Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar
The environmental impact of livestock by-products presents significant challenges, particularly in regions with intensive farming and high pollution levels, such as the Po Valley. This study evaluated the effectiveness of biochar and wood vinegar in reducing gaseous emissions during the laboratory-s...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/5/509 |
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| author | Alessandra Lagomarsino Edoardo Verga Massimo Valagussa Stefano Rispoli Filippo Rocchi Claudia Becagli Alberto Tosca |
| author_facet | Alessandra Lagomarsino Edoardo Verga Massimo Valagussa Stefano Rispoli Filippo Rocchi Claudia Becagli Alberto Tosca |
| author_sort | Alessandra Lagomarsino |
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| description | The environmental impact of livestock by-products presents significant challenges, particularly in regions with intensive farming and high pollution levels, such as the Po Valley. This study evaluated the effectiveness of biochar and wood vinegar in reducing gaseous emissions during the laboratory-scale storage of livestock slurry, digestate, and liquid fractions. Various types and applications of biochar, both with and without wood vinegar, were tested across three independent incubation periods of varying durations. The results showed that ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) emissions were lower from slurry compared to raw digestate and the liquid fraction, while methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions exhibited the opposite trend. Pyrolysis biochar effectively reduced NH<sub>3</sub> emissions by 47% on average when applied as a 5 cm surface layer. However, its effectiveness was inconsistent when mixed into the material or when produced via gasification. Biochar activated with wood vinegar significantly reduced NH<sub>3</sub> emissions from both slurry and digestate by 61%, but it also led to increased emissions of CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub>. Nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emissions were detected only after at least one month of incubation and were higher when biochar was used as a cover alone or when activated with wood vinegar. Overall, applying biochar as a cover and activating it with wood vinegar proved effective in reducing NH<sub>3</sub> emissions during the storage of livestock by-products. However, the effectiveness varied significantly depending on the type of biochar and its method of application, particularly with respect to CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, highlighting the need for careful consideration when using wood vinegar-activated biochar. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c0d9dcc8517648b8b99f866ef6cc48d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-c0d9dcc8517648b8b99f866ef6cc48d62025-08-20T03:47:53ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332025-04-0116550910.3390/atmos16050509Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood VinegarAlessandra Lagomarsino0Edoardo Verga1Massimo Valagussa2Stefano Rispoli3Filippo Rocchi4Claudia Becagli5Alberto Tosca6Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente (CREA-AA), Via di Lanciola 12, 50023 Firenze, ItalyFondazione Minoprio, Viale Raimondi 54, 22070 Vertemate, ItalyFondazione Minoprio, Viale Raimondi 54, 22070 Vertemate, ItalyConsiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente (CREA-AA), Via di Lanciola 12, 50023 Firenze, ItalyConsiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente (CREA-AA), Via di Lanciola 12, 50023 Firenze, ItalyConsiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’Analisi Dell’Economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Agricoltura e Ambiente (CREA-AA), Via di Lanciola 12, 50023 Firenze, ItalyFondazione Minoprio, Viale Raimondi 54, 22070 Vertemate, ItalyThe environmental impact of livestock by-products presents significant challenges, particularly in regions with intensive farming and high pollution levels, such as the Po Valley. This study evaluated the effectiveness of biochar and wood vinegar in reducing gaseous emissions during the laboratory-scale storage of livestock slurry, digestate, and liquid fractions. Various types and applications of biochar, both with and without wood vinegar, were tested across three independent incubation periods of varying durations. The results showed that ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) emissions were lower from slurry compared to raw digestate and the liquid fraction, while methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) emissions exhibited the opposite trend. Pyrolysis biochar effectively reduced NH<sub>3</sub> emissions by 47% on average when applied as a 5 cm surface layer. However, its effectiveness was inconsistent when mixed into the material or when produced via gasification. Biochar activated with wood vinegar significantly reduced NH<sub>3</sub> emissions from both slurry and digestate by 61%, but it also led to increased emissions of CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub>. Nitrous oxide (N<sub>2</sub>O) emissions were detected only after at least one month of incubation and were higher when biochar was used as a cover alone or when activated with wood vinegar. Overall, applying biochar as a cover and activating it with wood vinegar proved effective in reducing NH<sub>3</sub> emissions during the storage of livestock by-products. However, the effectiveness varied significantly depending on the type of biochar and its method of application, particularly with respect to CH<sub>4</sub> emissions, highlighting the need for careful consideration when using wood vinegar-activated biochar.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/5/509NH<sub>3</sub> emissionsgreenhouse gasesbiocharwood vinegarslurrydigestate |
| spellingShingle | Alessandra Lagomarsino Edoardo Verga Massimo Valagussa Stefano Rispoli Filippo Rocchi Claudia Becagli Alberto Tosca Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar Atmosphere NH<sub>3</sub> emissions greenhouse gases biochar wood vinegar slurry digestate |
| title | Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar |
| title_full | Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar |
| title_short | Optimizing Livestock By-Products Storage to Reduce Ammonia and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Using Biochar and Wood Vinegar |
| title_sort | optimizing livestock by products storage to reduce ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions using biochar and wood vinegar |
| topic | NH<sub>3</sub> emissions greenhouse gases biochar wood vinegar slurry digestate |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/16/5/509 |
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