Public complaints arising from centralized animal manure treatment plants are increasing due to the odors produced during animal manure treatment. Various physico chemical and biological methods are used to mitigate such odors. Still, many problems exist, such as a lack of fundamental data on odor generation characteristics and design standards for odor mitigation facilities. Therefore, this study evaluated the characteristics of NH3 and H2S gas produced from a centralized animal manure treatment plant. The centralized animal manure treatment plant selected in this study has a treatment capacity of 150 tons (animal manure and food waste) per day. The composting matrix was mechanically turned from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays and not turned all day on weekends. The NH3 concentrations measured during the day on weekdays (96.4 ± 7.8 ppmv) were about 14% higher than on weekends (84.9 ± 15.9 ppmv). During the week, the ammonia concentration during the day was about 15% higher than at night, but there was no difference between day and night on weekends. The hydrogen sulfide concentration during the day (4,729 ± 3,687 ppbv) on a weekday was about 4.7 times higher than at night (1,007 ± 466 ppbv). The results of this study provide valuable information that is necessary for the operation of odor mitigation facilities. It is expected that the results will contribute to establishing an operational strategy that can reduce the energy required to collect exhaust gas.

This study evaluated the odor mitigation effect of rice husk biochar addition to the bedded pack dairy barn floor using lab-scale reactors for five days. Rice husk biochar mixed with dairy manure and sawdust mixture at different ratios (5%-addition test unit: adding biochar by 5% of the total solid weight of the mixture, 10%-addition test unit: adding biochar by 10% of the total solid weight of the mixture). Cumulative NH3 and H2S emissions of 10%-addition test unit were reduced by 26% (p< 0.05) and 46% (p = 0.0655), respectively, compared with control. However, 5%-addition test unit did not show NH3 and H2S emission reduction. Further research is needed to determine the appropriate level of biochar addition between 5 and 10%, and to evaluate applicability in the field through economic analysis.