ARS | Publication request: Speciation of VOCs from Animal Feeding Operations

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: June 6, 2007
Publication Date: August 24, 2007
Citation: Trabue, S.L., Scoggin, K.D., Li, H., Burns, R., Xin, H. 2007. Speciation of VOCs from Animal Feeding Operations [abstract]. National Environmental Conference. p. 298.

Technical Abstract: The Environmental Pollution Agency (EPA) air consent agreement with animal feeding operations (AFO) specifies the use of EPA TO-15 for the speciation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emitted from these facilities. However, compounds emitted from AFO are often both volatile and highly polar characteristics that make it impossible to capture with a single method. In this study, VOC emissions from a poultry facility were monitored using EPA toxic organic (TO) methods TO-15 and TO-17. Canisters for TO-15 (1.4 or 0.5 L) samples were collected over a time-integrated period (2h) or taken as grab samples (less than 10 min.). Sorbent tubes for TO-17 were collected at 100 mL/min for 2 h using sorbent tubes containing graphitized carbon in a multi-bed packing arrangement (Carbopack C and Carbopack X). Major compounds detected using TO-15 were alcohols and oxy compounds (includes ketones), while major compounds detected using TO-17 were volatile fatty acids and oxy compounds (ketones). Total mass of compounds in air near an active brood was approximately 2.8 times higher than measuring emission from litter alone. Methodology TO-15 quantified approximately 70% of the total VOC emissions in regains of the barn containing no birds; whereas, regions of the barn containing an active brood TO-15 methodology accounted for only 50% of total emission. Overall polar compounds accounted for close to 95% of emission of VOC. This study demonstrates the need to expand methodology used for speciation of VOC from AFO.