A Laboratory Study of an Aerated Lagoon Bio-Blanket for Swine Manure Odor Control

Abstract

The effectiveness of an aerated, submerged bio-blanket for controlling the release of odorous and volatile compounds from swine manure storage lagoons was examined. Hydrogen peroxide was used as oxidizing agent to simulate aeration by increasing the dissolved oxygen level in the bio-blanket. Commercially available dry aerobic microbes were added into the bio-blanket aiming at increasing the aerobic population. The results showed that the aerobic environment in the bio-blanket was not established by adding hydrogen peroxide and the levels of aerobic bacteria in the bio-blanket were not enhanced due to the addition of aerobic microbes. The reduction of volatile fatty acids could be caused by the direct oxidization by the H₂O₂ added, which resulted in up to 65% reduction in odor threshold compared with the control samples. The effect of this bio-blanket on the emissions of aerial ammonia and hydrogen sulfide as well as on the other liquid parameters such as total and ammonia nitrogen, pH, and total and volatile solids was not significant according to this study.

Keywords:

• Bio-cover
• microbes
• lagoons
• surface aeration
• swine manure odor control