Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China

Ammonia (NH3) is a key PM2.5 precursor that significantly contributes to haze formation and air quality degradation. Livestock farming accounts for more than 50 % of China's annual NH3 emissions, and large-scale pig farms represent a major anthropogenic source. However, the current systematic k...

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Main Authors: Nan Shan, Shunzhe Wei, Yifan Fan, Yi Tong, Chuan Wang, Xiaoshan Hu, Bo Liu, Wenlin Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Atmospheric Environment: X
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590162125000449
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author Nan Shan
Shunzhe Wei
Yifan Fan
Yi Tong
Chuan Wang
Xiaoshan Hu
Bo Liu
Wenlin Wang
Nan Shan
author_facet Nan Shan
Shunzhe Wei
Yifan Fan
Yi Tong
Chuan Wang
Xiaoshan Hu
Bo Liu
Wenlin Wang
Nan Shan
author_sort Nan Shan
collection DOAJ
description Ammonia (NH3) is a key PM2.5 precursor that significantly contributes to haze formation and air quality degradation. Livestock farming accounts for more than 50 % of China's annual NH3 emissions, and large-scale pig farms represent a major anthropogenic source. However, the current systematic knowledge of NH3 emissions characteristics from large-scale pig farms is still deficient, and there are insufficient studies localized for China. We conducted year-round intensive monitoring of NH3 emissions from a representative large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta to quantify the interactions between growth stage and season. In terms of seasonal variation, NH3 emissions peaked in summer at 3.95 kg NH3·year−1·head−1 and were lowest in winter at 1.53 kg NH3·year−1·head−1. For the growth stages, we found that the average annual emission factors for piglet houses, nursery houses, fattening houses, gestation houses, and farrowing houses (with some piglets included) were 0.24, 0.84, 1.83, 3.55, and 5.61 kg NH3·year−1·head−1. In addition, this study found that temperature was the key driver of NH3 emissions (mean Spearman's r = 0.66, P < 0.001), whereas the overall correlation for humidity was weaker, with emissions significantly suppressed only in winter when ventilation was inadequate (average r = 0.49, P < 0.001). Based on local conditions, the farm-level annual NH3 emission factor was determined to be 2.45 kg NH3·year−1·head−1, highlighting the critical summer period for targeted mitigation. These findings provide a scientific basis for refining regional emission inventories and for developing stage- and season-specific abatement strategies that support PM2.5 control and the sustainable transformation of intensive pig production in the Yangtze River Delta.
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spelling doaj-art-cb8565b727ae4583b92ff03f4975d6a62025-08-20T03:41:36ZengElsevierAtmospheric Environment: X2590-16212025-08-012710035410.1016/j.aeaoa.2025.100354Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, ChinaNan Shan0Shunzhe Wei1Yifan Fan2Yi Tong3Chuan Wang4Xiaoshan Hu5Bo Liu6Wenlin Wang7Nan Shan8Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Green Resource Recycling, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, ChinaHenan Muyuan Ecological Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Nanyang, 473000, ChinaHenan Muyuan Ecological Environment Technology Co., Ltd., Nanyang, 473000, ChinaSchool of Geographical Science, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, ChinaNanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, Nanjing, 210042, China; Corresponding author.Ammonia (NH3) is a key PM2.5 precursor that significantly contributes to haze formation and air quality degradation. Livestock farming accounts for more than 50 % of China's annual NH3 emissions, and large-scale pig farms represent a major anthropogenic source. However, the current systematic knowledge of NH3 emissions characteristics from large-scale pig farms is still deficient, and there are insufficient studies localized for China. We conducted year-round intensive monitoring of NH3 emissions from a representative large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta to quantify the interactions between growth stage and season. In terms of seasonal variation, NH3 emissions peaked in summer at 3.95 kg NH3·year−1·head−1 and were lowest in winter at 1.53 kg NH3·year−1·head−1. For the growth stages, we found that the average annual emission factors for piglet houses, nursery houses, fattening houses, gestation houses, and farrowing houses (with some piglets included) were 0.24, 0.84, 1.83, 3.55, and 5.61 kg NH3·year−1·head−1. In addition, this study found that temperature was the key driver of NH3 emissions (mean Spearman's r = 0.66, P < 0.001), whereas the overall correlation for humidity was weaker, with emissions significantly suppressed only in winter when ventilation was inadequate (average r = 0.49, P < 0.001). Based on local conditions, the farm-level annual NH3 emission factor was determined to be 2.45 kg NH3·year−1·head−1, highlighting the critical summer period for targeted mitigation. These findings provide a scientific basis for refining regional emission inventories and for developing stage- and season-specific abatement strategies that support PM2.5 control and the sustainable transformation of intensive pig production in the Yangtze River Delta.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590162125000449AmmoniaEmission rateLarge-scale pig farmSeasonal characteristicsYangtze River Delta
spellingShingle Nan Shan
Shunzhe Wei
Yifan Fan
Yi Tong
Chuan Wang
Xiaoshan Hu
Bo Liu
Wenlin Wang
Nan Shan
Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
Atmospheric Environment: X
Ammonia
Emission rate
Large-scale pig farm
Seasonal characteristics
Yangtze River Delta
title Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
title_full Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
title_fullStr Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
title_full_unstemmed Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
title_short Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China
title_sort seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large scale pig farm in the yangtze river delta china
topic Ammonia
Emission rate
Large-scale pig farm
Seasonal characteristics
Yangtze River Delta
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590162125000449
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