2006 Annual Report 1.What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? This project will contribute to NP 206 Manure and Byproducts. Lands that have traditionally been dedicated to agricultural activities are being developed for residential communities. Producers are finding themselves surrounded by neighbors who are unaccustomed to typical emissions from barns, waste lagoons manure applied to fields, and other operations handling biological residuals. Large animal agriculture facilities, or animal feeding operations (AFOs), have come under increasing regulatory pressure due to nuisance complaints and their negative impacts on air quality. Currently, a major focus of the U.S. EPA is to develop methods to accurately determine emission rates of hydrogen sulfide and ammonia, other bulk gases, and particulate matter from the barns, waste storage areas, waste application areas, and other dust-generating facilities. Measuring bulk gas emissions such as hydrogen sulfide and ammonia alone will not provide sufficient information to identify and reduce the chemicals causing odor. Accurate and objective measurement of odor is the goal of many researchers working in the field of gaseous emissions from agriculture. Two scientists recently received the Nobel Prize for their discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system (Nobel Foundation, 2004), revealing an extremely complex system of receptor types. Odor signals are relayed to both the brain's higher cortex, which handles conscious thought processes, and to the limbic system, which generates emotional feelings. Therefore, human odor perception will always be biased by both genetic and environmental factors. In some states with serious air quality problems, commodity and animal producers are being scrutinized as potentially large sources of volatile organic compountd (VOCs), or reactive organic gases that may contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone. In California, regulators have adopted simple laboratory measurements called Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) data as a means to predict the emission potential of pesticide formulation products for VOCs (CA DPR, 1998, CA DPR, 2004). This approach does not consider the atmospheric reactivity of chemicals released. Fundamental information on the range of chemicals being released from pesticide applications, manures, animal housing, and wastewaters and the effects of environmental conditions on their potential fate and transport is required to design improved management systems for minimizing negative air quality impacts from agricultural operations. Results will lead to an improved understanding of the chemical composition of emissions from agricultural operations, the processes controlling chemical release, and the environmental fate of chemicals known to elicit an olfactometry response in humans or contribute to ground level ozone formation in the presence of NOx and light. This work will contribute to the development of modern waste management systems designed to minimize nuisance odor impacts on surrounding communities. Results will also provide objective information on the potential contribution of crop and animal production operations to contribute reactive organic gases (ROGs), which may contribute to ground level ozone production in areas where agricultural activity is located near large urban or industrial areas. 2.List by year the currently approved milestones (indicators of research progress) FY 2006 1.1 Methods to identify pesticide inerts. 1.2 Begin development of downwind sampling/analysis techniques. 2.1 Begin pesticide inert identification. 2.2 Begin to compile VOC reactivity databases for selected pesticides. 3.1 Establish ranking system for odor/persistence. 3.2 Survey wastewater/manures. Tech transfer: Progress report to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, critical literature review of odor and persistence. FY 2007 1.2 Complete development of downwind sampling/analysis techniques. 1.3 Carry out field testing of downwind methods. 2.1 Complete pesticide inert identification. 2.2 Complete compilation of VOC reactivity databases for selected pesticides. 2.3 Begin to rank pesticide inert VOCs by ozone precursor potential. 3.3 Predict likely problem odorants. 3.4 Preliminary field testing of predicitions. Technical transfer: Progress report to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, technical report on pesticide inert identification. FY 2008 2.3 Complete ranking of pesticide inert VOCs by ozone precursor potential. 2.4 Compile VOC reactivity databases for selected animal operations. 3.4 Preliminary filed testing of predictions. Technology transfer: Technical transfer: Progress report to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, technical report on downwind standard methods, technical report on reactive organic gases from pesticides. FY 2009 2.5 Rank animal op VOCs by ozone precursor potential. 3.5 Field test of predictions with olfactometry. 3.6 Evaluate potential odor control technologies. Technical transfer: Progress report to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, fact sheet on reactive organic gases from pesticides, technical report on field testing of odorant persistence predictions. FY 2010 Technology transfer: Progress report to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force, technology transfer: technical report on reactive organic gases from animal operations, fact sheet on reactive organic gases from animal operations. Write new project plan. 4a.List the single most significant research accomplishment during FY 2006. DEVELOPING STANDARDS FOR MEASURMENT OF REACTIVE/ODOROUS VOCS IN AGRICULTURAL SETTINGS. All major analytical methods used to measure reactive VOCs and odorants were reviewed for use in settings typical of animal agriculture facilities. Current methods developed for use in industrial applications are not appropriate for high relative humidity and/or high dust concentrations, and they do not provide the sensitivity or selectivity required to detect low analyte concentrations within a highly complex gas mixture. Thermal desorption, Tedlar bags, solid-phase microextraction, canisters, and methods to develop calibration curves were all examined critically; and considerations and limitations were presented and in a proceedings paper at the Workshop on Agricultural Air Quality: State of the Science attended by leading agricultural scientists and policy makers. This work will lead to methods to accurately evaluate the effectiveness of conservation practices to reduce VOC emissions. This research addresses NP 206 Manure and Byproducts, Atmospheric Emissions Component. 4b.List other significant research accomplishment(s), if any. None. 4c.List significant activities that support special target populations. None. 4d.Progress report. This is a new project which was initiated on October 1, 2005, and represents a significant expansion in air quality research efforts. The research team has carried out detailed planning exercises and has selected and acquired specialized equipment to carry out fundamental measurements of VOCs. Experimental software has been purchased to carry out the determination of VOC reaction rates under different air quality scenarios. The true capabilities of this software have not yet been fully tested. Analytical method development to measure downwind or extremely low concentrations of odorants is a challenge due to the reactive nature of the chemicals. This has been the subject of extended discussions with other ARS and university scientists, and novel approaches are being explored. 5.Describe the major accomplishments to date and their predicted or actual impact. This project contributes to NP 206 Manure and Byproducts, Atmospheric Emissions Component. This project will contribute to three focus areas of this component, listed order of greatest to least effort: Focus Area 4: Atmospheric Fate and Transport to Receptors; Focus Area 1: Understanding the Biological, Chemical, and Physical Mechanisms Affecting Emissions; and Focus Area 2: Emission Factors from Livestock Facilities. This research project will initially provide fundamental information on those volatile organic chemicals emitted from animal and crop production facilities and their potential to cause downwind odor or to contribute to ozone pollution. Ultimately tools will be developed to assist animal producers to limit odor impacts on neighboring properties. This work will also provide information on the potential for pesticide formulations and pesticide active ingredients to contribute to ozone pollution, especially in those regions of the U.S. under regulatory action via the Clean Air Act to limit emissions of VOCs. The customers of this research project are the USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF), State Air Quality regulators, U.S. EPA Office of Air, animal producers, NRCS, state cooperative extension agents, other government and university researchers, and environmental groups concerned with air quality issues. Scientists assigned to this project attended the NP206 customer workshop in March 2004, and the VOC Workshop sponsored by the USDA AAQTF in June, 2004. Specific needs identified by customers attending these workshops are addressed in the project plan. Continued interaction with producers, regulators, other ARS scientists, and university scientists will be required to carry out this work and to transfer the findings of this research. 6.What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end-user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Scientists in the research team have worked to organize a multi-day symposium on Agricultural Impacts on Air Quality at the American Chemical Society National Meeting in San Francisco, California, in September 2006. This symposium brings together scientists and regulatory officials to present and discuss the latest research results on air quality issues related to pesticides, odors, PM and ammonia. Scientists in the research team have also participated in the Agricultural Air Quality Workshop in Potomac, Maryland, and presented results from methods development activities on reactive odorants. 7.List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. (NOTE: List your peer reviewed publications below). Kim, H., Millner, P.D., Sharma, V.K., McConnell, L.L., Torrents, A., Ramirez, M., Peot, C. 2006. Natures most powerful oxidizer: its potential as a disinfection treatment for thickened sludge. Laboratory Solution. 12(6):1-4. McConnell, L.L. and Trabue, S.L. 2006. Analytical challenges in measuring odorant emissions from animal operations. Proceedings of Workshop on Agricultural Air Quality: State of the Science. p. 153-157. Review Publications Gabriel, S.A., Vilalai, S., Arispe, S., Kim, H., Mcconnell, L.L., Torrents, A., Peot, C. 2005. Prediction of dimethyl disulfide levels from biosolids using statistical modeling. Journal of Environmental Science and Health. 40:2009-2025.