial activity from pit slurry. Although not all odorous compounds showed the reduction effect with the same pH control, this study can be effectively used as base data when using additives for pH control.

The principal hygienic problem caused by livestock industry is the odor exposed to farm workers. This study was performed to assess air cleaner efficiency for reducing odor through on-site evaluation. The concentration of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which are major odorous compounds generated from livestock building, were monitored by realtime direct recorder. The odor mixture was measured by air dilution method applying human noses of five panels. Their reduction efficiencies were represented by difference between initial concentration exhausted by non-treatment and concentration measured after treatment of respective control mechanism (water, germicide and plasma ion) of air cleaner. Mean levels of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were 1.84 (SD:0.22) ppm and 76.83 (SD:1.37) ppb for non-treatment, 1.23 (SD:0.09) ppm and 59.07 (SD:2.68) ppb for wet scrubber (water), 1.08 (SD:0.03) ppm and 58.55 (SD:1.62) ppb for wet scrubber (germicide), and 0.96 (SD:0.03) ppm and 53.66 (SD:1.37) ppb for plasma ion, respectively. Mean dilution factors of odor mixture were 100 for non-treatment, 66.9 for wet scrubber (water), 144.2 for wet scrubber (germicide), and 66.94 for plasma ion, respectively. Based on the results obtained from on-site evaluation, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide showed the mean reduction efficiency of 40% and 25.7% compared with non-treatment process of air cleaner, respectively. In the case of odor mixture, the highest dilution factor was observed at wet scrubber (germicide) compared with other control mechanism of air cleaner.