Cold season ammonia emissions from land spreading with anaerobic digestates from biogas production

Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

Authors

  • Jan Reent Köster
  • Klaus Dittert
  • Karl-Hermann Mühling
  • Henning Kage
  • A. Pacholski

Anaerobic digestates (AD) from biogas production are applied to agricultural land as organic fertilizers, but pose an ammonia (NH 3) emission source. However, data about NH 3 emissions of cold season AD land spreading is still lacking. Therefore, in the present study NH 3 emissions of AD application under winter conditions were determined. AD was applied via trail hoses to a field plot of 27ha in Northern Germany during the winter with temperatures around the freezing point and partly frozen soil. NH 4 + N application rate was, including a preceding urea application, 123kg NH 4 + and urea N ha -1. The NH 3 volatilization was monitored using Open Path Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy in combination with a micrometeorological transport model. Cumulative NH 3 volatilization during the six day measurements was 17.5kgNH 3 Nha -1 which corresponds to 33.1% of the NH 4 + N in applied AD. This NH 3 loss is relatively high for low temperature conditions and was most likely caused by the frozen soil restricting AD infiltration.

Original languageEnglish
JournalAtmospheric Environment
Volume84
Pages (from-to)35-38
Number of pages4
ISSN1352-2310
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.02.2014