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Title:   Author  item
                                            WILLIS, W - University Of Iowaitem
                                            ELCHINGER, W - University Of Iowaitem
                                            Prueger, Johnitem
                                            Hapeman, Cathleenitem
                                            LI, H - University Of Delawareitem
                                            BUSER, M - Oklahoma State Universityitem
                                            Hatfield, Jerryitem
                                            Wanjura, Johnitem
                                            Holt, Gregoryitem
                                            TORRENTS, A - University Of Marylanditem
                                            PLENNER, S - University Of Iowaitem
                                            CLARIDA, W - University Of Iowaitem
                                            BROWN, S - University Of Iowa
  Submitted to: Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
                                    Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
                                    Publication Acceptance Date: 2/6/2017
                                    Publication  Date: 2/24/2017
                                    Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5625556Citation: Willis, W., Elchinger, W., Prueger, J.H., Hapeman, C.J., Li, H., Buser, M., Hatfield, J.L., Wanjura, J.D., Holt, G.A., Torrents, A., Plenner, S., Clarida, W., Brown, S.D. 2017. Particulate capture efficiency of a vegetative environmental buffer surrounding an animal feeding operation. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 240:101-108.Interpretive Summary: Over 550 million broilers are produced on the Delmarva Peninsula annually. The birds are housed in poultry houses which are vented using large tunnel fans. The emissions from the houses contain ammonia, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter which typically not filtered or mitigated. New awareness of the fate of these pollutants has caused producers to plant vegetative environmental buffers to capture the pollutants. However, the effectiveness of these buffers has not been determined. This study examines the fate of particulate matter moving from a tunnel fan through the buffer and to the surrounding area using a remote-sensing technique. Lidar engages a laser to illuminate the particles and then the reflected light is analyzed to determine the density of the particulate matter. Results showed that
atmospheric conditions (wind speed/turbulents) affected the effectiveness of the buffer to capture particles more so than the distance from the fan to the vegetative environmental buffer. In calm conditions, the buffer captured nearly 70% of the particles, whereas in more turbulent conditions, efficiency decreased to approximately 20%. These results will be used by extension, USDA-NRCS, and producers to improve the effectiveness of these buffers.
                                Technical Abstract: Particulate matter emitted from tunnel-ventilated animal feeding operations (AFOs) is known to transport malodorous compounds. As a mitigation strategy, vegetative environmental buffers (VEBs) are often installed surrounding AFOs to capture particulates and induce lofting and dispersion. Currently, point measurements are the primary means by which VEB performance has been investigated. The existing techniques lack spatial and temporal resolution and fail to assign the observed particulate reduction to capture, lofting, or dispersion. This study presents a technique for estimating the capture efficiency of a VEB using lidar and attributes all observed reduction to particulate capture, thereby delineating the effects of capture and lofting. The experiments revealed a capture efficiency ranging from 21 to 74%. Instantaneous lidar scans showed periodic lofting well above the VEB, but when scans were averaged over several hours, the plumes appeared Gaussian. This paper documents experimental evidence quantifying the capture efficiency of a VEB. It also establishes an experimental framework for future studies on the efficacy of various emissions mitigation strategies.


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