Characterization of Indoor Atmospheric Nitrogenous Chemicals in Poultry Farms

Indoor air pollution is seen in poultry and many other animal husbandry industries. Small airborne nitrogenous chemicals (ANCs), such as ammonia and small amines, are common air pollutants in poultry farms. Elevated ANC concentration in poultry farms can significantly worsen the indoor air quality (IAQ) of the farm, which will affect animal productivity, animal welfare, and occupational health of producers. Re- cent studies have identified ammonia and small volatile organic pollutants in the farm. On the other hand, characterization of large ANCs, such as uric acid (UA) and large amines have rarely been reported, despite they are proposed as the major source of biological nitrogen waste. Our goal is to project a novel insight into nitrogen cycles in poultry farms. This project includes on-site time-resolved collections of ANCs using a particle-into-liquid-sampler (PILS), followed by chemical characterization by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a novel derivatization method. Over quantitative assessment of ANCs in the poultry farm, we discovered UA and suspended particles are correlated with changing animal behaviors. Phase partition- ing of UA, ammoniacal species, and large amines were discovered among air, particle, and litter materials. The discovery of these indoor pollutants can be associated with the formation of dust particles and ammonia, and the results can benefit the poultry industry in solving persisting IAQ problems.