Measurement and estimation of ammonia emissions from lagoon–atmosphere interface using a coupled mass transfer and chemical reactions model, and an equilibrium model

Ammonia has recently gained importance for its increasing atmospheric concentrations and its role in the formation of aerosols. The anaerobic lagoon and spray method, commonly used for waste storage and disposal in confined animal feeding operations (CAFO), is a significant source of ammonia emissions. An accurate emission model for ammonia from aqueous surfaces can help in the development of emission factors. Data collected from field measurements made at hog waste lagoons in south eastern North Carolina, using the flow through dynamic chamber technique, were used to evaluate the Coupled mass transfer and Chemical reactions model and Equilibrium model developed by Aneja et al. [2001a. Measurement and modeling of ammonia emissions at waste treatment lagoon-Atmospheric Interface. Water, Air and Soil pollution: Focus 1, 177–188]. Sensitivity analysis shows that ammonia flux increases exponentially with lagoon temperature and pH, but a linear increase was observed with an increase in total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN). Ammonia flux also shows a nonlinear increase with increasing wind speed. Observed ammonia fluxes were generally lower in the cold season than in the warm season when lagoon temperatures are higher. About 41% of the equilibrium model predictions and 43% of the Coupled model predictions are found to be within a factor of two of the observed fluxes. Several model performance statistics were used to evaluate the performance of the two models against the observed flux data. These indicate that the simpler Equilibrium model does as well as the Coupled model. The possible effects of the “artificial” environment within the chamber, which is different from that in the ambient atmospheric conditions above the open lagoon surface, on the measured fluxes are also recognized.