While this could be a scene from a farm in rural Alabama, it is not. This event occurred near Auburn where AAES researchers conducted monthly field-scale experiments from June until September for two years. Swine waste application at a site near Auburn, Alabama. Animal manure is a major component of agricultural byproducts, and on many farms it may be used as an economical source of nutrients. Farmers in many southeastern states apply swine waste to land as a method of disposal as well as a soil amendment.
Atmospheric ammonia contributes to formation of complex sulfates, which cause smog and acid rain.
Rates of ammonia volatilization are dependent on temperature, humidity, wind, pH, and concentration of ammonium. Specifically, volatilization rates following application of swine waste increase with temperature, wind-speed, pH, and ammonium content and decrease with humidity. Decreasing pH values are indicative of ongoing volatilization and as pH decreases, ammonia volatilization slows. Volatilization losses vary between swine waste applications, but tend to follow a diurnal pattern, peaking with maximum daily temperatures at midday. Until recently, most research in this area has been conducted in laboratories or closed field experiments.