Ammonia emissions in Europe, part II: How ammonia emission abatement strategies affect secondary aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backes, Anna M.; Aulinger, Armin; Bieser, Johannes; Matthias, Volker; Quante, Markus

2016-02-01

In central Europe, ammonium sulphate and ammonium nitrate make up a large fraction of fine particles which pose a threat to human health. Most studies on air pollution through particulate matter investigate the influence of emission reductions of sulphur- and nitrogen oxides on aerosol concentration. Here, we focus on the influence of ammonia (NH3) emissions. Emission scenarios have been created on the basis of the improved ammonia emission parameterization implemented in the SMOKE for Europe and CMAQ model systems described in part I of this study. This includes emissions based on future European legislation (the National Emission Ceilings) as well as a dynamic evaluation of the influence of different agricultural sectors (e.g. animal husbandry) on particle formation. The study compares the concentrations of NH3, NH4+, NO3 -, sulphur compounds and the total concentration of particles in winter and summer for a political-, technical- and behavioural scenario. It was found that a reduction of ammonia emissions by 50% lead to a 24% reduction of the total PM2.5 concentrations in northwest Europe. The observed reduction was mainly driven by reduced formation of ammonium nitrate. Moreover, emission reductions during winter had a larger impact than during the rest of the year. This leads to the conclusion that a reduction of the ammonia emissions from the agricultural sector related to animal husbandry could be more efficient than the reduction from other sectors due to its larger share in winter ammonia emissions.

Agriculture: About EPA's National Agriculture Center

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's National Agriculture Center (Ag Center), with the support of the United States Department of Agriculture, serves growers, livestock producers, other agribusinesses, and agricultural information/education providers.

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Ammonia oxidation coupled to CO2 fixation by archaea and bacteria in an agricultural soil.

PubMed

Pratscher, Jennifer; Dumont, Marc G; Conrad, Ralf

2011-03-08

Ammonia oxidation is an essential part of the global nitrogen cycling and was long thought to be driven only by bacteria. Recent findings expanded this pathway also to the archaea. However, most questions concerning the metabolism of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, such as ammonia oxidation and potential CO(2) fixation, remain open, especially for terrestrial environments. Here, we investigated the activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in an agricultural soil by comparison of RNA- and DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP). RNA-SIP demonstrated a highly dynamic and diverse community involved in CO(2) fixation and carbon assimilation coupled to ammonia oxidation. DNA-SIP showed growth of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria but not of archaea. Furthermore, the analysis of labeled RNA found transcripts of the archaeal acetyl-CoA/propionyl-CoA carboxylase (accA/pccB) to be expressed and labeled. These findings strongly suggest that ammonia-oxidizing archaeal groups in soil autotrophically fix CO(2) using the 3-hydroxypropionate-4-hydroxybutyrate cycle, one of the two pathways recently identified for CO(2) fixation in Crenarchaeota. Catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD)-FISH targeting the gene encoding subunit A of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) mRNA and 16S rRNA of archaea also revealed ammonia-oxidizing archaea to be numerically relevant among the archaea in this soil. Our results demonstrate a diverse and dynamic contribution of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in soil to nitrification and CO(2) assimilation and that their importance to the overall archaeal community might be larger than previously thought.

Ammonia oxidation coupled to CO2 fixation by archaea and bacteria in an agricultural soil

PubMed Central

Pratscher, Jennifer; Dumont, Marc G.; Conrad, Ralf

2011-01-01

Ammonia oxidation is an essential part of the global nitrogen cycling and was long thought to be driven only by bacteria. Recent findings expanded this pathway also to the archaea. However, most questions concerning the metabolism of ammonia-oxidizing archaea, such as ammonia oxidation and potential CO2 fixation, remain open, especially for terrestrial environments. Here, we investigated the activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in an agricultural soil by comparison of RNA- and DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP). RNA-SIP demonstrated a highly dynamic and diverse community involved in CO2 fixation and carbon assimilation coupled to ammonia oxidation. DNA-SIP showed growth of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria but not of archaea. Furthermore, the analysis of labeled RNA found transcripts of the archaeal acetyl-CoA/propionyl-CoA carboxylase (accA/pccB) to be expressed and labeled. These findings strongly suggest that ammonia-oxidizing archaeal groups in soil autotrophically fix CO2 using the 3-hydroxypropionate–4-hydroxybutyrate cycle, one of the two pathways recently identified for CO2 fixation in Crenarchaeota. Catalyzed reporter deposition (CARD)-FISH targeting the gene encoding subunit A of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) mRNA and 16S rRNA of archaea also revealed ammonia-oxidizing archaea to be numerically relevant among the archaea in this soil. Our results demonstrate a diverse and dynamic contribution of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in soil to nitrification and CO2 assimilation and that their importance to the overall archaeal community might be larger than previously thought. PMID:21368116

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The potential for tree planting strategies to reduce local and regional ecosystem impacts of agricultural ammonia emissions.

PubMed

Bealey, W J; Dore, A J; Dragosits, U; Reis, S; Reay, D S; Sutton, M A

2016-01-01

Trees are very effective at capturing both gaseous and particulate pollutants from the atmosphere. But while studies have often focussed on PM and NOx in the urban environment, little research has been carried out on the tree effect of capturing gaseous emissions of ammonia in the rural landscape. To examine the removal or scavenging of ammonia by trees a long-range atmospheric model (FRAME) was used to compare two strategies that could be used in emission reduction policies anywhere in the world where nitrogen pollution from agriculture is a problem. One strategy was to reduce the emission source strength of livestock management systems by implementing two 'tree-capture' systems scenarios - tree belts downwind of housing and managing livestock under trees. This emission reduction can be described as an 'on-farm' emission reduction policy, as ammonia is 'stopped' from dispersion outside the farm boundaries. The second strategy was to apply an afforestation policy targeting areas of high ammonia emission through two planting scenarios of increasing afforestation by 25% and 50%. Both strategies use trees with the aim of intercepting NH3 emissions to protect semi-natural areas. Scenarios for on-farm emission reductions showed national reductions in nitrogen deposition to semi-natural areas of 0.14% (0.2 kt N-NHx) to 2.2% (3.15 kt N-NHx). Scenarios mitigating emissions from cattle and pig housing gave the highest reductions. The afforestation strategy showed national reductions of 6% (8.4 kt N-NHx) to 11% (15.7 kt N-NHx) for 25% and 50% afforestation scenarios respectively. Increased capture by the planted trees also showed an added benefit of reducing long range effects including a decrease in wet deposition up to 3.7 kt N-NHx (4.6%) and a decrease in export from the UK up to 8.3 kt N-NHx (6.8%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Combined Flux Chamber and Genomics Approach Links Nitrous Acid Emissions to Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea in Urban and Agricultural Soil.

PubMed

Scharko, Nicole K; Schütte, Ursel M E; Berke, Andrew E; Banina, Lauren; Peel, Hannah R; Donaldson, Melissa A; Hemmerich, Chris; White, Jeffrey R; Raff, Jonathan D

2015-12-01

Nitrous acid (HONO) is a photochemical source of hydroxyl radical and nitric oxide in the atmosphere that stems from abiotic and biogenic processes, including the activity of ammonia-oxidizing soil microbes. HONO fluxes were measured from agricultural and urban soil in mesocosm studies aimed at characterizing biogenic sources and linking them to indigenous microbial consortia. Fluxes of HONO from agricultural and urban soil were suppressed by addition of a nitrification inhibitor and enhanced by amendment with ammonium (NH4(+)), with peaks at 19 and 8 ng m(-2) s(-1), respectively. In addition, both agricultural and urban soils were observed to convert (15)NH4(+) to HO(15)NO. Genomic surveys of soil samples revealed that 1.5-6% of total expressed 16S rRNA sequences detected belonged to known ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea. Peak fluxes of HONO were directly related to the abundance of ammonia-oxidizer sequences, which in turn depended on soil pH. Peak HONO fluxes under fertilized conditions are comparable in magnitude to fluxes reported during field campaigns. The results suggest that biogenic HONO emissions will be important in soil environments that exhibit high nitrification rates (e.g., agricultural soil) although the widespread occurrence of ammonia oxidizers implies that biogenic HONO emissions are also possible in the urban and remote environment.

Modeling Spatial and Temporal Variability in Ammonia Emissions from Agricultural Fertilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balasubramanian, S.; Koloutsou-Vakakis, S.; Rood, M. J.

2013-12-01

Ammonia (NH3), is an important component of the reactive nitrogen cycle and a precursor to formation of atmospheric particulate matter (PM). Predicting regional PM concentrations and deposition of nitrogen species to ecosystems requires representative emission inventories. Emission inventories have traditionally been developed using top down approaches and more recently from data assimilation based on satellite and ground based ambient concentrations and wet deposition data. The National Emission Inventory (NEI) indicates agricultural fertilization as the predominant contributor (56%) to NH3 emissions in Midwest USA, in 2002. However, due to limited understanding of the complex interactions between fertilizer usage, farm practices, soil and meteorological conditions and absence of detailed statistical data, such emission estimates are currently based on generic emission factors, time-averaged temporal factors and coarse spatial resolution. Given the significance of this source, our study focuses on developing an improved NH3 emission inventory for agricultural fertilization at finer spatial and temporal scales for air quality modeling studies. Firstly, a high-spatial resolution 4 km x 4 km NH3 emission inventory for agricultural fertilization has been developed for Illinois by modifying spatial allocation of emissions based on combining crop-specific fertilization rates with cropland distribution in the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions model. Net emission estimates of our method are within 2% of NEI, since both methods are constrained by fertilizer sales data. However, we identified localized crop-specific NH3 emission hotspots at sub-county resolutions absent in NEI. Secondly, we have adopted the use of the DeNitrification-DeComposition (DNDC) Biogeochemistry model to simulate the physical and chemical processes that control volatilization of nitrogen as NH3 to the atmosphere after fertilizer application and resolve the variability at the hourly scale

An intercomparison of models used to simulate the short-range atmospheric dispersion of agricultural ammonia emissions

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia emitted into the atmosphere from agricultural sources can have an impact on nearby sensitive ecosystems either through elevated ambient concentrations or dry/wet deposition to vegetation and soil surfaces. Short-range atmospheric dispersion models are often used to assess...

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Measuring ammonia concentrations and emissions from agricultural land and liquid surfaces: a review.

PubMed

Shah, Sanjay B; Westerman, Philip W; Arogo, Jactone

2006-07-01

Aerial ammonia concentrations (Cg) are measured using acid scrubbers, filter packs, denuders, or optical methods. Using Cg and wind speed or airflow rate, ammonia emission rate or flux can be directly estimated using enclosures or micrometeorological methods. Using nitrogen (N) recovery is not recommended, mainly because the different gaseous N components cannot be separated. Although low cost and replicable, chambers modify environmental conditions and are suitable only for comparing treatments. Wind tunnels do not modify environmental conditions as much as chambers, but they may not be appropriate for determining ammonia fluxes; however, they can be used to compare emissions and test models. Larger wind tunnels that also simulate natural wind profiles may be more useful for comparing treatments than micrometeorological methods because the latter require larger plots and are, thus, difficult to replicate. For determining absolute ammonia flux, the micrometeorological methods are the most suitable because they are nonintrusive. For use with micrometeorological methods, both the passive denuders and optical methods give comparable accuracies, although the latter give real-time Cg but at a higher cost. The passive denuder is wind weighted and also costs less than forced-air Cg measurement methods, but it requires calibration. When ammonia contamination during sample preparation and handling is a concern and separating the gas-phase ammonia and aerosol ammonium is not required, the scrubber is preferred over the passive denuder. The photothermal interferometer, because of its low detection limit and robustness, may hold potential for use in agriculture, but it requires evaluation. With its simpler theoretical basis and fewer restrictions, the integrated horizontal flux (IHF) method is preferable over other micrometeorological methods, particularly for lagoons, where berms and land-lagoon boundaries modify wind flow and flux gradients. With uniform wind flow, the ZINST

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Ammonia volatilization from crop residues and frozen green manure crops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Ruijter, F. J.; Huijsmans, J. F. M.; Rutgers, B.

2010-09-01

Agricultural systems can lose substantial amounts of nitrogen (N). To protect the environment, the European Union (EU) has adopted several directives that set goals to limit N losses. National Emission Ceilings (NEC) are prescribed in the NEC directive for nitrogen oxides and ammonia. Crop residues may contribute to ammonia volatilization, but sufficient information on their contribution to the national ammonia volatilization is lacking. Experiments were carried out with the aim to assess the ammonia volatilization of crop residues left on the soil surface or incorporated into the soil under the conditions met in practice in the Netherlands during late autumn and winter. Ammonia emission from residues of broccoli, leek, sugar beet, cut grass, fodder radish (fresh and frozen) and yellow mustard (frozen) was studied during two winter seasons using volatilization chambers. Residues were either placed on top of soil or mixed with soil. Mixing residues with soil gave insignificant ammonia volatilization, whereas volatilization was 5-16 percent of the N content of residues when placed on top of soil. Ammonia volatilization started after at least 4 days. Total ammonia volatilization was related to C/N-ratio and N concentration of the plant material. After 37 days, cumulative ammonia volatilization was negligible from plant material with N concentration below 2 percent, and was 10 percent of the N content of plant material with 4 percent N. These observations can be explained by decomposition of plant material by micro-organisms. After an initial built up of the microbial population, NH 4+ that is not needed for their own growth is released and can easily emit as NH 3 at the soil surface. The results of the experiments were used to estimate the contribution of crop residues to ammonia volatilization in the Netherlands. Crop residues of arable crops and residues of pasture topping may contribute more than 3 million kg NH 3-N to the national ammonia volatilization of the

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High-resolution inventory of ammonia emissions from agricultural fertilizer in China from 1978 to 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, P.; Liao, Y. J.; Lin, Y. H.; Zhao, C. X.; Yan, C. H.; Cao, M. N.; Wang, G. S.; Luan, S. J.

2016-02-01

The quantification of ammonia (NH3) emissions is essential to the more accurate quantification of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, improved air quality and the assessment of ammonia-related agricultural policy and climate mitigation strategies. The quantity, geographic distribution and historical trends of these emissions remain largely uncertain. In this paper, a new Chinese agricultural fertilizer NH3 (CAF_NH3) emissions inventory has been compiled that exhibits the following improvements: (1) a 1 × 1 km gridded map on the county level was developed for 2008; (2) a combined bottom-up and top-down method was used for the local correction of emission factors (EFs) and parameters; (3) the temporal patterns of historical time trends for 1978-2008 were estimated and the uncertainties were quantified for the inventories; and (4) a sensitivity test was performed in which a province-level disaggregated map was compared with CAF_NH3 emissions for 2008. The total CAF_NH3 emissions for 2008 were 8.4 TgNH3 yr-1 (a 6.6-9.8 Tg interquartile range). From 1978 to 2008, annual NH3 emissions fluctuated with three peaks (1987, 1996 and 2005), and total emissions increased from 3.2 to 8.4 Tg at an annual rate of 3.0 %. During the study period, the contribution of livestock manure spreading increased from 37.0 to 45.5 % because of changing fertilization practices and the rapid increase in egg, milk, and meat consumption. The average contribution of synthetic fertilizer, which has a positive effect on crop yields, was approximately 38.3 % (minimum: 33.4 %; maximum: 42.7 %). With rapid urbanization causing a decline in the rural population, the contribution of the rural excrement sector varied widely between 20.3 % and 8.5 %. The average contributions of cake fertilizer and straw returning were approximately 3.8 and 4.5 %, respectively, thus small and stable. Collectively, the CAF_NH3 emissions reflect the nation's agricultural policy to a certain extent. An effective approach to

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ENGINEERING DESIGN CONFIGURATIONS FOR BIOLOGICAL AMMONIA REMOVAL

EPA Science Inventory

Many regions in the United States have excessive levels of nutrients including ammonia in their source waters. For example, farming and agricultural sources of ammonia in the Midwest contribute to relatively high levels of ammonia in many ground waters. Although ammonia in water ...

Weekly agricultural emissions and ambient concentrations of ammonia: Validation of an emission inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bittman, Shabtai; Jones, Keith; Vingarzan, Roxanne; Hunt, Derek E.; Sheppard, Steve C.; Tait, John; So, Rita; Zhao, Johanna

2015-07-01

Weekly inventories for emissions of agricultural ammonia were calculated for 139 4 × 4 km grid cells over 52 weeks in the intensely farmed Lower Fraser Valley, BC. The grid cells were located both inside and outside an area that had been depopulated of poultry due to an outbreak of Avian Influenza prior to the start of the study. During the study period, ambient ammonia concentrations were measured hourly at two locations outside the cull area and one location inside the cull area. Large emission differences between grid cells and differences in temporal variation between cells were related to farming practices and meteorological factors such as temperature and rainfall. Weekly average ambient concentrations at the three sampling locations were significantly correlated with estimates of weekly emissions for many of the grid cells in the study area. Inside the cull area, ambient concentrations during the cull (week 1) were 37% of the concentrations after the cull (week 52), while outside the cull there was almost no difference between week 1 and week 52, suggesting that in normal (non-cull) conditions, about 60% of the ambient ammonia was due to poultry farms. Estimated emissions in weeks 1 and 52 for grid cells affected by the cull indicated that over 90% of the emissions came from poultry. The discrepancy in difference between week 1 and 52 for emissions and ambient concentrations could be due to atmospheric factors like transport, atmospheric reactions, dispersion or deposition; to errors in the inventory including farming data, emission factors; and omission of some non-poultry emission sources. Overall the study supports the ammonia emission inventory estimates. Detailed emission data helps in modeling ammonia in the atmosphere and is useful for developing abatement policy.

VALIDATION OF OGAWA PASSIVE SAMPLERS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF GASEOUS AMMONIA CONCENTRATIONS IN AGRICULTURAL SETTINGS. (R826945)

EPA Science Inventory

The Ogawa passive sampler (Ogawa USA, Pompano Beach, Florida) is a useful tool for monitoring atmospheric ammonia (NH₃(g)) concentrations and assessing the effects of agricultural waste management practices on NH₃(g) emissions. The Ogawa sampler, with fil...

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Ammonia emissions from non-agricultural sources in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, M. A.; Dragosits, U.; Tang, Y. S.; Fowler, D.

A detailed literature review has been undertaken of the magnitude of non-agricultural sources of ammonia (NH 3) in the United Kingdom. Key elements of the work included estimation of nitrogen (N) excreted by different sources (birds, animals, babies, human sweat), review of miscellaneous combustion sources, as well as identification of industrial sources and use of NH 3 as a solvent. Overall the total non-agricultural emission of NH 3 from the UK in 1996 is estimated here as 54 (27-106) kt NH 3-N yr -1, although this includes 11 (6-23) kt yr -1 from agriculture related sources (sewage sludge spreading, biomass burning and agro-industry). Compared with previous estimates for 1990, component source magnitudes have changed both because of revised average emissions per source unit (emission factors) and changes in the source activity between 1990 and 1996. Sources with larger average emission factors than before include horses, wild animals and sea bird colonies, industry, sugar beet processing, household products and non-agricultural fertilizer use, with the last three sources being included for the first time. Sources with smaller emission factors than before include: land spreading of sewage sludge, direct human emissions (sweat, breath, smoking, infants), pets (cats and dogs) and fertilizer manufacture. Between 1990 and 1996 source activities increased for sewage spreading (due to reduced dumping at sea) and transport (due to increased use of catalytic converters), but decreased for coal combustion. Combined with the current UK estimates of agricultural NH 3 emissions of 229 kt N yr -1 (1996), total UK NH 3 emissions are estimated at 283 kt N yr -1. Allowing for an import of reduced nitrogen (NH x) of 30 kt N yr -1 and deposition of 230 kt N yr -1, these figures imply an export of 83 kt NH 3-N yr -1. Although export is larger than previously estimated, due to the larger contribution of non-agricultural NH 3 emissions, it is still insufficient to balance the UK

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Distinct responses in ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria after addition of biosolids to an agricultural soil.

PubMed

Kelly, John J; Policht, Katherine; Grancharova, Tanya; Hundal, Lakhwinder S

2011-09-01

The recently discovered ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) have been suggested as contributors to the first step of nitrification in terrestrial ecosystems, a role that was previously assigned exclusively to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The current study assessed the effects of agricultural management, specifically amendment of soil with biosolids or synthetic fertilizer, on nitrification rates and copy numbers of archaeal and bacterial ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes. Anaerobically digested biosolids or synthetic fertilizer was applied annually for three consecutive years to field plots used for corn production. Biosolids were applied at two loading rates, a typical agronomic rate (27 Mg hectare(-1) year(-1)) and double the agronomic rate (54 Mg hectare(-1) year(-1)), while synthetic fertilizer was applied at an agronomic rate typical for the region (291 kg N hectare(-1) year(-1)). Both biosolids amendments and synthetic fertilizer increased soil N and corn yield, but only the biosolids amendments resulted in significant increases in nitrification rates and increases in the copy numbers of archaeal and bacterial amoA genes. In addition, only archaeal amoA gene copy numbers increased in response to biosolids applied at the typical agronomic rate and showed a significant correlation with nitrification rates. Finally, copy numbers of archaeal amoA genes were significantly higher than copy numbers of bacterial amoA genes for all treatments. These results implicate AOA as being primarily responsible for the increased nitrification observed in an agricultural soil amended with biosolids. These results also support the hypothesis that physiological differences between AOA and AOB may enable them to occupy distinct ecological niches.

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High resolution inventory of re-estimating ammonia emissions from agricultural fertilizer in China from 1978 to 2008

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, P.; Lin, Y. H.; Liao, Y. J.; Zhao, C. X.; Wang, G. S.; Luan, S. J.

2015-09-01

The quantification of ammonia (NH3) emissions is essential to the more accurate quantification of atmospheric nitrogen deposition, improved air quality and the assessment of ammonia-related agricultural policy and climate mitigation strategies. The quantity, geographic distribution and historical trends of these emissions remain largely uncertain. In this paper, a new Chinese agricultural fertilizer NH3 (CAF_NH3) emissions inventory has been compiled that exhibits the following improvements: (1) a 1 km × 1 km gridded map on the county level was developed for 2008, (2) a combined bottom-up and top-down method was used for the local correction of emission factors (EFs) and parameters, (3) the spatial and temporal patterns of historical time trends for 1978-2008 were estimated and the uncertainties were quantified for the inventories, and (4) a sensitivity test was performed in which a province-level disaggregated map was compared with CAF_NH3 emissions for 2008. The total CAF_NH3 emissions for 2008 were 8.4 Tg NH3 yr-1 (a 6.6-9.8 Tg interquartile range). From 1978 to 2008, annual NH3 emissions fluctuated with three peaks (1987, 1996 and 2005), and total emissions increased from 3.2 to 8.4 Tg at an annual rate of 3.0 %. During the study period, the contribution of livestock manure spreading increased from 37.0 to 45.5 % because of changing fertilization practices and the rapid increase in egg, milk and meat consumption. The average contribution of synthetic fertilizer, which has a positive effect on crop yields, was approximately 38.3 % (minimum: 33.4 %; maximum: 42.7 %). With rapid urbanization causing a decline in the rural population, the contribution of the rural excrement sector varied widely between 20.3 and 8.5 %. The average contributions of cake fertilizer and straw returning were approximately 3.8 and 4.5 %, respectively, thus small and stable. Collectively, the CAF_NH3 emissions reflect the nation's agricultural policy to a certain extent. An effective

Enrichment and Characterization of an Autotrophic Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaeon of Mesophilic Crenarchaeal Group I.1a from an Agricultural Soil▿†

PubMed Central

Jung, Man-Young; Park, Soo-Je; Min, Deullae; Kim, Jin-Seog; Rijpstra, W. Irene C.; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S.; Kim, Geun-Joong; Madsen, Eugene L.; Rhee, Sung-Keun

2011-01-01

Soil nitrification is an important process for agricultural productivity and environmental pollution. Though one cultivated representative of ammonia-oxidizing Archaea from soil has been described, additional representatives warrant characterization. We describe an ammonia-oxidizing archaeon (strain MY1) in a highly enriched culture derived from agricultural soil. Fluorescence in situ hybridization microscopy showed that, after 2 years of enrichment, the culture was composed of >90% archaeal cells. Clone libraries of both 16S rRNA and archaeal amoA genes featured a single sequence each. No bacterial amoA genes could be detected by PCR. A [13C]bicarbonate assimilation assay showed stoichiometric incorporation of 13C into Archaea-specific glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers. Strain MY1 falls phylogenetically within crenarchaeal group I.1a; sequence comparisons to “Candidatus Nitrosopumilus maritimus” revealed 96.9% 16S rRNA and 89.2% amoA gene similarities. Completed growth assays showed strain MY1 to be chemoautotrophic, mesophilic (optimum at 25°C), neutrophilic (optimum at pH 6.5 to 7.0), and nonhalophilic (optimum at 0.2 to 0.4% salinity). Kinetic respirometry assays showed that strain MY1's affinities for ammonia and oxygen were much higher than those of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The yield of the greenhouse gas N2O in the strain MY1 culture was lower but comparable to that of soil AOB. We propose that this new soil ammonia-oxidizing archaeon be designated “Candidatus Nitrosoarchaeum koreensis.” PMID:22003023

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Ammonia emissions from the agriculture sector in Argentina; 2000-2012

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castesana, Paula S.; Dawidowski, Laura E.; Finster, Laura; Gómez, Darío R.; Taboada, Miguel A.

2018-04-01

Agriculture is one of the key economic sectors in Argentina and, in the last decades, the increase in prices and competitiveness of some grains has imposed important changes. In this process, crop cultivation occupied significant extensions of land areas previously dedicated to livestock farming, which in turn have experienced intensification in terms of production through an increasing share of feedlot systems. The agriculture sector is the main NH3 emitter in Argentina, however no inventory developed locally has been thus far available. We estimated the time series 2000-2012 of NH3 emissions, both at national and spatially disaggregated levels. National NH3 emissions in 2012 amounted to 0.31 ± 0.08 Tg, with the use of mineral fertilizers accounting for 43.0%, manure in pasture 32.5%, manure management 23.0% and agricultural waste burning 1.5%. Urea use was the major source of NH3 emissions and its application on wheat and corn crops dominated the trend. Emissions from open biomass burning were estimated but not included in the national totals because of the difficulties in differentiating between agricultural (i.e., prescribed burning of savannas) and non-agricultural emission sources. Compared to this work, NH3 emissions reported by EDGAR were 83% higher than our estimates. The time series of spatially distributed NH3 emission estimates clearly showed the effect of the expansion of cropland, the displacement of planted areas of N-fertilizes crops by competing soybean cultivation and the relocation and intensification of beef cattle production. This new inventory constitutes a tool for policies concerning the impact of agricultural activities on air quality and contributes with more accurate and updated information useful for atmospheric chemical transport modeling. The accuracy and applicability of the inventory may be improved by local studies aimed at refining the spatial disaggregation by focusing in specific areas of fertilizer application, reflecting

Distinct Responses in Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea and Bacteria after Addition of Biosolids to an Agricultural Soil▿

PubMed Central

Kelly, John J.; Policht, Katherine; Grancharova, Tanya; Hundal, Lakhwinder S.

2011-01-01

The recently discovered ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) have been suggested as contributors to the first step of nitrification in terrestrial ecosystems, a role that was previously assigned exclusively to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The current study assessed the effects of agricultural management, specifically amendment of soil with biosolids or synthetic fertilizer, on nitrification rates and copy numbers of archaeal and bacterial ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes. Anaerobically digested biosolids or synthetic fertilizer was applied annually for three consecutive years to field plots used for corn production. Biosolids were applied at two loading rates, a typical agronomic rate (27 Mg hectare−1 year−1) and double the agronomic rate (54 Mg hectare−1 year−1), while synthetic fertilizer was applied at an agronomic rate typical for the region (291 kg N hectare−1 year−1). Both biosolids amendments and synthetic fertilizer increased soil N and corn yield, but only the biosolids amendments resulted in significant increases in nitrification rates and increases in the copy numbers of archaeal and bacterial amoA genes. In addition, only archaeal amoA gene copy numbers increased in response to biosolids applied at the typical agronomic rate and showed a significant correlation with nitrification rates. Finally, copy numbers of archaeal amoA genes were significantly higher than copy numbers of bacterial amoA genes for all treatments. These results implicate AOA as being primarily responsible for the increased nitrification observed in an agricultural soil amended with biosolids. These results also support the hypothesis that physiological differences between AOA and AOB may enable them to occupy distinct ecological niches. PMID:21803892

Latitudinal Distribution of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria and Archaea in the Agricultural Soils of Eastern China

PubMed Central

Huang, Liuqin; Deng, Ye; Wang, Shang; Zhou, Yu; Liu, Li

2014-01-01

The response of soil ammonia-oxidizing bacterial (AOB) and archaeal (AOA) communities to individual environmental variables (e.g., pH, temperature, and carbon- and nitrogen-related soil nutrients) has been extensively studied, but how these environmental conditions collectively shape AOB and AOA distributions in unmanaged agricultural soils across a large latitudinal gradient remains poorly known. In this study, the AOB and AOA community structure and diversity in 26 agricultural soils collected from eastern China were investigated by using quantitative PCR and bar-coded 454 pyrosequencing of the amoA gene that encodes the alpha subunit of ammonia monooxygenase. The sampling locations span over a 17° latitude gradient and cover a range of climatic conditions. The Nitrosospira and Nitrososphaera were the dominant clusters of AOB and AOA, respectively; but the subcluster-level composition of Nitrosospira-related AOB and Nitrososphaera-related AOA varied across the latitudinal gradient. Variance partitioning analysis showed that geography and climatic conditions (e.g., mean annual temperature and precipitation), as well as carbon-/nitrogen-related soil nutrients, contributed more to the AOB and AOA community variations (∼50% in total) than soil pH (∼10% in total). These results are important in furthering our understanding of environmental conditions influencing AOB and AOA community structure across a range of environmental gradients. PMID:25002421

The ALFAM2 database on ammonia emission from field-applied manure: description and illustrative analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ammonia (NH3) emission from animal manure contributes to air pollution and ecosystem degradation, and is a loss of reactive nitrogen (N) from agricultural systems. Estimates of NH3 emission are necessary for national inventories and nutrient management. Many studies have made measurements of NH3 emi...

A spatial ammonia emission inventory for pig farming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebolledo, Boris; Gil, Antonia; Pallarés, Javier

2013-01-01

Atmospheric emissions of ammonia (NH3) from the agricultural sector have become a significant environmental and public concern as they have impacts on human health and ecosystems. This work proposes an improved methodology in order to identify administrative regions with high NH3 emissions from pig farming and calculates an ammonia density map (kg NH3-N ha-1), based on the number of pigs and available agricultural land, terrain slopes, groundwater bodies, soil permeability, zones sensitive to nitrate pollution and surface water buffer zones. The methodology has been used to construct a general tool for locating ammonia emissions from pig farming when detailed information of livestock farms is not available.

Population and community structure shifts of ammonia oxidizers after four-year successive biochar application to agricultural acidic and alkaline soils.

PubMed

He, Lili; Bi, Yucui; Zhao, Jin; Pittelkow, Cameron M; Zhao, Xu; Wang, Shenqiang; Xing, Guangxi

2018-04-01

Long-term studies that advance our mechanistic understanding of biochar (BC)‑nitrogen (N) interactions in agricultural soils are lacking. In this study, soil potential nitrification rates (PNR), the abundance and composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) communities following 4-year of BC application were investigated using the shaken-slurry procedure and molecular sequencing techniques for an acidic Oxisol (QU) and an alkaline Cambisol (YU). Soils were obtained from an outdoor soil column experiment with straw-BC application rates of 0 (BC0), 2.25 (BC2.25) and 11.3 (BC11.3) Mgha -1 per cropping season for eight consecutive wheat/millet seasons. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and 454 high-throughput pyrosequencing techniques were performed to quantify and sequence amoA gene copies and composition of AOA and AOB. Results showed that QU had lower PNR and a higher ratio of amoA gene copies of AOA to AOB than YU, PNR of QU with BC application was significantly associated with the amoA gene of AOB. Similar to previous short-term findings, BC application enhanced QU soil nitrification, which may be explained by the significant increase in AOB abundance and a shift in AOB community structure from Nitrosospira cluster 2 toward cluster 3, along with the disappearance of some obligate acidophile AOA groups, leading to the appearance of ammonia-oxidizers from neutral-alkaline soils in BC-amended acid soils. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) showed that soil pH was the most important factor driving shifts in ammonia-oxidizers composition. Although BC application did not have significant effects on PNR in YU, BC11.3 decreased AOA and AOB gene copies and influenced the relative abundance of community structure. Our findings represent the first investigation of long-term BC effects on AOA and AOB communities in agricultural soils using 454 high-throughput pyrosequencing, showing that BC application can alter soil

Veterinary Pest Genomics Center | National Agricultural Library

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Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service (ARS). The vision for this initiative is to collaborator for the Bioinformatics Education in Agricultural Sciences (BEAS) project funded by the Hispanic

[Microbial ecology of archaeal ammonia oxidation--a review].

PubMed

Jia, Zhongjun; Weng, Jiahua; Lin, Xiangui; Conrad, Ralf

2010-04-01

Bacteria have long been considered as the key driver of ammonia oxidation on earth. This concept has been challenged recently by the discovery of chemolithoautotrophic isolate of ammonia-oxidizing archaeon in marine. The relative contribution of bacteria and archaea to ammonia oxidation is essential for our understanding of global nitrogen cycle. Recent study suggested a key role of archaeal ammonia oxidation in the marine nitrogen cycle. Our work however revealed the predominace of bacterial ammonia oxidation in agricultural soil. From the biogeochemical perspective, here we summarized the discovery, progress and prospect of archaeal ammonia oxidation. Of great interest in the future would be to elucidate the metabolisms of ammonia-oxidizing archaeon in natural environment and the underlying mechanism that leads to the physiological divergence of ammonia oxidizers.

Ammonia emissions from air cleaners at pig farms in Denmark using a Picarro cavity ring-down spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Renato; Adamsen, Anders Peter S.

2017-04-01

Ammonia emissions from agricultural activities such as, cattle, pig and poultry farms have become an ever more important topic both for scientists as well as for regulatory bodies due to the severe impacts of ammonia on human health and the environment. In the European Union, the agricultural sector accounts for most of the ammonia emissions, and therefore the EU authorities have put in place reduction targets for the member states. In Denmark, most pig farmers have to deploy one or more ammonia abatement technologies in order to fulfill the national regulation when building new pig houses. A promising ammonia abatement technology is partial floor ventilation and subsequent cleaning using one or two step chemical air cleaners. The cleaned air will have ammonia concentration is the sub-ppm level and with high humidity. Here we present method of monitoring NH3 emissions from air cleaners deployed on pig farms using the G2103 Picarro laser spectrometer. The Picarro G2103 NH3 analyzer is a high precision cavity ring-down spectrometer using a high finesse optical cavity and a near infra-red light laser light source with a very narrow light band. The latter eliminates cross-interferences from other gases present in livestock air. Picarro instruments are built for field measurements and have been widely used for atmospheric monitoring of greenhouse gases and of air pollutants such as NH3.

7 CFR 2.68 - Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... committees concerned with agricultural science, education, and development activities, including library and... Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics § 2.68 Administrator, National Agricultural..., Education, and Economics to the Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service: (1) Prepare crop...

7 CFR 2.68 - Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... committees concerned with agricultural science, education, and development activities, including library and... Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics § 2.68 Administrator, National Agricultural..., Education, and Economics to the Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service: (1) Prepare crop...

Suppression of Ammonia Volatilization from Urea-Based Fertilizers Using Urease Inhibitors: A Reasonably Available Control Technology for Agriculture?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robarge, W. P.

2015-12-01

inhibitors incorporating NBPT suggest that these formulations represent a reasonable available control technology for use in agriculture to reduce ammonia emissions.

Estimating ammonia volatilization and deposition from fertilized vegetation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heuer, M. W.; Myles, L.

2010-12-01

Deposition of reactive nitrogen in the form of atmospheric ammonia (NH3) affects ecosystem dynamics. Large amounts of atmospheric ammonia can volatilize from fertilized vegetation and deposit to adjacent areas, contributing to changes in soil and plant chemistry. To study the air-surface exchange of ammonia, instrumentation was installed from February 15 through April 12, 2010 at an agricultural research area of managed crops and grassland near Knoxville, TN. A Picarro ammonia analyzer was deployed to measure ammonia at two heights (z = 0.5 m and 2 m) near a plot of winter wheat fertilized with urea. Integrated samples of ammonia were also collected with annular denuder systems at both heights. Concentrations from the Picarro averaged 3-4 ppb of ammonia, but increased by a factor of 20 during fertilization. Fluxes were derived from concurrent measurements of ammonia concentration and air temperature using the flux-gradient method.

National Agricultural Library 1975 Annual Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Agricultural Library (USDA), Washington, DC.

The primary service of the National Agricultural Library (NAL), the distribution of information about agricultural literature, is accomplished through: (1) establishment of on-line data bases: Cataloging and Indexing (CAIN) containing bibliographic records of documents in the Library, and Serials Titles Automated Records (STAR); (2) automated…

Complete genome of Nitrosospira briensis C-128, an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium from agricultural soil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rice, Marlen C.; Norton, Jeanette M.; Valois, Frederica

Nitrosospira briensis C-128 is an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium isolated from an acid agricultural soil. N. briensis C-128 was sequenced with PacBio RS technologies at the DOE-Joint Genome Institute through their Community Science Program (2010). The high-quality finished genome contains one chromosome of 3.21 Mb and no plasmids. We identified 3073 gene models, 3018 of which are protein coding. The two-way average nucleotide identity between the chromosomes of Nitrosospira multiformis ATCC 25196 and Nitrosospira briensis C-128 was found to be 77.2 %. Multiple copies of modules encoding chemolithotrophic metabolism were identified in their genomic context. The gene inventory supports chemolithotrophic metabolism withmore » implications for function in soil environments.« less

Complete genome of Nitrosospira briensis C-128, an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium from agricultural soil

DOE PAGES

Rice, Marlen C.; Norton, Jeanette M.; Valois, Frederica; ...

2016-07-28

Nitrosospira briensis C-128 is an ammonia-oxidizing bacterium isolated from an acid agricultural soil. N. briensis C-128 was sequenced with PacBio RS technologies at the DOE-Joint Genome Institute through their Community Science Program (2010). The high-quality finished genome contains one chromosome of 3.21 Mb and no plasmids. We identified 3073 gene models, 3018 of which are protein coding. The two-way average nucleotide identity between the chromosomes of Nitrosospira multiformis ATCC 25196 and Nitrosospira briensis C-128 was found to be 77.2 %. Multiple copies of modules encoding chemolithotrophic metabolism were identified in their genomic context. The gene inventory supports chemolithotrophic metabolism withmore » implications for function in soil environments.« less

7 CFR 2.68 - Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics... Statistics Service. (a) Delegations. Pursuant to § 2.21 (a)(3) and (a)(8), subject to reservations in § 2.21..., Education, and Economics to the Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service: (1) Prepare crop...

Long Term Agroecosystem Research Landing | National Agricultural Library

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Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag Agroecosystem Research Overview Agriculture faces tremendous challenges in meeting multiple, diverse societal > ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS filter EARTH SCIENCE > AGRICULTURE > SOILS (1) Apply EARTH

Increased atmospheric ammonia over the world's major agricultural areas detected from space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warner, J. X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Wei, Z.; Strow, L. L.; Wang, Y.; Liang, Q.

2017-03-01

This study provides evidence of substantial increases in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations (14 year) over several of the worlds major agricultural regions, using recently available retrievals from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The main sources of atmospheric NH3 are farming and animal husbandry involving reactive nitrogen ultimately derived from fertilizer use; rates of emission are also sensitive to climate change. Significant increasing trends are seen over the U.S. (2.61% yr-1), the European Union (EU) (1.83% yr-1), and China (2.27% yr-1). Over the EU, the trend results from decreased scavenging by acid aerosols. Over the U.S., the increase results from a combination of decreased chemical loss and increased soil temperatures. Over China, decreased chemical loss, increasing temperatures, and increased fertilizer use all play a role. Over South Asia, increased NH3 emissions are masked by increased SO2 and NOx emissions, leading to increased aerosol loading and adverse health effects.

Increased Atmospheric Ammonia over the World's Major Agricultural Areas Detected from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warner, J. X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Wei, Z.; Strow, L. L.; Wang, Y.; Liang, Q.

2017-01-01

This study provides evidence of substantial increases in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations (14-year) over several of the worlds major agricultural regions, using recently available retrievals from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The main sources of atmospheric NH3 are farming and animal husbandry involving reactive nitrogen ultimately derived from fertilizer use; rates of emission are also sensitive to climate change. Significant increasing trends are seen over the U.S. (2.61%?per yr), the European Union (EU) (1.83%?per yr), and China (2.27%?per yr). Over the EU, the trend results from decreased scavenging by acid aerosols. Over the U.S., the increase results from a combination of decreased chemical loss and increased soil temperatures. Over China, decreased chemical loss, increasing temperatures, and increased fertilizer use all play a role. Over South Asia, increased NH3 emissions are masked by increased SO2 and NOX emissions, leading to increased aerosol loading and adverse health effects.

Ammonia-oxidising bacteria not archaea dominate nitrification activity in semi-arid agricultural soil

PubMed Central

Banning, Natasha C.; Maccarone, Linda D.; Fisk, Louise M.; Murphy, Daniel V.

2015-01-01

Ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) are responsible for the rate limiting step in nitrification; a key nitrogen (N) loss pathway in agricultural systems. Dominance of AOA relative to AOB in the amoA gene pool has been reported in many ecosystems, although their relative contributions to nitrification activity are less clear. Here we examined the distribution of AOA and AOB with depth in semi-arid agricultural soils in which soil organic matter content or pH had been altered, and related their distribution to gross nitrification rates. Soil depth had a significant effect on gene abundances, irrespective of management history. Contrary to reports of AOA dominance in soils elsewhere, AOA gene copy numbers were four-fold lower than AOB in the surface (0–10 cm). AOA gene abundance increased with depth while AOB decreased, and sub-soil abundances were approximately equal (10–90 cm). The depth profile of total archaea did not mirror that of AOA, indicating the likely presence of archaea without nitrification capacity in the surface. Gross nitrification rates declined significantly with depth and were positively correlated to AOB but negatively correlated to AOA gene abundances. We conclude that AOB are most likely responsible for regulating nitrification in these semi-arid soils. PMID:26053257

Ammonia-oxidising bacteria not archaea dominate nitrification activity in semi-arid agricultural soil.

PubMed

Banning, Natasha C; Maccarone, Linda D; Fisk, Louise M; Murphy, Daniel V

2015-06-08

Ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) are responsible for the rate limiting step in nitrification; a key nitrogen (N) loss pathway in agricultural systems. Dominance of AOA relative to AOB in the amoA gene pool has been reported in many ecosystems, although their relative contributions to nitrification activity are less clear. Here we examined the distribution of AOA and AOB with depth in semi-arid agricultural soils in which soil organic matter content or pH had been altered, and related their distribution to gross nitrification rates. Soil depth had a significant effect on gene abundances, irrespective of management history. Contrary to reports of AOA dominance in soils elsewhere, AOA gene copy numbers were four-fold lower than AOB in the surface (0-10 cm). AOA gene abundance increased with depth while AOB decreased, and sub-soil abundances were approximately equal (10-90 cm). The depth profile of total archaea did not mirror that of AOA, indicating the likely presence of archaea without nitrification capacity in the surface. Gross nitrification rates declined significantly with depth and were positively correlated to AOB but negatively correlated to AOA gene abundances. We conclude that AOB are most likely responsible for regulating nitrification in these semi-arid soils.

Agricultural ammonia emissions in China: reconciling bottom-up and top-down estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lin; Chen, Youfan; Zhao, Yuanhong; Henze, Daven K.; Zhu, Liye; Song, Yu; Paulot, Fabien; Liu, Xuejun; Pan, Yuepeng; Lin, Yi; Huang, Binxiang

2018-01-01

Current estimates of agricultural ammonia (NH3) emissions in China differ by more than a factor of 2, hindering our understanding of their environmental consequences. Here we apply both bottom-up statistical and top-down inversion methods to quantify NH3 emissions from agriculture in China for the year 2008. We first assimilate satellite observations of NH3 column concentration from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) using the GEOS-Chem adjoint model to optimize Chinese anthropogenic NH3 emissions at the 1/2° × 2/3° horizontal resolution for March-October 2008. Optimized emissions show a strong summer peak, with emissions about 50 % higher in summer than spring and fall, which is underestimated in current bottom-up NH3 emission estimates. To reconcile the latter with the top-down results, we revisit the processes of agricultural NH3 emissions and develop an improved bottom-up inventory of Chinese NH3 emissions from fertilizer application and livestock waste at the 1/2° × 2/3° resolution. Our bottom-up emission inventory includes more detailed information on crop-specific fertilizer application practices and better accounts for meteorological modulation of NH3 emission factors in China. We find that annual anthropogenic NH3 emissions are 11.7 Tg for 2008, with 5.05 Tg from fertilizer application and 5.31 Tg from livestock waste. The two sources together account for 88 % of total anthropogenic NH3 emissions in China. Our bottom-up emission estimates also show a distinct seasonality peaking in summer, consistent with top-down results from the satellite-based inversion. Further evaluations using surface network measurements show that the model driven by our bottom-up emissions reproduces the observed spatial and seasonal variations of NH3 gas concentrations and ammonium (NH4+) wet deposition fluxes over China well, providing additional credibility to the improvements we have made to our agricultural NH3 emission inventory.

Year-round shotgun metagenomes reveal stable microbial communities in agricultural soils and novel ammonia oxidizers responding to fertilization.

PubMed

Orellana, Luis H; Chee-Sanford, Joanne C; Sanford, Robert A; Löffler, Frank E; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T

2017-11-03

The dynamics of individual microbial populations and their gene functions in agricultural soils, especially after major activities such as nitrogen (N) fertilization, remain elusive but are important for better understanding nutrient cycling. Here, we analyzed 20 short-read metagenomes collected at four time points across one year from two depths (0-5 and 20-30 cm) in two Midwestern agricultural sites representing contrasting soil textures (sandy versus silty-loam), with similar cropping histories. Although microbial community taxonomic and functional compositions differed between the two locations and depths, they were more stable within a depth/site throughout the year than communities in natural water-based ecosystems. For example, among the 69 population genomes assembled from the metagenomes, 75% showed less than 2-fold change in abundance between any two sampling points. Interestingly, six deep-branching Thaumarchaeota and three complete ammonia oxidizer (comammox) Nitrospira populations increased up to 5-fold in abundance upon the addition of N fertilizer. These results indicated that indigenous archaeal ammonia oxidizers may respond faster (more copiotrophic) to N fertilization than previously thought. None of 29 recovered putative denitrifier genomes encoded the complete denitrification pathway, suggesting that denitrification is carried out by a collection of different populations. Altogether, our study identified novel microbial populations and genes responding to seasonal and human-induced perturbations in agricultural soils that should facilitate future monitoring efforts and N-related studies. Importance Even though the impact of agricultural management on the microbial community structure has already been recognized, understanding of the dynamics of individual microbial populations and what functions each population encodes are limited. Yet, this information is important for better understanding nutrient cycling, with potentially important

AMMONIA: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, EMISSIONS, INORGANIC PM 2.5, AND CLEAN AIR INTERSTATE RULE

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation discusses the role of ammonia as an atmospheric pollutant. Ammonia is emitted primarily from agricultural sources, although vehicles are the largest sources in urban centers. When combined with nitrate and sulfate, ammonia forms particulate matter which has be...

Defences against ammonia toxicity in tropical air-breathing fishes exposed to high concentrations of environmental ammonia: a review.

PubMed

Ip, Y K; Chew, S F; Wilson, J M; Randall, D J

2004-10-01

In the tropics, air-breathing fishes can be exposed to environmental ammonia when stranded in puddles of water during the dry season, during a stay inside a burrow, or after agricultural fertilization. At low concentrations of environmental ammonia, NH(3) excretion is impeded, as in aerial exposure, leading to the accumulation of endogenous ammonia. At high concentrations of environmental ammonia, which results in a reversed NH(3) partial pressure gradient (DeltaP(NH3)), there is retention of endogenous ammonia and uptake of exogenous ammonia. In this review, several tropical air-breathing fishes (giant mudskipper, African catfish, oriental weatherloach, swamp eel, four-eyed sleeper, abehaze and slender African lungfish), which can tolerate high environmental ammonia exposure, are used as examples to demonstrate how eight different adaptations can be involved in defence against ammonia toxicity. Four of these adaptations deal with ammonia toxicity at branchial and/or epithelial surfaces: (1) active excretion of NH(4)(+); (2) lowering of environmental pH; (3) low NH(3) permeability of epithelial surfaces; and (4) volatilization of NH(3), while another four adaptations ameliorate ammonia toxicity at the cellular and subcellular levels: (5) high tolerance of ammonia at the cellular and subcellular levels; (6) reduction in ammonia production; (7) glutamine synthesis; and (8) urea synthesis. The responses of tropical air-breathing fishes to high environmental ammonia are determined apparently by behavioural adaptations and the nature of their natural environments.

Ammonia in London: is it increasing and what is the relevance of urban ammonia for air quality impacts?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braban, Christine; Tang, Sim; Poskitt, Janet; Van Dijk, Netty; Leeson, Sarah; Dragosits, Ulli; Hutchings, Torben; Twigg, Marsailidh; Di Marco, Chiara; Langford, Ben; Tremper, Anja; Nemitz, Eiko; Sutton, Mark

2017-04-01

Emissions of ammonia affect both rural and urban air quality primarily via reaction of ammonia in the atmosphere forming secondary ammonium salts in particulate matter (PM). Urban ammonia emissions come from a variety of sources including biological decomposition, human waste, industrial processes and combustion engines. In the UK, the only long-term urban ammonia measurement is a UK National Ammonia Monitoring Network site at London Cromwell Road, recording monthly average concentrations. Short term measurements have also been made in the past decade at Marylebone Road, North Kensington and on the BT Tower. Cromwell Road is a kerbside site operational since 1999. The Cromwell Road data indicates that ammonia concentrations may be increasing since 2010-2012 after a long period of decreasing. Data from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory indicates ammonia emissions from diesel fleet exhausts increasing over this time period but an overall net decrease in ammonia emissions. With changes in engine and exhaust technology to minimise pollutant emissions and the importance of ammonia as a precursor gas for secondary PM, there is a challenge to understand urban ammonia concentrations and subsequent impacts on urban air quality. In this paper the long term measurements are assessed in conjunction with the short-term measurements.The challenges to assess the relative importance of local versus long range ammonia emission are discussed.

The role of carbon dioxide in ammonia emission from manure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ammonia emission from manure is a significant loss of fixed N from agricultural systems, and contributes to air pollution and ecosystem degradation. Despite the development of numerous mathematical models for predicting ammonia emission, the interactions between carbon dioxide emission, manure pH, a...

Cultivation of a highly enriched ammonia-oxidizing archaeon of thaumarchaeotal group I.1b from an agricultural soil.

PubMed

Kim, Jong-Geol; Jung, Man-Young; Park, Soo-Je; Rijpstra, W Irene C; Sinninghe Damsté, Jaap S; Madsen, Eugene L; Min, Deullae; Kim, Jin-Seog; Kim, Geun-Joong; Rhee, Sung-Keun

2012-06-01

Nitrification of excess ammonia in soil causes eutrophication of water resources and emission of atmospheric N(2) O gas. The first step of nitrification, ammonia oxidation, is mediated by Archaea as well as Bacteria. The physiological reactions mediated by ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and their contribution to soil nitrification are still unclear. Results of non-culture-based studies have shown the thaumarchaeotal group I.1b lineage of AOA to be dominant over both AOA of group I.1a and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in various soils. We obtained from an agricultural soil a highly enriched ammonia-oxidizing culture dominated by a single archaeal population [c. 90% of total cells, as determined microscopically (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) and by quantitative PCR of its 16S rRNA gene]. The archaeon (termed 'strain JG1') fell within thaumarchaeotal group I.1b and was related to the moderately thermophilic archaeon, Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis, and the mesophilic archaeon, Ca. Nitrososphaera viennensis with 97.0% and 99.1% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity respectively. Strain JG1 was neutrophilic (growth range pH 6.0-8.0) and mesophilic (growth range temperature 25-40°C). The optimum temperature of strain JG1 (35-40°C) is > 10°C higher than that of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Membrane analysis showed that strain JG1 contained a glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether, GDGT-4, and its regioisomer as major core lipids; this crenarchaeol regioisomer was previously detected in similar abundance in the thermophile, Ca. N. gargensis and has been frequently observed in tropical soils. Substrate uptake assays showed that the affinity of strain JG1 for ammonia and oxygen was much higher than those of AOB. These traits may give a competitive advantage to AOA related to strain JG1 in oligotrophic environments. (13) C-bicarbonate incorporation into archaeal lipids of strain JG1 established its ability to grow autotrophically. Strain JG1 produced a

USDA-EPA Collaborative Ammonia Research

EPA Science Inventory

In 2014, a work group was formed between USDA and EPA to facilitate information exchange on ammonia emissions from agriculture, air quality impacts and emission mitigation options and to identify opportunities for collaboration. This document provides background on the work grou...

Ammonia

Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS)

EPA / 635 / R - 16 / 163Fa www.epa.gov / iris Toxicological Review of Ammonia Noncancer Inhalation [ CASRN 7664 - 41 - 7 ] September 2016 Integrated Risk Information System National Center for Environmental Assessment Office of Research and Development U.S . Environmental Protection Agency Washingto

Interannual Variability of Ammonia Concentrations over the United States: Sources and Implications for Inorganic Particulate Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiferl, L. D.; Heald, C. L.; Van Damme, M.; Pierre-Francois, C.; Clerbaux, C.

2015-12-01

Modern agricultural practices have greatly increased the emission of ammonia (NH3) to the atmosphere. Recent controls to reduce the emissions of sulfur and nitrogen oxides (SOX and NOX) have increased the importance of understanding the role ammonia plays in the formation of surface fine inorganic particulate matter (PM2.5) in the United States. In this study, we identify the interannual variability in ammonia concentration, explore the sources of this variability and determine their contribution to the variability in surface PM2.5 concentration. Over the summers of 2008-2012, measurements from the Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN) and the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite instrument show considerable variability in both surface and column ammonia concentrations (+/- 29% and 28% of the mean), respectively. This observed variability is larger than that simulated by the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model, where meteorology dominates the variability in ammonia and PM2.5 concentrations compared to the changes caused by SOX and NOX reductions. Our initial simulation does not include year-to-year changes in ammonia agricultural emissions. We use county-wide information on fertilizer sales and livestock populations, as well as meteorological variations to account for the interannual variability in agricultural activity and ammonia volatilization. These sources of ammonia emission variability are important for replicating observed variations in ammonia and PM2.5, highlighting how accurate ammonia emissions characterization is central to PM air quality prediction.

Atmospheric Ammonia Over China: Emission Estimates And Impact On Air Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Chen, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Henze, D. K.

2016-12-01

Ammonia (NH3) in the atmosphere is an important precursor of aerosols, and its deposition through wet and dry processes can cause adverse effects on ecosystems. The ammonia emissions over China are particularly large due to intensive agricultural activities, yet our current estimates of Chinese ammonia emissions and associated consequences on air quality are subject to large errors. We use the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model and its adjoint model to better quantify this issue. The TES satellite observations of ammonia concentrations and surface measurements of wet deposition fluxes are assimilated into the model to constrain the ammonia emissions over China. Optimized emissions show a strong seasonal variability with emissions in summer a factor of 3 higher than winter. This is consistent with an improved bottom-up estimate of Chinese ammonia emissions from fertilizer use by using more practical fertilizer application rates for different crop types. We further use the GEOS-Chem adjoint at 0.25x0.3125 degree resolution to examine the sources contributing to the PM2.5 air pollution over North China. We show that wintertime PM2.5 over Beijing is largely contributed by residential and industrial sources, and ammonia emissions from agriculture activities. PM2.5 concentrations over North China are particularly sensitive to emissions of ammonia and nitrogen oxides, reflecting strong formation of aerosol nitrate in the cold seasons.

Multi-factorial drivers of ammonia oxidizer communities: evidence from a national soil survey.

PubMed

Yao, Huaiying; Campbell, Colin D; Chapman, Stephen J; Freitag, Thomas E; Nicol, Graeme W; Singh, Brajesh K

2013-09-01

The factors driving the abundance and community composition of soil microbial communities provide fundamental knowledge on the maintenance of biodiversity and the ecosystem services they underpin. Several studies have suggested that microbial communities are spatially organized, including functional groups and much of the observed variation is explained by geographical location or soil pH. Soil ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) are excellent models for such study due to their functional, agronomic and environmental importance and their relative ease of characterization. To identify the dominant drivers of different ammonia oxidizers, we used samples (n = 713) from the National Soil Inventory of Scotland (NSIS). Our results indicate that 40-45% of the variance in community compositions can be explained by 71 environmental variables. Soil pH and substrate, which have been regarded as the two main drivers, only explained 13-16% of the total variance. We provide strong evidence of multi-factorial drivers (land use, soil type, climate and N deposition) of ammonia-oxidizing communities, all of which play a significant role in the creation of specific niches that are occupied by unique phylotypes. For example, one AOA phylotype was strongly linked to woodland/semi-natural grassland, rainfall and N deposition. Some soil typologies, namely regosols, have a novel AOA community composition indicating typology as one of the factors which defines this ecological niche. AOA abundance was high and strongly linked the rate of potential nitrification in the highly acidic soils supporting the argument that AOA are main ammonia oxidizers in acidic soils. However, for AOB, soil pH and substrate (ammonia) were the main drivers for abundance and community composition. These results highlight the importance of multiple drivers of microbial niche formation and their impact on microbial biogeography that have significant consequences for ecosystem functioning. © 2013 John

Increased atmospheric ammonia over the world’s major agricultural areas detected from space

PubMed Central

Warner, J. X.; Dickerson, R. R.; Wei, Z.; Strow, L. L.; Wang, Y.; Liang, Q.

2018-01-01

This study provides evidence of substantial increases in atmospheric ammonia (NH3) concentrations (14-year) over several of the worlds major agricultural regions, using recently available retrievals from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The main sources of atmospheric NH3 are farming and animal husbandry involving reactive nitrogen ultimately derived from fertilizer use; rates of emission are also sensitive to climate change. Significant increasing trends are seen over the US (2.61% yr−1), the European Union (EU) (1.83% yr−1), and China (2.27% yr−1). Over the EU, the trend results from decreased scavenging by acid aerosols. Over the US, the increase results from a combination of decreased chemical loss and increased soil temperatures. Over China, decreased chemical loss, increasing temperatures, and increased fertilizer use all play a role. Over South Asia, increased NH3 emissions are masked by increased SO2 and NOx emissions, leading to increased aerosol loading and adverse health effects. PMID:29657344

Pretreatment of Biomass by Aqueous Ammonia for Bioethanol Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Tae Hyun; Gupta, Rajesh; Lee, Y. Y.

The methods of pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass using aqueous ammonia are described. The main effect of ammonia treatment of biomass is delignification without significantly affecting the carbohydrate contents. It is a very effective pretreatment method especially for substrates that have low lignin contents such as agricultural residues and herbaceous feedstock. The ammonia-based pretreatment is well suited for simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) because the treated biomass retains cellulose as well as hemicellulose. It has been demonstrated that overall ethanol yield above 75% of the theoretical maximum on the basis of total carbohydrate is achievable from corn stover pretreated with aqueous ammonia by way of SSCF. There are two different types of pretreatment methods based on aqueous ammonia: (1) high severity, low contact time process (ammonia recycle percolation; ARP), (2) low severity, high treatment time process (soaking in aqueous ammonia; SAA). Both of these methods are described and discussed for their features and effectiveness.

A National Scale Sustainable Agriculture Matrix of Indicators to Inform Policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, E. A.; Zhang, X.

2017-12-01

The ratification of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by all member countries of the United Nations demonstrates the determination of the international community in moving towards a sustainable future. To enable and encourage accountability, independent and transparent measurements of national sustainability efforts are essential. Among all sectors, agriculture is fundamental to all three pillars of sustainability, namely environment, society, and economy. However, the definition of a sustainable agriculture and the feasibility of measuring it remain elusive, in part because it encompasses both biophysical and socio-economic components that are still poorly integrated. Therefore, we have been developing a Sustainable Agriculture Matrix (SAM) on a national scale in order to measure country-level performance in agriculture. First proposed by Swaminathan for agricultural research and policy in 1990s, SAM is a collection of indicators measuring sustainable agriculture from environmental, social, and economic dimensions. The environmental dimension evaluates various impacts of agricultural production on the environment, such as water consumption and nutrient pollution. The economic dimension quantifies the costs and benefits for major stakeholders involved in agricultural production, including government, industry, farmers, and consumers. The social dimension considers three major aspects: 1) social welfare (e.g., hunger and poverty rate, nutritional quality, demography of rural community); 2) equity over sectors, space, and gender (e.g., access to resources/services and opportunities, distribution of income, land ownership and tenure rights); 3) systemic risk (e.g., fragility of the global agricultural production and trade system, resilience of a farm or a country to market and natural shocks). Translating the illustrative concepts into measureable indicators will not only provide an independent and transparent measurement of national performance in the

EXAMINING THE TEMPORAL VARIABILITY OF AMMONIA AND NITRIC OXIDE EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURAL PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

This paper examines the temporal variability of airborne emissions of ammonia from livestock operations and fertilizer application and nitric oxide from soils. In the United States, the livestock operations and fertilizer categories comprise the majority of the ammonia emissions...

Validation of Ogawa passive samplers for the determination of gaseous ammonia concentrations in agricultural settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roadman, M. J.; Scudlark, J. R.; Meisinger, J. J.; Ullman, W. J.

The Ogawa passive sampler (Ogawa USA, Pompano Beach, Florida) is a useful tool for monitoring atmospheric ammonia (NH 3(g)) concentrations and assessing the effects of agricultural waste management practices on NH 3(g) emissions. The Ogawa sampler, with filter-discs impregnated with citric acid, was used to trap and determine NH 3(g) concentrations in a variety of agricultural settings. A wide range of NH 3(g) concentrations can be monitored by varying the sampler exposure time, provided that no more than ˜10 μg of NH 3-N are adsorbed on the acid-coated filters. Concentrations less than 1 μg NH 3-N m -3 can be detected using long deployments (⩽14 days), while concentrations as great as 10 mg NH 3-N m -3 may be determined in very short (e.g. 5 min) deployments. Reproducibility ranged from 5% to 10% over the range of concentrations studied and passive determinations of NH 3(g) were similar to those determined using dilute-acid gas scrubbers. Background levels of NH 3(g) at a non-agricultural site in southern Delaware were typically <1 μg NH 3-N m -3. The air entering a chicken house was 10 μg NH 3-N m -3, reflecting the background levels in agricultural settings in this region. Within the house, concentrations ⩽8.5 mg NH 3-N m -3 were observed, reflecting the high rates of NH 3(g) emission from chicken excreta. Using measured NH 3(g) concentrations and poultry house ventilation rates, we estimate that each broiler grown to production size over 6 weeks contributes approximately 19±3 g of NH 3-N to the atmosphere, a value consistent with other published results.

The Development of a National Agricultural Extension Policy in Bangladesh.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, M.; Sarkar, A. A.

1996-01-01

The background of agriculture in Bangladesh and the process of developing a national agricultural extension policy focused on sustainable development are described. The policy explicates the meaning of agricultural extension, use of agricultural knowledge and information systems, and 11 core principles. (SK)

Merging remote sensing data and national agricultural statistics to model change in irrigated agriculture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Jesslyn; Pervez, Md Shahriar

2014-01-01

Over 22 million hectares (ha) of U.S. croplands are irrigated. Irrigation is an intensified agricultural land use that increases crop yields and the practice affects water and energy cycles at, above, and below the land surface. Until recently, there has been a scarcity of geospatially detailed information about irrigation that is comprehensive, consistent, and timely to support studies tying agricultural land use change to aquifer water use and other factors. This study shows evidence for a recent overall net expansion of 522 thousand ha across the U.S. (2.33%) and 519 thousand ha (8.7%) in irrigated cropped area across the High Plains Aquifer (HPA) from 2002 to 2007. In fact, over 97% of the net national expansion in irrigated agriculture overlays the HPA. We employed a modeling approach implemented at two time intervals (2002 and 2007) for mapping irrigated agriculture across the conterminous U.S. (CONUS). We utilized U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) county statistics, satellite imagery, and a national land cover map in the model. The model output, called the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Irrigated Agriculture Dataset for the U.S. (MIrAD-US), was then used to reveal relatively detailed spatial patterns of irrigation change across the nation and the HPA. Causes for the irrigation increase in the HPA are complex, but factors include crop commodity price increases, the corn ethanol industry, and government policies related to water use. Impacts of more irrigation may include shifts in local and regional climate, further groundwater depletion, and increasing crop yields and farm income.

Shannon Entropy of Ammonia Volatilization from Fertilized Agricultural Soils

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The economic loss of ammonia (NH3) volatilization from chemical N fertilizers applied to farmlands worldwide is 11.6 billion US dollars per year. The economic impact of negative environmental effects resulted from NH3 volatilization, i.e., formation of potent greenhouse gas (N2O) and PM2.5, is diffi...

Food & Nutrition | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

News Contact Us Search  Log inRegister Home Home Food & Nutrition Data from: The data of change years. Ag Data Commons 2x zip html National Animal Nutrition Program (NANP) Feed Composition Database degrees related to agriculture; USDA partner institution snapshots; Food and nutrition research; 4-H

Dynamics of communities of bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in response to simazine attenuation in agricultural soil.

PubMed

Wan, Rui; Wang, Zhao; Xie, Shuguang

2014-02-15

Autochthonous microbiota plays a crucial role in natural attenuation of s-triazine herbicides in agricultural soil. Soil microcosm study was carried out to investigate the shift in the structures of soil autochthonous microbial communities and the potential degraders associated with natural simazine attenuation. The relative abundance of soil autochthonous degraders and the structures of microbial communities were assessed using quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), respectively. Phylogenetic composition of bacterial community was also characterized using clone library analysis. Soil autochthonous microbiota could almost completely clean up simazine (100 mg kg(-1)) in 10 days after herbicide application, indicating a strong self-remediation potential of agricultural soil. A significant increase in the proportion of s-triazine-degrading atzC gene was found in 6 days after simazine amendment. Simazine application could alter the community structures of total bacteria and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB). AOA were more responsive to simazine application compared to AOB and bacteria. Actinobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria were the dominant bacterial groups either at the initial stage after simazine amendment or at the end stage of herbicide biodegradation, but Actinobacteria predominated at the middle stage of biodegradation. Microorganisms from several bacterial genera might be involved in simazine biodegradation. This work could add some new insights on the bioremediation of herbicides contaminated agricultural soils. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Closing CO2 Loop in Biogas Production: Recycling Ammonia As Fertilizer.

PubMed

He, Qingyao; Yu, Ge; Tu, Te; Yan, Shuiping; Zhang, Yanlin; Zhao, Shuaifei

2017-08-01

We propose and demonstrate a novel system for simultaneous ammonia recovery, carbon capture, biogas upgrading, and fertilizer production in biogas production. Biogas slurry pretreatment (adjusting the solution pH, turbidity, and chemical oxygen demand) plays an important role in the system as it significantly affects the performance of ammonia recovery. Vacuum membrane distillation is used to recover ammonia from biogas slurry at various conditions. The ammonia removal efficiency in vacuum membrane distillation is around 75% regardless of the ammonia concentration of the biogas slurry. The recovered ammonia is used for CO 2 absorption to realize simultaneous biogas upgrading and fertilizer generation. CO 2 absorption performance of the recovered ammonia (absorption capacity and rate) is compared with a conventional model absorbent. Theoretical results on biogas upgrading are also provided. After ammonia recovery, the treated biogas slurry has significantly reduced phytotoxicity, improving the applicability for agricultural irrigation. The novel concept demonstrated in this study shows great potential in closing the CO 2 loop in biogas production by recycling ammonia as an absorbent for CO 2 absorption associated with producing fertilizers.

Alternative E ammonia feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lentz, M.J.; Wright, R.A.

1999-07-01

Power plants are using more Ammonia for increasing precipitator and baghouse efficiency, for SCR and SNCR processes, and for controlling acid stack plumes and dewpoint corrosion. These simple systems inject ammonia and air into the furnace or the precipitator or baghouse inlet ductwork. The common feedstocks in use today are Anhydrous ammonia [NH{sub 3}] and Aqueous ammonia [NH{sub 4}OH], both defined as poison gases by US authorities and most Western nations. Storage and handling procedures for these products are strictly regulated. Wilhelm Environmental Technologies Inc. is developing use of solid, formed or prilled Urea [CO(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}] as the feedstock.more » When heated in moist air, Urea sublimes to ammonia [NH{sub 3}] and carbon dioxide [CO{sub 2}]. Urea is stored and handled without restrictions or environmental concerns. Urea is a more expensive feedstock than NH{sub 3}, but much less expensive than [NH{sub 4}OH]. The design, and operating results, of a pilot system at Jacksonville Electric St. John's River Plant [Unit 2] are described. The pilot plant successfully sublimed Urea up to 100 pounds/hour. Further testing is planned. Very large ammonia use may favor NH{sub 3}, but smaller quantities can be produced at attractive prices with Urea based ammonia systems. Storage costs are far less. Many fluidized-bed boilers can use pastille or solid urea metered directly into the existing cyclones for NO{sub x} control. This is more economical than aqueous ammonia or aqueous urea based technology.« less

Ammonia Emissions from the Agriculture Sector of Argentina in a Context of Changing Technologies and Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawidowski, L. E.

2015-12-01

Agriculture is a key sector of the Argentinean economy, accounting for 6 to 8 5% of the GDP in the last ten years. Argentina switched in the 90´s from an articulated co-evolution between extensive livestock and crop farming, with annual rotation of crops and livestock, to intensive decoupled practices. Under these new production schemes, ecosystems were supplied with more nutrients, generating increasing levels of wastes. Other changes have also occurred, associated with the shift of the agricultural frontier and the consequent reduction in the cattle stock. In addition, changes related to climate through the strong increase in rainfall in the 80s and 90s in the west Pampas, helped to boost agricultural development. The agriculture sector accounts for practically all NH3 emissions in Argentina, however no inventory has been thus far available. To bridge this gap and particularly to have accurate input information to run coupled atmospheric chemistry models for secondary inorganic aerosols, we estimated 2000-2012 NH3 emissions, both at national and spatially disaggregated levels. Of particular interest for us was also temporal disaggregation as crops growing and temperature exhibit strong seasonal variability. As no NH3 inventory was available we also estimated related N2O emissions to verify our estimates with those of national GHG emission inventory (NEI). National NH3 emissions in 2012 amounted to 309.9 Gg, use of fertilizers accounted for 43.6%, manure management 18,9%, manure in pasture 36,0% and agricultural waste burning 1.5%. Our N2O estimates are in good agreement with the GHG-NEI. NH3 estimates in the EDGAR database for 2008 are 84.0% higher than ours for this year, and exhibit more significant differences per category, namely 113,6% higher for use of fertilizers and about 500% higher for agricultural waste burning. Urea dominates national NH3 emissions, accounting for 32,8% of the total and its use for wheat and corn crops dominates the trend.

Development and Evaluation of an Ammonia Bi-Directional Flux Model for Air Quality Models

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia is an important contributor to particulate matter in the atmosphere and can significantly impact terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Surface exchange between the atmosphere and biosphere is a key part of the ammonia cycle. Agriculture, in particular. is a large source of...

7 CFR 2.66 - Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 2.66 Section 2.66 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the Under...

7 CFR 2.66 - Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 2.66 Section 2.66 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the Under...

7 CFR 2.66 - Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 2.66 Section 2.66 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the Under...

7 CFR 2.66 - Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Director, National Institute of Food and Agriculture. 2.66 Section 2.66 Agriculture Office of the Secretary of Agriculture DELEGATIONS OF AUTHORITY BY THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND GENERAL OFFICERS OF THE DEPARTMENT Delegations of Authority by the Under...

MEASUREMENT OF AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM MECHANICALLY VENTILATED POULTRY HOUSES USING MULTIPATH TUNABLE DIODE LASER SPECTROSCOPY

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia emissions from mechanically ventilated poultry operations are an important environmental concern. Open Path Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy has emerged as a robust real-time method for gas phase measurement of ammonia concentrations in agricultural settings. ...

4/4/2018: The Ag Data Commons Metrics | National Agricultural Library

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Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of Agriculture Ag | Agricultural Research Service | Plain Language | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Information Quality | Privacy

3/29/2018: Making Data Machine-Readable Webinar | National Agricultural

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Library Skip to main content Home National Agricultural Library United States Department of | USDA.gov | Agricultural Research Service | Plain Language | FOIA | Accessibility Statement | Information

75 FR 40765 - Hours of Service; Limited Exemption for the Distribution of Anhydrous Ammonia in Agricultural...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-14

... No. FMCSA-2010-0230] Hours of Service; Limited Exemption for the Distribution of Anhydrous Ammonia in... ammonia from any distribution point to a local farm retailer or to the ultimate consumer, and from a local... anhydrous ammonia during the planting and harvesting seasons, as defined by the States in which the carriers...

Liquid and atmospheric ammonia concentrations from a dairy lagoon during an aeration experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumburg, Brian; Neger, Manjit; Mount, George H.; Yonge, David; Filipy, Jenny; Swain, John; Kincaid, Ron; Johnson, Kristen

Ammonia emissions from agriculture are an environmental and human health concern, and there is increasing pressure to reduce emissions. Animal agriculture is the largest global source of ammonia emissions and on a per cow basis dairy operations are the largest emitters. The storage and disposal of the dairy waste is one area where emissions can be reduced, aerobic biological treatment of wastewater being a common and effective way of reducing ammonia emissions. An aeration experiment in a dairy lagoon with two commercial aerators was performed for 1 month. Liquid concentrations of ammonia, total nitrogen, nitrite and nitrate were monitored before, during and after the experiment and atmospheric ammonia was measured downwind of the lagoon using a short-path differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) instrument with 1 ppbv sensitivity. No changes in either liquid or atmospheric ammonia concentrations were detected throughout the experiment, and neither dissolved oxygen, nitrite nor nitrate could be detected in the lagoon at any time. The average ammonia concentration at 10 sampling sites in the lagoon at a depth of 0.15 m was 650 mg l -1 and at 0.90 m it was 700 mg l -1 NH 3-N. The average atmospheric ammonia concentration 50 m downwind was about 300 ppbv. The 0.90 m depth total nitrogen concentrations and total and volatile solids concentrations decreased during the experiment due to some mixing of the lagoon but the 0.15 m depth concentrations did not decrease indicating that the aerators were not strong enough to mix the sludge off the bottom into the whole water column.

AIRBORNE REDUCED NITROGEN: AMMONIA EMISSIONS FROM AGRICULTURE AND OTHER SOURCES. (R826371C006)

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia is a basic gas and one of the most abundant nitrogen-containing compounds in the atmosphere. When emitted, ammonia reacts with oxides of nitrogen and sulfur to form particles, typically in the fine particle size range. Roughly half of the PM_2.5 mass in easte...

Simazine biodegradation and community structures of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in bioaugmented soil: impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources.

PubMed

Wan, Rui; Yang, Yuyin; Sun, Weimin; Wang, Zhao; Xie, Shuguang

2014-02-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the impact of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen sources on simazine biodegradation by Arthrobacter sp. strain SD1 and the community structures of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) in non-agricultural soil. Soil microcosms with different treatments were constructed for herbicide biodegradation test. The relative abundance of the strain SD1 and the structures of AOA and AOB communities were assessed using quantitative PCR (q-PCR) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP), respectively. The co-existence of two inorganic nitrogen sources (ammonia and nitrate) had certain impact on simazine dissipation by the strain SD1. Bioaugmentation could induce a shift in the community structures of both AOA and AOB, but AOA were more responsive. Nitrogen application had significant impacts on AOA and AOB communities in bioaugmented soils. Moreover, in non-bioaugmented soil, the community structure of AOA, instead of AOB, could be quickly recovered after herbicide application. This study could add some new insights towards the impacts of nitrogen sources on s-triazine bioremediation and ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms in soil ecosystem.

Developing the 2012 national action plan for protecting children in agriculture.

PubMed

Lee, Barbara C; Gallagher, Susan S; Liebman, Amy K; Miller, Mary E; Marlenga, Barbara

2012-01-01

In 1996 the US launched a National Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention Initiative, guided by an action plan generated by a 42-member multidisciplinary committee. A major update to the plan was released following the 2001 Summit on Childhood Agricultural Injury Prevention. From the year 2010 through 2011 a comprehensive assessment of progress to date was conducted followed by the drafting, review and finalizing of a new action plan-"The 2012 Blueprint for Protecting Children in Agriculture." This paper briefly describes the purpose and process for generating the new action plan then provides a listing of the 7 goals and 26 strategies within the plan. These goals and strategies account for trends in childhood agricultural injuries, changes in agricultural production and the demographics of its workforce, effectiveness of interventions, and the increasing use of social media, marketing and social networking. Primary funding for this project was provided by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which continues to serve as the lead federal agency for the national initiative.

Archaea produce lower yields of N2 O than bacteria during aerobic ammonia oxidation in soil.

PubMed

Hink, Linda; Nicol, Graeme W; Prosser, James I

2017-12-01

Nitrogen fertilisation of agricultural soil contributes significantly to emissions of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N 2 O), which is generated during denitrification and, in oxic soils, mainly by ammonia oxidisers. Although laboratory cultures of ammonia oxidising bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) produce N 2 O, their relative activities in soil are unknown. This work tested the hypothesis that AOB dominate ammonia oxidation and N 2 O production under conditions of high inorganic ammonia (NH 3 ) input, but result mainly from the activity of AOA when NH 3 is derived from mineralisation. 1-octyne, a recently discovered inhibitor of AOB, was used to distinguish N 2 O production resulting from archaeal and bacterial ammonia oxidation in soil microcosms, and specifically inhibited AOB growth, activity and N 2 O production. In unamended soils, ammonia oxidation and N 2 O production were lower and resulted mainly from ammonia oxidation by AOA. The AOA N 2 O yield relative to nitrite produced was half that of AOB, likely due to additional enzymatic mechanisms in the latter, but ammonia oxidation and N 2 O production were directly linked in all treatments. Relative contributions of AOA and AOB to N 2 O production, therefore, reflect their respective contributions to ammonia oxidation. These results suggest potential mitigation strategies for N 2 O emissions from fertilised agricultural soils. © 2016 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

National land-cover data and national agricultural census estimates of agricultural land use in the northeastern United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The landscape of the northeastern United States is diverse and patchy, a complex mixture of forest, agriculture, and developed lands. Many urgent social and environmental issues require spatially-referenced information on land use, a need filled by the National Land-Cover Data (NLCD). The accuracy o...

78 FR 44092 - Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Agricultural Research Service, USDA... the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. The notice was...

Ammonia and methane emissions from cattle and dairy feedlots in Colorado

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golston, L.; Pan, D.; Stanton, L. G.; Tao, L.; Sun, K.; Zondlo, M. A.

2014-12-01

Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are recognized as a major contributor of both methane and ammonia to the atmosphere. Ammonia is released by volatilization of urea and nitrogen containing wastes from the feedlot surface and waste management systems, while methane is produced from enteric fermentation and primarily exhaled into the atmosphere. Our objective was to survey plumes downwind of open lot feedyards near Greeley, Colorado and surrounding areas, to quantify the spatial and temporal variability of agricultural emissions in this area. Research was conducted during the month-long NASA DISCOVER-AQ campaign in July-August 2014, with over 4000 km of on-road measurements. Methane and ammonia concentrations were measured using open-path laser spectroscopy, along with water vapor, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide on a roof-mounted, mobile platform. The open-path design enables high resolution measurements of ammonia with minimized sampling issues. Concurrent measurements during the campaign by other groups on stationary and aircraft platforms help characterize the meteorological conditions and atmospheric chemistry. We present measurements from 65 of the 67 registered CAFOs in Weld County, which contain up to 660,000 cattle-equivalent animals units. The ammonia to methane enhancement ratio, ΔNH3:ΔCH4, was positively skewed with a median of 0.14 ± 0.04 ppmv/ppmv, consistent with our previous measurements during DISCOVER-AQ California. Due to the much greater variability of ammonia compared to methane, the emissions ratio is used to provide an estimate of feedyard ammonia emissions, with results divided for cattle, dairy, and sheep. Using the most recent emissions estimates of methane, we calculated a total of ≈28.8 TgNH3/yr released globally from feedlots alone, nearly as large as the IPCC's estimate of 30.4 Tg/yr from all agriculture sources. This discrepancy suggests feedyard ammonia is underrepresented in current inventories and models, and

The Role of the National Agricultural Library.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Joseph H.

1989-01-01

Describes the role, users, collections and services of the National Agricultural Library. Some of the services discussed include a machine readable bibliographic database, an international interlibrary loan system, programs to develop library networks and cooperative cataloging, and the development and use of information technologies such as laser…

AGRICULTURAL AMMONIA EMISSIONS AND AMMONIUM DEPOSITION IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives an estimate of county-scale annual ammonia (NH3) emissions in eight Southeastern States for the year 1997, using emission factors and activity data for all domestic livestock and fertilizer sources. A geographical distribution of the data yields local areas (1000...

Toward a national core course in agricultural medicine and curriculum in agricultural safety and health: the "building capacity" consensus process.

PubMed

Rudolphi, Josie M; Donham, Kelley J

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The agricultural industry poses specific hazards and risks to its workers. Since the 1970s, the University of Iowa has been establishing programs to educate rural health care and safety professionals who in turn provide education and occupational health and safety services to farm families and farm workers. This program has been well established in the state of Iowa as a program of Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH). However, the National 1989 Agriculture at Risk Report indicated there was a great need for agricultural medicine training beyond Iowa's borders. In order to help meet this need, Building Capacity: A National Resource of Agricultural Medicine Professionals was initiated as a project of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-funded Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health in 2006. Before the first phase of this project, a consensus process was conducted with a group of safety and health professionals to determine topics and learning objectives for the course. Over 300 students attended and matriculated the agricultural medicine course during first phase of the project (2007-2010). Beginning the second phase of the project (2012-2016), an expanded advisory committee (38 internationally recognized health and safety professionals) was convened to review the progress of the first phase, make recommendations for revisions to the required topics and competencies, and discuss updates to the second edition of the course textbook (Agricultural Medicine: Occupational and Environmental Health for the Health Professions). A formal consensus process was held and included an online survey and also a face-to-face meeting. The group was charged with the responsibility of developing the next version of this course by establishing best practices and setting an agenda with the long-term goal of developing a national course in agricultural medicine.

Ammonia Volatilization Loss from Surface Applied Livestock Manure

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ammonia (NH3) emission from livestock manures used in agriculture reduces N uptake by crops and negatively impacts air quality. This laboratory study was conducted to evaluate NH3 emission from different livestock manures applied to two soils: Candler fins sand (CFS; light-textured soil, pH 6.8 and...

Diversity and abundance of ammonia oxidizing archaea in tropical compost systems

PubMed Central

de Gannes, Vidya; Eudoxie, Gaius; Dyer, David H.; Hickey, William J.

2012-01-01

Composting is widely used to transform waste materials into valuable agricultural products. In the tropics, large quantities of agricultural wastes could be potentially useful in agriculture after composting. However, while microbiological processes of composts in general are well established, relatively little is known about microbial communities that may be unique to these in tropical systems, particularly nitrifiers. The recent discovery of ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) has changed the paradigm of nitrification being initiated solely by ammonia oxidizing bacteria. In the present study, AOA abundance and diversity was examined in composts produced from combinations of plant waste materials common in tropical agriculture (rice straw, sugar cane bagasse, and coffee hulls), which were mixed with either cow- or sheep-manure. The objective was to determine how AOA abundance and diversity varied as a function of compost system and time, the latter being a contrast between the start of the compost process (mesophilic phase) and the finished product (mature phase). The results showed that AOA were relatively abundant in composts of tropical agricultural wastes, and significantly more so than were the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Furthermore, while the AOA communities in the composts were predominatly group I.1b, the communities were diverse and exhibited structures that diverged between compost types and phases. These patterns could be taken as indicators of the ecophysiological diversity in the soil AOA (group I.1b), in that significantly different AOA communties developed when exposed to varying physico-chemical environments. Nitrification patterns and levels differed in the composts which, for the mature material, could have significant effects on its performance as a plant growth medium. Thus, it will also be important to determine the association of AOA (and diversity in their communities) with nitrification in these systems. PMID:22787457

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for... AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE FELLOWSHIP GRANTS PROGRAM Program Description § 3402.4 Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and...

Emergency planning and the acute toxic potency of inhaled ammonia.

PubMed Central

Michaels, R A

1999-01-01

Ammonia is present in agriculture and commerce in many if not most communities. This report evaluates the toxic potency of ammonia, based on three types of data: anecdotal data, in some cases predating World War 1, reconstructions of contemporary industrial accidents, and animal bioassays. Standards and guidelines for human exposure have been driven largely by the anecdotal data, suggesting that ammonia at 5,000-10,000 parts per million, volume/volume (ppm-v), might be lethal within 5-10 min. However, contemporary accident reconstructions suggest that ammonia lethality requires higher concentrations. For example, 33,737 ppm-v was a 5-min zero-mortality value in a major ammonia release in 1973 in South Africa. Comparisons of secondary reports of ammonia lethality with original sources revealed discrepancies in contemporary sources, apparently resulting from failure to examine old documents or accurately translate foreign documents. The present investigation revealed that contemporary accident reconstructions yield ammonia lethality levels comparable to those in dozens of reports of animal bioassays, after adjustment of concentrations to human equivalent concentrations via U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) procedures. Ammonia levels potentially causing irreversible injury or impairing the ability of exposed people to escape from further exposure or from coincident perils similarly have been biased downwardly in contemporary sources. The EPA has identified ammonia as one of 366 extremely hazardous substances subject to community right-to-know provisions of the Superfund Act and emergency planning provisions of the Clean Air Act. The Clean Air Act defines emergency planning zones (EPZs) around industrial facilities exceeding a threshold quantity of ammonia on-site. This study suggests that EPZ areas around ammonia facilities can be reduced, thereby also reducing emergency planning costs, which will vary roughly with the EPZ radius squared. Images Figure 1

Classification and Mapping of Agricultural Land for National Water-Quality Assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gilliom, Robert J.; Thelin, Gail P.

1997-01-01

Agricultural land use is one of the most important influences on water quality at national and regional scales. Although there is great diversity in the character of agricultural land, variations follow regional patterns that are influenced by environmental setting and economics. These regional patterns can be characterized by the distribution of crops. A new approach to classifying and mapping agricultural land use for national water-quality assessment was developed by combining information on general land-use distribution with information on crop patterns from agricultural census data. Separate classification systems were developed for row crops and for orchards, vineyards, and nurseries. These two general categories of agricultural land are distinguished from each other in the land-use classification system used in the U.S. Geological Survey national Land Use and Land Cover database. Classification of cropland was based on the areal extent of crops harvested. The acreage of each crop in each county was divided by total row-crop area or total orchard, vineyard, and nursery area, as appropriate, thus normalizing the crop data and making the classification independent of total cropland area. The classification system was developed using simple percentage criteria to define combinations of 1 to 3 crops that account for 50 percent or more or harvested acreage in a county. The classification system consists of 21 level I categories and 46 level II subcategories for row crops, and 26 level I categories and 19 level II subcategories for orchards, vineyards, and nurseries. All counties in the United States with reported harvested acreage are classified in these categories. The distribution of agricultural land within each county, however, must be evaluated on the basis of general land-use data. This can be done at the national scale using 'Major Land Uses of the United States,' at the regional scale using data from the national Land Use and Land Cover database, or at

Directional passive ambient air monitoring of ammonia for fugitive source attribution; a field trial with wind tunnel characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solera García, M. A.; Timmis, R. J.; Van Dijk, N.; Whyatt, J. D.; Leith, I. D.; Leeson, S. R.; Braban, C. F.; Sheppard, L. J.; Sutton, M. A.; Tang, Y. S.

2017-10-01

Atmospheric ammonia is a precursor for secondary particulate matter formation, which harms human health and contributes to acidification and eutrophication. Under the 2012 Gothenburg Protocol, 2005 emissions must be cut by 6% by 2020. In the UK, 83% of total emissions originate from agricultural practices such as fertilizer use and rearing of livestock, with emissions that are spatially extensive and variable in nature. Such fugitive emissions make resolving and tracking of individual site performance challenging. The Directional Passive Air quality Sampler (DPAS) was trialled at Whim Bog, an experimental site with a wind-controlled artificial release of ammonia, in combination with CEH-developed ammonia samplers. Whilst saturation issues were identified, two DPAS-MANDE (Mini Annular Denuder) systems, when deployed in parallel, displayed an average relative deviation of 15% (2-54%) across all 12 directions, with the directions exposed to the ammonia source showing ∼5% difference. The DPAS-MANDE has shown great potential for directional discrimination and can contribute to the understanding and management of fugitive ammonia sources from intensive agriculture sites.

DEVELOPING SEASONAL AMMONIA EMISSION ESTIMATES WITH AN INVERSE MODELING TECHNIQUE

EPA Science Inventory

Significant uncertainty exists in magnitude and variability of ammonia (NH3) emissions, which are needed for air quality modeling of aerosols and deposition of nitrogen compounds. Approximately 85% of NH3 emissions are estimated to come from agricultural non-point sources. We sus...

77 FR 11584 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Gila National...

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2012-02-27

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2011-07-21

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7 CFR 3402.4 - Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Food and agricultural sciences areas targeted for..., AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES NATIONAL NEEDS... sciences areas targeted for National Needs Graduate and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants Program support...

[Agro-ecosystem ammonia emission in Sichuan-Chongqing region].

PubMed

Li, Fu-chun; Han, Shen-hui; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Xu; Li, Ru-yan; Wei, Yuan-song; Fan, Mao-hong

2009-10-15

Ammonia (NH3) emission from agro-ecosystem in the Sichuan-Chongqing region during 1990-2004, was estimated by the regional nitrogen cycling model IAP-N. The county level agricultural activities data were used, and Sichuan-Chongqing region was divided into four sub-areas by the geographical characteristics , environment and local climatic conditions and administrative division. The results showed that average annual ammonia emissions (in nitrogen gauge) in 1990-1994, 1995-1999, 2000-2004 were 626.7, 670.5 and 698.8 Gg x a(-1) respectively. The ammonia emission appeared increasing trend, whereas, the contribution of various ammonia sources presented little change. For instance, in 2000-2004, the contributions of NH3 emission from fertilized cropland, manure management system and field residues burning to the total ammonia emission of agro-ecosystem in the Sichuan-Chongqing region were 53%, 46% and 1%, equals to 374.9, 318.2 and 5.6 Gg x a(-1) respectively. But the contributions were variable in different regions. Ammonia emission was primarily induced by fertilized cropland in Chengdu plain and Chongqing hilly area, whereas, in northwest sub-region of Sichuan province was manure management system. The geographical distribution of ammonia emission from agro-ecosystem in the Sichuan-Chongqing region was generally "east high and west low". Ammonia emissions in sub-regions of Chongqing hilly area, Chengdu plain, southwest and northwest sub-regions were 165.6, 408.8, 85.9 and 38.8 Gg x a(-1), respectively, during 2000-2004. At the same time, ammonia density were 20 and 28 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1) in sub-regions of the Chongqing hilly area and the Chengdu plain, whereas, 9.1 and 1.6 kg x (hm2 x a)(-1) in southwest and northwest sub-regions, respectively. The results will provide a scientific basis for making fertilizer effectively applied and mitigate NH3 and GHG emissions from agro-ecosystem of Sichuan-Chongqing region.

Ammonia blood test

MedlinePlus

Serum ammonia; Encephalopathy - ammonia; Cirrhosis - ammonia; Liver failure - ammonia ... Ammonia (NH3) is produced by cells throughout the body, especially the intestines, liver, and kidneys. Most of ...

a Study on the Document Information Service of the National Agricultural Library for Agricultural Sci-Tech Innovation in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qian; Meng, Xianxue

This paper presents the significant function of the Chinese National Agricultural Library (CNAL) in the agricultural sci-tech innovation system in China, analyses the development of collection and service in the CNAL, explores the challenge towards sustain and develop information services for the agricultural sci-tech research and innovation, at last proposes the strategy for sci-tech document information service development.

Uncertainties and implications of applying aggregated data for spatial modelling of atmospheric ammonia emissions.

PubMed

Hellsten, S; Dragosits, U; Place, C J; Dore, A J; Tang, Y S; Sutton, M A

2018-05-09

Ammonia emissions vary greatly at a local scale, and effects (eutrophication, acidification) occur primarily close to sources. Therefore it is important that spatially distributed emission estimates are located as accurately as possible. The main source of ammonia emissions is agriculture, and therefore agricultural survey statistics are the most important input data to an ammonia emission inventory alongside per activity estimates of emission potential. In the UK, agricultural statistics are collected at farm level, but are aggregated to parish level, NUTS-3 level or regular grid resolution for distribution to users. In this study, the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP), associated with such amalgamation, is investigated in the context of assessing the spatial distribution of ammonia sources for emission inventories. England was used as a test area to study the effects of the MAUP. Agricultural survey data at farm level (point data) were obtained under license and amalgamated to different areal units or zones: regular 1-km, 5-km, 10-km grids and parish level, before they were imported into the emission model. The results of using the survey data at different levels of amalgamation were assessed to estimate the effects of the MAUP on the spatial inventory. The analysis showed that the size and shape of aggregation zones applied to the farm-level agricultural statistics strongly affect the location of the emissions estimated by the model. If the zones are too small, this may result in false emission "hot spots", i.e., artificially high emission values that are in reality not confined to the zone to which they are allocated. Conversely, if the zones are too large, detail may be lost and emissions smoothed out, which may give a false impression of the spatial patterns and magnitude of emissions in those zones. The results of the study indicate that the MAUP has a significant effect on the location and local magnitude of emissions in spatial inventories where

77 FR 64794 - Cancellation of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-23

... Cancellation of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of intent to cancel meeting. SUMMARY: The meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board...

78 FR 25691 - Meeting Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-02

... Meeting Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: In accordance with...) announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory...

A Cyanine Dye Encapsulated Porous Fibrous Mat for Naked-Eye Ammonia Sensing.

PubMed

Ji, Chendong; Ma, Lijing; Yin, Meizhen; Yang, Wantai; Pan, Kai

2016-08-19

Electrospun ultrathin fiber-based sensors are desirable because of their practicality and sensitivity. Ammonia-detection systems are in high demand in different areas, including the industrial and agricultural fields. However, current technologies rely on large and complex instruments that restrict their actual utilization. Herein, we report a flexible naked-eye ammonia sensor, the polylactic acid-cyanine (PLA-Cy) fibrous mat, which was fabricated by blending a carboxyl-functionalized cyanine dye (D1) into electospun PLA porous fibers. The sensing mat was shown to undergo a naked-eye-detectable color change from white to blue upon exposure to ammonia vapor. The mat showed high selectivity to ammonia gas with a detection limit of 3.3 ppm. Aggregated D1 was first encapsulated by PLA and was then ionized by NH3 . These mechanisms were examined by photophysical studies and scanning electron microscopy. The aggregation-deaggregation process of D1 in the PLA-Cy fibrous mat led to the color change. This work provides a facile method for the naked-eye detection of ammonia and a novel strategy for the use of organic dyes in ammonia sensing. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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2010-11-04

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Linkage of food consumption and export to ammonia emissions in Canada and the overriding implications for mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheppard, S. C.; Bittman, S.

2015-02-01

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture to the atmosphere, along with emissions of other pollutants from a variety of sources, are of concern to agriculture worldwide. National emissions from agricultural sources in Canada are linked to domestic consumption and export demand for agricultural products. The onus to limit emissions is often directed to the producers, but the marketplace and consumer are also responsible for the environmental impact of their choices. This objective of this study was to quantitatively link agricultural NH3 emissions to per person consumption of food and protein and to agricultural exports from Canada. There are substantial differences in the NH3 emissions per unit consumed protein among the various food types. As a result, shifts in the Canadian diet have had a large impact on relative per person NH3 emissions. From 1981 to 2006, the total per person protein intake in the Canadian diet increased about 5%, but NH3 emission related to that diet decreased 20%. This is largely related to consumption of less beef, which has a high emission per unit of meat or protein, and more poultry and cereals which have much lower emissions. Although these changes in diet were not because of environmental concerns by the consumers, they had substantial effects on national-level emissions. These consumer driven effects may well exceed the possible effects of best management practices intended to address NH3 emissions at the producer level. Note that the Canadian population has increased 50% from 1981 to 2006 and meat and egg exports increased 570%, so that total emissions from food production in Canada have increased. Our results imply there will be further effects on national NH3 emissions because of dietary and export drivers that are generally outside the scope of agro-environmental policy.

Interannual variability of ammonia concentrations over the United States: sources and implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiferl, Luke D.; Heald, Colette L.; Van Damme, Martin; Clarisse, Lieven; Clerbaux, Cathy; Coheur, Pierre-François; Nowak, John B.; Neuman, J. Andrew; Herndon, Scott C.; Roscioli, Joseph R.; Eilerman, Scott J.

2016-09-01

The variability of atmospheric ammonia (NH3), emitted largely from agricultural sources, is an important factor when considering how inorganic fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations and nitrogen cycling are changing over the United States. This study combines new observations of ammonia concentration from the surface, aboard aircraft, and retrieved by satellite to both evaluate the simulation of ammonia in a chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem) and identify which processes control the variability of these concentrations over a 5-year period (2008-2012). We find that the model generally underrepresents the ammonia concentration near large source regions (by 26 % at surface sites) and fails to reproduce the extent of interannual variability observed at the surface during the summer (JJA). Variability in the base simulation surface ammonia concentration is dominated by meteorology (64 %) as compared to reductions in SO2 and NOx emissions imposed by regulation (32 %) over this period. Introduction of year-to-year varying ammonia emissions based on animal population, fertilizer application, and meteorologically driven volatilization does not substantially improve the model comparison with observed ammonia concentrations, and these ammonia emissions changes have little effect on the simulated ammonia concentration variability compared to those caused by the variability of meteorology and acid-precursor emissions. There is also little effect on the PM2.5 concentration due to ammonia emissions variability in the summer when gas-phase changes are favored, but variability in wintertime emissions, as well as in early spring and late fall, will have a larger impact on PM2.5 formation. This work highlights the need for continued improvement in both satellite-based and in situ ammonia measurements to better constrain the magnitude and impacts of spatial and temporal variability in ammonia concentrations.

How Are We Educating Agricultural Students? A National Profile of Leadership Capacities and Involvement in College Compared to Non-Agricultural Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosch, David M.; Coers, Natalie

2013-01-01

Given the importance of leadership development within the various agricultural professions, a national sample (n = 461) of students with agriculture-related majors from 55 colleges was compared to a similarly-sized random peer group from the same institutions. The data were analyzed to compare the agricultural student sample to their peers with…

Ammonia losses from a southern high plains dairy during summer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal agriculture is a significant source of ammonia (NH3). Cattle excrete a large amount of nitrogen (N); most urinary N is converted to NH3, volatilized and lost to the atmosphere. Open lot dairies on the southern High Plains are a growing industry and face environmental challenges including repo...

Continuous determination of gaseous ammonia in the ambient atmosphere using fluorescence derivatization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Rana; Tanner, Roger L.

A method for continuous determination of ambient ammonia levels employing o-phthalaldehyde fluorescence derivatization is described. A simplified Venturi scrubber and gas-liquid separator have been employed for reproducible measurements of ⩾ 0.1 ppb ambient ammonia with less than 2 min time resolution. The scrubbing efficiency of the ammonia gas collection system was determined to be 29 ± 1 %. During 4 d in August 1979 ambient ammonia levels at the Brookhaven National Laboratory site averaged about 1.5 ± 1.1 ppb during afternoon daylight hours.

Observations of radiation damage and recovery in ammonia targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKee, P. M.

2004-06-01

The Polarized Target Group at the University of Virginia has conducted experiments at both the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) and the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (JLab) in which a high-intensity (100 nA) electron beam was focused on a polarized target of solid ammonia and/ or solid, deuterated ammonia. Analysis of the target polarization data have revealed several unique characteristics of ammonia. Topics discussed include the rate of polarization decay with accumulated charge, methods of recovering polarization through target annealing and damage-induced shifts in the optimum microwave frequency used to drive the polarization.

Impact of Agricultural Emission Reductions on Fine Particulate Matter and Public Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzer, A.; Tsimpidi, A.; Karydis, V.; De Meij, A.; Lelieveld, J.

2017-12-01

A global chemistry-climate model has been used to study the impacts of pollutants released by agriculture on fine particulate matter (PM2.5), with a focus on Europe, North America, South and East Asia. Hypothetical reduction of agricultural emission of 50%, 66% and 100% have been simulated and compared with the reference simulation. The simulations results reveal that a relatively strong reduction in PM2.5 levels can be achieved by decreasing agricultural emissions, and this effect can almost be exclusively explain by the reduction of ammonia (NH3) emissions, released from fertilizer use and animal husbandry. The absolute impact on PM2.5 reduction is strongest in East Asia, even for small emission decreases, although the relative reduction is very low (below 13% for a full removal of agricultural emissions) . Conversely, over Europe and North America, aerosol formation is not directly limited by the availability of ammonia. Nevertheless, reduction of NH3 can also substantially decrease PM2.5concentrations over the latter regions, especially when emissions are abated systematically and an ammonia limited regions of aerosol growth is reached. Further, our results document how reduction of agricultural emissions decreases aerosol pH due to the depletion of aerosol ammonium, which affects particle liquid phase and heterogeneous chemistry. It is calculated that ammonia emission controls could reduce the particle pH up to 1.5 pH-units in East Asia during winter, and more than 1.7 pH-units in South Asia, theoretically assuming complete agricultural emission removal, which could have repercussions for the reactive uptake of gases from the gas phase and the outgassing of relative weak acids. It is finally shown that a 50% reduction of agricultural emissions could prevent the mortality attributable to air pollution by 250 thousands people per year worldwide, amounting to reductions of 30%, 19% , 8% and 3% over North America, Europe and South Asia and East Asia, respectively

Development of an Agricultural Fertilizer Modeling System for Bi-Directional Ammonia Fluxes in the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Model

EPA Science Inventory

Atmospheric ammonia (NH₃) plays an important role in fine-mode aerosol formation. Accurate estimates of ammonia from both human and natural emissions can reduce uncertainties in air quality modeling. The majority of ammonia anthropogenic emissions come from the agricul...

Cultivation of an obligate acidophilic ammonia oxidizer from a nitrifying acid soil.

PubMed

Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E; Stoecker, Kilian; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Prosser, James I; Nicol, Graeme W

2011-09-20

Nitrification is a fundamental component of the global nitrogen cycle and leads to significant fertilizer loss and atmospheric and groundwater pollution. Nitrification rates in acidic soils (pH < 5.5), which comprise 30% of the world's soils, equal or exceed those of neutral soils. Paradoxically, autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea, which perform the first stage in nitrification, demonstrate little or no growth in suspended liquid culture below pH 6.5, at which ammonia availability is reduced by ionization. Here we report the discovery and cultivation of a chemolithotrophic, obligately acidophilic thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizer, "Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra," from an acidic agricultural soil. Phylogenetic analysis places the organism within a previously uncultivated thaumarchaeal lineage that has been observed in acidic soils. Growth of the organism is optimal in the pH range 4 to 5 and is restricted to the pH range 4 to 5.5, unlike all previously cultivated ammonia oxidizers. Growth of this organism and associated ammonia oxidation and autotrophy also occur during nitrification in soil at pH 4.5. The discovery of Nitrosotalea devanaterra provides a previously unsuspected explanation for high rates of nitrification in acidic soils, and confirms the vital role that thaumarchaea play in terrestrial nitrogen cycling. Growth at extremely low ammonia concentration (0.18 nM) also challenges accepted views on ammonia uptake and metabolism and indicates novel mechanisms for ammonia oxidation at low pH.

Cultivation of an obligate acidophilic ammonia oxidizer from a nitrifying acid soil

PubMed Central

Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E.; Stoecker, Kilian; Vilcinskas, Andreas; Prosser, James I.; Nicol, Graeme W.

2011-01-01

Nitrification is a fundamental component of the global nitrogen cycle and leads to significant fertilizer loss and atmospheric and groundwater pollution. Nitrification rates in acidic soils (pH < 5.5), which comprise 30% of the world's soils, equal or exceed those of neutral soils. Paradoxically, autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria and archaea, which perform the first stage in nitrification, demonstrate little or no growth in suspended liquid culture below pH 6.5, at which ammonia availability is reduced by ionization. Here we report the discovery and cultivation of a chemolithotrophic, obligately acidophilic thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidizer, “Candidatus Nitrosotalea devanaterra,” from an acidic agricultural soil. Phylogenetic analysis places the organism within a previously uncultivated thaumarchaeal lineage that has been observed in acidic soils. Growth of the organism is optimal in the pH range 4 to 5 and is restricted to the pH range 4 to 5.5, unlike all previously cultivated ammonia oxidizers. Growth of this organism and associated ammonia oxidation and autotrophy also occur during nitrification in soil at pH 4.5. The discovery of Nitrosotalea devanaterra provides a previously unsuspected explanation for high rates of nitrification in acidic soils, and confirms the vital role that thaumarchaea play in terrestrial nitrogen cycling. Growth at extremely low ammonia concentration (0.18 nM) also challenges accepted views on ammonia uptake and metabolism and indicates novel mechanisms for ammonia oxidation at low pH. PMID:21896746

7 CFR 2.68 - Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics § 2.68 Administrator, National Agricultural...(b)(2), the following delegations of authority are made by the Under Secretary for Research... enumerative and objective measurement surveys, construction and maintenance of sampling frames, and related...

7 CFR 2.68 - Administrator, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics § 2.68 Administrator, National Agricultural...(b)(2), the following delegations of authority are made by the Under Secretary for Research... enumerative and objective measurement surveys, construction and maintenance of sampling frames, and related...

[Anthropogenic ammonia emission inventory and characteristics in the Pearl River Delta Region].

PubMed

Yin, Sha-sha; Zheng, Jun-yu; Zhang, Li-jun; Zhong, Liu-ju

2010-05-01

Based on the collected activity data and emission factors of anthropogenic ammonia sources, a 2006-based anthropogenic ammonia emission inventory was developed for the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region by source categories and cities with the use of appropriate estimation methods. The results show: (1) the total NH3 emission from anthropogenic sources in the PRD region was 194. 8 kt; (2) the agriculture sources were major contributors of anthropogenic ammonia sources, in which livestock sources shared 62.1% of total NH3 emission and the contribution of application of nitrogen fertilizers was 21.7%; (3) the broiler was the largest contributor among the livestock sources, accounting for 43.4% of the livestock emissions, followed by the hog with a contribution of 32.1%; (4) Guangzhou was the largest ammonia emission city in the PRD region, and then Jiangmen, accounting for 23.4% and 19.1% of total NH3 emission in the PRD region respectively, with major sources as livestock sources and application of nitrogen fertilizers.

Identification of factors most important for ammonia emission from fertilized soils for potato production using principal component analysis

Treesearch

Guodoong Liu; Yuncong Li; Kati W. Migliaccio; Ying Ouyang; Ashok K. Alva

2011-01-01

Ammonia (NH3) emissions from fertilized soils are a costly problem that is undermining agricultural and ecological sustainability worldwide. Ammonia emissions from crop production have been reliably documented in recent years. However, insufficient efforts have been made to determine the factors most influential in facilitating NH3 emissions. The goal of this study was...

78 FR 25691 - Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-02

... National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Solicitation for membership. SUMMARY: In accordance with the Federal... solicitation for nominations to fill 8 vacancies on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education...

Advances in Support of the CMAQ Bidirectional Science Option for the Estimation of Ammonia Flux from Agricultural cropland

EPA Science Inventory

Proposed Session: Emissions Inventories, Models and processes: Last year a new CMAQ bidirectional option for the estimation of ammonia flux (emission and deposition) was released. This option essentially replaces NEI crop ammonia emissions with emissions calculated dynamically...

76 FR 13124 - Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

... Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: In accordance with...) announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory...

75 FR 61692 - Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-06

... Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: In accordance with...) announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory...

75 FR 12171 - Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-15

... Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: In accordance with... announces a meeting of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory...

[Temporal and spatial distribution of anthropogenic ammonia emissions in China: 1994-2006].

PubMed

Dong, Wen-xuan; Xing, Jia; Wang, Shu-xiao

2010-07-01

Ammonia has both direct and indirect impacts on important environmental issues including acid deposition, regional fine particles and eutrophication. Estimation of anthropogenic ammonia emissions will provide valuable information for the pollution control of acid deposition and regional fine particle. Based on the provincial activity data on N-fertilizer application, livestock farming, N-fertilizer production and populations, this paper uses emission factor method to estimate China's atmospheric ammonia emissions, analyzes its historical trends and presents its geographical distributions from year 1994 to 2006. The national total atmospheric ammonia emissions are estimated to be 11.06 million tons (Mt) in 1994, which increase quickly to 16.07 Mt in 2006. Emissions from livestock farming, N-fertilizer application, N-fertilizer production and human excreta have increased from 4.47 Mt, 5.94 Mt, 0.09 Mt, and 0.59 Mt in 1994 to 6.61 Mt, 8.68 Mt, 0.14 Mt, 0.65 Mt respectively in 2006. Livestock farming and N-fertilizer application are the most important ammonia emission sources, which contributed 40.79 and 55.53 percent of total emissions respectively in 2006. In 2006, the average ammonia emission intensity is 1.67 t x km(-2) but there are large variations among atmospheric ammonia emissions from each province. Emissions from provinces including Henan, Shandong, Hebei, Sichuan and Jiangsu accounted for 40.82 percent of national emissions.

Temporal and spatial variability of ammonia in urban and agricultural regions of northern Colorado, United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi; Thompson, Tammy M.; Van Damme, Martin; Chen, Xi; Benedict, Katherine B.; Shao, Yixing; Day, Derek; Boris, Alexandra; Sullivan, Amy P.; Ham, Jay; Whitburn, Simon; Clarisse, Lieven; Coheur, Pierre-François; Collett, Jeffrey L., Jr.

2017-05-01

Concentrated agricultural activities and animal feeding operations in the northeastern plains of Colorado represent an important source of atmospheric ammonia (NH3). The NH3 from these sources contributes to regional fine particle formation and to nitrogen deposition to sensitive ecosystems in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), located ˜ 80 km to the west. In order to better understand temporal and spatial differences in NH3 concentrations in this source region, weekly concentrations of NH3 were measured at 14 locations during the summers of 2010 to 2015 using Radiello passive NH3 samplers. Weekly (biweekly in 2015) average NH3 concentrations ranged from 2.66 to 42.7 µg m-3, with the highest concentrations near large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The annual summertime mean NH3 concentrations were stable in this region from 2010 to 2015, providing a baseline against which concentration changes associated with future changes in regional NH3 emissions can be assessed. Vertical profiles of NH3 were also measured on the 300 m Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) tower throughout 2012. The highest NH3 concentration along the vertical profile was always observed at the 10 m height (annual average concentration of 4.63 µg m-3), decreasing toward the surface (4.35 µg m-3) and toward higher altitudes (1.93 µg m-3). The NH3 spatial distributions measured using the passive samplers are compared with NH3 columns retrieved by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite and concentrations simulated by the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with Extensions (CAMx). The satellite comparison adds to a growing body of evidence that IASI column retrievals of NH3 provide very useful insight into regional variability in atmospheric NH3, in this case even in a region with strong local sources and sharp spatial gradients. The CAMx comparison indicates that the model does a reasonable job simulating NH3 concentrations near sources but tends to

76 FR 14068 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Sequoia National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-15

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [2253-665] Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Sequoia National Forest, Porterville, CA AGENCY: National Park... and associated funerary objects in the possession and control of the U.S. Department of Agriculture...

77 FR 39506 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-03

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-10467; 2200-1100-665] Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, Craig Ranger... of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, has completed an inventory of human...

Colorimetric polymer-metal nanocomposite sensor of ammonia for the agricultural industry of confined animal feeding operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkisov, Sergey S.; Czarick, Michael; Fairchild, Brian D.; Liang, Yi; Kukhtareva, Tatiana; Curley, Michael J.

2014-02-01

The proposed colorimetric sensor of ammonia for the confined animal feeding industry uses the method of optoelectronic spectroscopic measurement of the reversible change of the color of a nanocomposite reagent film in response to ammonia. The film is made of a gold nanocolloid in a polymer matrix with an ammonia-sensitive indicator dye additive. The response of the indicator dye (increase of the optical absorption between 550 and 650 nm) is enhanced by the nanoparticles (˜8 nm in size) in two ways: (a) concentration of the optical field near the nanoparticle due to the plasmon resonance and (b) catalytic acceleration of the chemical reaction of deprotonization of the indicator dye in the presence of ammonia and water vapor. This enhancement helps to miniaturize the sensing element without compromising its sensitivity of <1 parts per million (ppm) for the range 0 to 100 ppm. The sensor underwent field tests in commercial poultry farms in Georgia and Arkansas and was compared against a scientific-grade photoacoustic gas analyzer. The coefficient of correlation between the sensor and the photoacoustic data for several weeks of continuous side-by-side operation in a commercial poultry house was ˜0.9 and the linear regression slope was 1.0. The conclusions on the necessary improvements were made.

Estimation of Agricultural Pesticide Use in Drainage Basins Using Land Cover Maps and County Pesticide Data. National Water-Quality Assessment Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

National Water-Quality Assessment Program NCFAP National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy NLCD 92 National Land Cover Data 1992 NLCDe 92 enhanced...cropland acreage and state agricultural pesticide use in the early to mid-1990s reported by the National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP...Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). [17]. The National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy (NCFAP) is a

78 FR 59953 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Coconino National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-30

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-13882; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000] Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Coconino National.... ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Coconino National...

Agricultural soil greenhouse gas emissions: a review of national inventory methods.

PubMed

Lokupitiya, Erandathie; Paustian, Keith

2006-01-01

Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are required to submit national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories, together with information on methods used in estimating their emissions. Currently agricultural activities contribute a significant portion (approximately 20%) of global anthropogenic GHG emissions, and agricultural soils have been identified as one of the main GHG source categories within the agricultural sector. However, compared to many other GHG sources, inventory methods for soils are relatively more complex and have been implemented only to varying degrees among member countries. This review summarizes and evaluates the methods used by Annex 1 countries in estimating CO2 and N2O emissions in agricultural soils. While most countries utilize the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) default methodology, several Annex 1 countries are developing more advanced methods that are tailored for specific country circumstances. Based on the latest national inventory reporting, about 56% of the Annex 1 countries use IPCC Tier 1 methods, about 26% use Tier 2 methods, and about 18% do not estimate or report N2O emissions from agricultural soils. More than 65% of the countries do not report CO2 emissions from the cultivation of mineral soils, organic soils, or liming, and only a handful of countries have used country-specific, Tier 3 methods. Tier 3 methods usually involve process-based models and detailed, geographically specific activity data. Such methods can provide more robust, accurate estimates of emissions and removals but require greater diligence in documentation, transparency, and uncertainty assessment to ensure comparability between countries. Availability of detailed, spatially explicit activity data is a major constraint to implementing higher tiered methods in many countries.

Ammonia Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, Richard L. (Inventor); Akse, James R. (Inventor); Thompson, John O. (Inventor); Atwater, James E. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

Ammonia monitor and method of use are disclosed. A continuous, real-time determination of the concentration of ammonia in an aqueous process stream is possible over a wide dynamic range of concentrations. No reagents are required because pH is controlled by an in-line solid-phase base. Ammonia is selectively transported across a membrane from the process stream to an analytical stream to an analytical stream under pH control. The specific electrical conductance of the analytical stream is measured and used to determine the concentration of ammonia.

Treatment of Ammonia Nitrogen Wastewater in Low Concentration by Two-Stage Ozonization.

PubMed

Luo, Xianping; Yan, Qun; Wang, Chunying; Luo, Caigui; Zhou, Nana; Jian, Chensheng

2015-09-23

Ammonia nitrogen wastewater (about 100 mg/L) was treated by two-stage ozone oxidation method. The effects of ozone flow rate and initial pH on ammonia removal were studied, and the mechanism of ammonia nitrogen removal by ozone oxidation was discussed. After the primary stage of ozone oxidation, the ammonia removal efficiency reached 59.32% and pH decreased to 6.63 under conditions of 1 L/min ozone flow rate and initial pH 11. Then, the removal efficiency could be over 85% (the left ammonia concentration was lower than 15 mg/L) after the second stage, which means the wastewater could have met the national discharge standards of China. Besides, the mechanism of ammonia removal by ozone oxidation was proposed by detecting the products of the oxidation: ozone oxidation directly and ·OH oxidation; ammonia was mainly transformed into NO₃(-)-N, less into NO₂(-)-N, not into N₂.

Net summertime emission of ammonia from corn and triticale fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Undine; Smith, Jeremy; Brümmer, Christian

2016-04-01

Recent advancements in laser spectrometry offer new opportunities to investigate ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of environmentally relevant trace gases. In this study, we used a quantum cascade laser (QCL) absorption spectrometer to continuously measure high-frequency concentrations of ammonia and the net exchange between an agricultural site and the atmosphere based on the eddy-covariance approach. The footprint was split into two main sectors, one planted with corn (Zea mays) and the other one with triticale. Ammonia concentrations were highly variable between 2 and almost 100 ppb with an average value of 8.1 ppb during the observation period from April to September 2015. While both deposition and emission of ammonia was observed, the total campaign exchange resulted in a loss of 3.3 kg NH3-N ha-1. Highest average emission fluxes of 65 ng N m-2 s-1 were recorded after fertilization at the beginning of the campaign in April and May. Afterwards the exchange of ammonia with the atmosphere decreased considerably, but the site remained on average a consistent source with sporadic lower peaks and an average flux of 13 ng N m-2 s-1. While management in the form of fertilization was the main driver for ammonia concentration and exchange at the site, biophysical controls from temperature, wind regime, and surface wetness are also presented.

Seasonal ammonia losses from spray-irrigation with secondary-treated recycled water.

PubMed

Saez, Jose A; Harmon, Thomas C; Doshi, Sarika; Guerrero, Francisco

2012-01-01

This work examines ammonia volatilization associated with agricultural irrigation employing recycled water. Effluent from a secondary wastewater treatment plant was applied using a center pivot irrigation system on a 12 ha agricultural site in Palmdale, California. Irrigation water was captured in shallow pans and ammonia concentrations were quantified in four seasonal events. The average ammonia loss ranged from 15 to 35% (averaging 22%) over 2-h periods. Temporal mass losses were well-fit using a first-order model. The resulting rate constants correlated primarily with temperature and secondarily with wind speed. The observed application rates and timing were projected over an entire irrigation season using meteorological time series data from the site, which yielded volatilization estimates of 0.03 to 0.09 metric tons NH(3)-N/ha per year. These rates are consistent with average rates (0.04 to 0.08 MT NH(3)-N/ha per year) based on 10 to 20 mg NH(3)-N/L effluent concentrations and a 22% average removal. As less than 10% of the treated effluent in California is currently reused, there is potential for this source to increase, but the increase may be offset by a corresponding reduction in synthetic fertilizers usage. This point is a factor for consideration with respect to nutrient management using recycled water.

Treatment of Ammonia Nitrogen Wastewater in Low Concentration by Two-Stage Ozonization

PubMed Central

Luo, Xianping; Yan, Qun; Wang, Chunying; Luo, Caigui; Zhou, Nana; Jian, Chensheng

2015-01-01

Ammonia nitrogen wastewater (about 100 mg/L) was treated by two-stage ozone oxidation method. The effects of ozone flow rate and initial pH on ammonia removal were studied, and the mechanism of ammonia nitrogen removal by ozone oxidation was discussed. After the primary stage of ozone oxidation, the ammonia removal efficiency reached 59.32% and pH decreased to 6.63 under conditions of 1 L/min ozone flow rate and initial pH 11. Then, the removal efficiency could be over 85% (the left ammonia concentration was lower than 15 mg/L) after the second stage, which means the wastewater could have met the national discharge standards of China. Besides, the mechanism of ammonia removal by ozone oxidation was proposed by detecting the products of the oxidation: ozone oxidation directly and ·OH oxidation; ammonia was mainly transformed into NO3−-N, less into NO2−-N, not into N2. PMID:26404353

Comparing gibbs energy relationships for ammonia volatilizations from agricultural soils for potato production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil drought, that can be enhanced by global warming increases ammonia (NH3) volatilization. This laboratory study was conducted with two soils: Krome Gravelly Loam (KGL) from Florida and Warden Silt Loam (WSL) from Washington State and two fertilizers: Ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4] or ammonium nitra...

78 FR 52496 - Meeting Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-23

..., Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, Office of the Secretary... Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. DATES: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and [[Page 52497

Measurement of Ambient Ammonia and Surface-level Meteorological Forcing Variables near an Agricultural Emission Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myles, L.; Heuer, M. W.

2012-12-01

Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) is a reduced form of reactive nitrogen that is primarily emitted from agricultural activities. NH3 volatilizes from animal waste and fertilized land directly into the atmosphere where it can either react with other gases to form fine particulate matter or deposit on surfaces through air-surface exchange processes. Field measurements in different ecosystems and under various conditions are necessary to improve the understanding of the complex relationships between ambient NH3 and meteorological parameters, such as temperature and relative humidity, which influence volatilization rates and ultimately, ambient concentrations near emission sources. However, the measurement of ambient NH3 is challenging. NH3 is hydroscopic and reactive, and measurement techniques are subject to errors caused by sampling artifacts and other interferences. Recent advancements have led to improved techniques that allow real-time measurement of ambient NH3. A cavity ring-down spectrometer was deployed at a cattle research facility in Knoxville, TN during spring 2012 to measure ambient NH3, and meteorological instrumentation was collocated to measure 3-D winds, temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and other parameters (z = 2 m). The study site was rolling pasture typical of the eastern Tennessee Valley and included two large barns and approximately 30-40 cattle. Daytime ambient NH3 averaged 15-20 ppb most days with lows of approximately 7 ppb at night. Higher concentrations (greater than 50 ppb) seemed to correlate with higher temperatures (greater than 27 C), although the data are not consistent. Several instances of 100 ppb concentrations were measured when temperatures were high and winds were from the direction of the barns. Overall, the study shows that ambient NH3 levels near agricultural emission sources may vary greatly with time and a variety of factors, including meteorological conditions. The data support the need for real-time measurements of NH

Secondary aerosol production from agricultural gas precursors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Studies of air quality indicate that agricultural emissions may impact particulate mass concentrations through both primary and secondary processes. Increasing evidence from both laboratory and field work suggests that not only does ammonia produce secondary particulate matter, but some volatile org...

Pre-acclimation to low ammonia improves ammonia handling in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) when exposed subsequently to high environmental ammonia.

PubMed

Shrivastava, Jyotsna; Sinha, Amit Kumar; Datta, Surjya Narayan; Blust, Ronny; De Boeck, Gudrun

2016-11-01

We tested whether exposing fish to low ammonia concentrations induced acclimation processes and helped fish to tolerate subsequent (sub)lethal ammonia exposure by activating ammonia excretory pathways. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were pre-exposed to 0.27mM ammonia (∼10% 96h LC 50 ) for 3, 7 and 14days. Thereafter, each of these pre-exposed and parallel naïve groups were exposed to 1.35mM high environmental ammonia (HEA, ∼50% 96h LC 50 ) for 12h and 48h to assess the occurrence of ammonia acclimation based on sub-lethal end-points, and to lethal ammonia concentrations (2.7mM, 96h LC 50 ) in order to assess improved survival time. Results show that fish pre-exposed to ammonia for 3 and 7days had a longer survival time than the ammonia naïve fish. However, this effect disappeared after prolonged (14days) pre-exposure. Ammonia excretion rate (J amm ) was strongly inhibited (or even reversed) in the unacclimated groups during HEA. On the contrary, after 3days the pre-exposure fish maintained J amm while after 7days these pre-acclimated fish were able to increase J amm efficiently. Again, this effect disappeared after 14days of pre-acclimation. The efficient ammonia efflux in pre-acclimated fish was associated with the up-regulation of branchial mRNA expression of ammonia transporters and exchangers. Pre-exposure with ammonia for 3-7days stimulated an increment in the transcript level of gill Rhcg-a and Rhcg-b mRNA relative to the naïve control group and the up-regulation of these two Rhcg homologs was reinforced during subsequent HEA exposure. No effect of pre-exposure was noted for Rhbg. Relative to unacclimated fish, the transcript level of Na + /H + exchangers (NHE-3) was raised in 3-7days pre-acclimated fish and remained higher during the subsequent HEA exposure while gill H + -ATPase activities and mRNA levels were not affected by pre-acclimation episodes. Likewise, ammonia pre-acclimated fish with or without HEA exposure displayed pronounced up

78 FR 34125 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San Juan National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-13011; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000] Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San Juan National... of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, San Juan National Forest has completed an inventory of human...

An acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing γ-proteobacterium from soil

PubMed Central

Hayatsu, Masahito; Tago, Kanako; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Wang, Yong; Shimomura, Yumi; Okubo, Takashi; Kurisu, Futoshi; Hirono, Yuhei; Nonaka, Kunihiko; Akiyama, Hiroko; Itoh, Takehiko; Takami, Hideto

2017-01-01

Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, occurs in a wide range of acidic soils. However, the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) that have been isolated from soil to date are acid-sensitive. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an acid-adapted AOB from an acidic agricultural soil. The isolated AOB, strain TAO100, is classified within the Gammaproteobacteria based on phylogenetic characteristics. TAO100 can grow in the pH range of 5–7.5 and survive in highly acidic conditions until pH 2 by forming cell aggregates. Whereas all known gammaproteobacterial AOB (γ-AOB) species, which have been isolated from marine and saline aquatic environments, are halophiles, TAO100 is not phenotypically halophilic. Thus, TAO100 represents the first soil-originated and non-halophilic γ-AOB. The TAO100 genome is considerably smaller than those of other γ-AOB and lacks several genes associated with salt tolerance which are unnecessary for survival in soil. The ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene of TAO100 and its transcript are higher in abundance than those of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and betaproteobacterial AOB in the strongly acidic soil. These results indicate that TAO100 plays an important role in the nitrification of acidic soils. Based on these results, we propose TAO100 as a novel species of a new genus, Candidatus Nitrosoglobus terrae. PMID:28072419

An acid-tolerant ammonia-oxidizing γ-proteobacterium from soil.

PubMed

Hayatsu, Masahito; Tago, Kanako; Uchiyama, Ikuo; Toyoda, Atsushi; Wang, Yong; Shimomura, Yumi; Okubo, Takashi; Kurisu, Futoshi; Hirono, Yuhei; Nonaka, Kunihiko; Akiyama, Hiroko; Itoh, Takehiko; Takami, Hideto

2017-05-01

Nitrification, the microbial oxidation of ammonia to nitrate via nitrite, occurs in a wide range of acidic soils. However, the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) that have been isolated from soil to date are acid-sensitive. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an acid-adapted AOB from an acidic agricultural soil. The isolated AOB, strain TAO100, is classified within the Gammaproteobacteria based on phylogenetic characteristics. TAO100 can grow in the pH range of 5-7.5 and survive in highly acidic conditions until pH 2 by forming cell aggregates. Whereas all known gammaproteobacterial AOB (γ-AOB) species, which have been isolated from marine and saline aquatic environments, are halophiles, TAO100 is not phenotypically halophilic. Thus, TAO100 represents the first soil-originated and non-halophilic γ-AOB. The TAO100 genome is considerably smaller than those of other γ-AOB and lacks several genes associated with salt tolerance which are unnecessary for survival in soil. The ammonia monooxygenase subunit A gene of TAO100 and its transcript are higher in abundance than those of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and betaproteobacterial AOB in the strongly acidic soil. These results indicate that TAO100 plays an important role in the nitrification of acidic soils. Based on these results, we propose TAO100 as a novel species of a new genus, Candidatus Nitrosoglobus terrae.

Prospects for Rural America as the Nation Matures: An Agricultural Economist's Prognosis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breimyer, Harold F.

1990-01-01

Examines socioeconomic forces affecting U.S. rural population. Describes signs of nation's maturity, changing national issues, and elements of rural diversity and social stratification. Discusses role of transportation, demise of animal agriculture, industrial and economic changes. Emphasizes conjectural nature of conclusions about society's…

AMMONIA EMISSION FACTORS FROM SWINE FINISHING OPERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper presents results from two new studies at swine finishing facilities. (NOTE: Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are being examined in several regions of the U,.S. as major sources of ammonia and particulate matter precursors. EPA's National Risk Management Re...

AMMONIA EMISSION FACTORS FROM SWINE FINISHING OPERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The paper presents results from two new studies at swine finishing facilities. (NOTE: Concentrated anaimal feeding operations (CAFOs) are being examined in several regions of the U.S. as major sources of ammonia and particulate matter precursors. EPA's National Risk Management Re...

77 FR 68824 - Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-16

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR National Park Service [NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-11514; 2200-1100-665] Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Tongass National Forest, Juneau, AK..., Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Tongass...

VERIFICATION OF AMBIENT MONITORING TECHNOLOGIES FOR AMMONIA AND HYDROGEN SULFIDE AT ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The increasing concentration of livestock agriculture into animal feeding operations (AFOs) has raised concerns about the environmental and potential health impact of the emissions from AFOs into the atmosphere. Gaseous ammonia (NH₃) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂...

Ammonia oxidisers in a non-nitrifying Brazilian savanna soil.

PubMed

Catão, Elisa C P; Thion, Cécile; Krüger, R H; Prosser, James I

2017-11-01

Low nitrification rates in Brazilian savanna (Cerrado) soils have puzzled researchers for decades. Potential mechanisms include biological inhibitors, low pH, low microbial abundance and low soil moisture content, which hinders microbial activity, including ammonia oxidation. Two approaches were used to evaluate these potential mechanisms: (i) manipulation of soil moisture and pH in microcosms containing Cerrado soil and (ii) assessment of nitrification inhibition in slurries containing mixtures of Cerrado soil and an actively nitrifying agricultural soil. Despite high ammonium concentration in Cerrado soil microcosms, little NO3- accumulation was observed with increasing moisture or pH, but in some Cerrado soil slurries, ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) amoA transcripts were detected after 14 days. In mixed soil slurries, the final NO3- concentration reflected the initial proportions of agricultural and Cerrado soils in the mixture, providing no evidence of nitrification inhibitors in Cerrado soil. AOA community denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles were similar in the mixed and nitrifying soils. These results suggest that nitrification in Cerrado soils is not constrained by water availability, ammonium availability, low pH or biological inhibitors, and alternative potential explanations for low nitrification levels are discussed. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Combustion driven ammonia generation strategies for passive ammonia SCR system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Toner, Joel G.; Narayanaswamy, Kushal; Szekely, Jr., Gerald A.

A method for controlling ammonia generation in an exhaust gas feedstream output from an internal combustion engine equipped with an exhaust aftertreatment system including a first aftertreatment device includes executing an ammonia generation cycle to generate ammonia on the first aftertreatment device. A desired air-fuel ratio output from the engine and entering the exhaust aftertreatment system conducive for generating ammonia on the first aftertreatment device is determined. Operation of a selected combination of a plurality of cylinders of the engine is selectively altered to achieve the desired air-fuel ratio entering the exhaust aftertreatment system.

A National Study of Work-Family Balance and Job Satisfaction among Agriculture Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sorensen, Tyson J.; McKim, Aaron J.; Velez, Jonathan J.

2016-01-01

This national study sought to extend previous research on the work-family balance (WFB) ability of secondary school agriculture teachers. We utilized data from a simple random sample of agriculture teachers to explore the relationships between work and family characteristics, WFB ability, and job satisfaction. Work role characteristics of interest…

Source Attribution of Methane Emissions in Northeastern Colorado Using Ammonia to Methane Emission Ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eilerman, S. J.; Neuman, J. A.; Peischl, J.; Aikin, K. C.; Ryerson, T. B.; Perring, A. E.; Robinson, E. S.; Holloway, M.; Trainer, M.

2015-12-01

Due to recent advances in extraction technology, oil and natural gas extraction and processing in the Denver-Julesburg basin has increased substantially in the past decade. Northeastern Colorado is also home to over 250 concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), capable of hosting over 2 million head of ruminant livestock (cattle and sheep). Because of methane's high Global Warming Potential, quantification and attribution of methane emissions from oil and gas development and agricultural activity are important for guiding greenhouse gas emission policy. However, due to the co-location of these different sources, top-down measurements of methane are often unable to attribute emissions to a specific source or sector. In this work, we evaluate the ammonia:methane emission ratio directly downwind of CAFOs using a mobile laboratory. Several CAFOs were chosen for periodic study over a 12-month period to identify diurnal and seasonal variation in the emission ratio as well as differences due to livestock type. Using this knowledge of the agricultural ammonia:methane emission ratio, aircraft measurements of ammonia and methane over oil and gas basins in the western US during the Shale Oil and Natural Gas Nexus (SONGNEX) field campaign in March and April 2015 can be used for source attribution of methane emissions.

Alternan Research at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Northern Regional Research Laboratory (later the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, or NCAUR) began operations on December 16, 1940. By the late 1940’s, Dr. Allene Jeanes was leading a team in an extensive research program on dextrans. Dextrans are glucan polysaccharides th...

Alternan research at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Northern Regional Research Laboratory (later the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, or NCAUR) began operations on December 16, 1940. By the late 1940’s, Dr. Allene Jeanes was leading a team in an extensive research program on dextrans. Dextrans are glucan polysaccharides th...

Evolution of farm and manure management and their influence on ammonia emissions from agriculture in Switzerland between 1990 and 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupper, Thomas; Bonjour, Cyrill; Menzi, Harald

2015-02-01

The evolution of farm and manure management and their influence on ammonia (NH3) emissions from agriculture in Switzerland between 1990 and 2010 was modeled. In 2010, total agricultural NH3 emissions were 48,290 t N. Livestock contributed 90% (43,480 t N), with the remaining 10% (4760 t N) coming from arable and fodder crops. The emission stages of grazing, housing/exercise yard, manure storage and application produced 3%, 34%, 17% and 46%, respectively, of livestock emissions. Cattle, pigs, poultry, small ruminants, horses and other equids accounted for 78%, 15%, 3%, 2% and 2%, respectively, of the emissions from livestock and manure management. Compared to 1990, total NH3 emissions from agriculture and from livestock decreased by 16% and 14%, respectively. This was mainly due to declining livestock numbers, since the emissions per animal became bigger for most livestock categories between 1990 and 2010. The production volume for milk and meat remained constant or increased slightly. Other factors contributing to the emission mitigation were increased grazing for cattle, the growing importance of low-emission slurry application techniques and a significant reduction in the use of mineral fertilizer. However, production parameters enhancing emissions such as animal-friendly housing systems providing more surface area per animal and total volume of slurry stores increased during this time period. That such developments may counteract emission mitigation illustrates the challenge for regulators to balance the various aims in the striving toward sustainable livestock production. A sensitivity analysis identified parameters related to the excretion of total ammoniacal nitrogen from dairy cows and slurry application as being the most sensitive technical parameters influencing emissions. Further improvements to emission models should therefore focus on these parameters.

Model-measurement comparison of ammonia bi-directional air-surface exchange fluxes over agricultural fields

EPA Science Inventory

Modeling of the bi-directional fluxes (BDFs) of ammonia (NH3) over fertilized soybean and corn canopies was evaluated for three intensive sampling periods: the first, during the summer of 2002 in Warsaw, North Carolina (NC), USA; and the second and third during the summer of 2007...

Differential distribution patterns of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in acidic soils of Nanling National Nature Reserve forests in subtropical China.

PubMed

Gan, Xian-Hua; Zhang, Fang-Qiu; Gu, Ji-Dong; Guo, Yue-Dong; Li, Zhao-Qing; Zhang, Wei-Qiang; Xu, Xiu-Yu; Zhou, Yi; Wen, Xiao-Ying; Xie, Guo-Guang; Wang, Yong-Feng

2016-02-01

In addition to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) the more recently discovered ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) can also oxidize ammonia, but little is known about AOA community structure and abundance in subtropical forest soils. In this study, both AOA and AOB were investigated with molecular techniques in eight types of forests at surface soils (0-2 cm) and deep layers (18-20 cm) in Nanling National Nature Reserve in subtropical China. The results showed that the forest soils, all acidic (pH 4.24-5.10), harbored a wide range of AOA phylotypes, including the genera Nitrosotalea, Nitrososphaera, and another 6 clusters, one of which was reported for the first time. For AOB, only members of Nitrosospira were retrieved. Moreover, the abundance of the ammonia monooxygenase gene (amoA) from AOA dominated over AOB in most soil samples (13/16). Soil depth, rather than forest type, was an important factor shaping the community structure of AOA and AOB. The distribution patterns of AOA and AOB in soil layers were reversed: AOA diversity and abundances in the deep layers were higher than those in the surface layers; on the contrary, AOB diversity and abundances in the deep layers were lower than those in the surface layers. Interestingly, the diversity of AOA was positively correlated with pH, but negatively correlated with organic carbon, total nitrogen and total phosphorus, and the abundance of AOA was negatively correlated with available phosphorus. Our results demonstrated that AOA and AOB were differentially distributed in acidic soils in subtropical forests and affected differently by soil characteristics.

Losses of Ammonia and Nitrate from Agriculture and Their Effect on Nitrogen Recovery in the European Union and the United States between 1900 and 2050.

PubMed

van Grinsven, Hans J M; Bouwman, Lex; Cassman, Kenneth G; van Es, Harold M; McCrackin, Michelle L; Beusen, Arthur H W

2015-03-01

Historical trends and levels of nitrogen (N) budgets and emissions to air and water in the European Union and the United States are markedly different. Agro-environmental policy approaches also differ, with emphasis on voluntary or incentive-based schemes in the United States versus a more regulatory approach in the European Union. This paper explores the implications of these differences for attaining long-term policy targets for air and water quality. Nutrient surplus problems were more severe in the European Union than in the United States during the 1970s and 1980s. The EU Nitrates and National Emission Ceilings directives contributed to decreases in fertilizer use, N surplus, and ammonia (NH) emissions, whereas in the United States they stabilized, although NH emissions are still increasing. These differences were analyzed using statistical data for 1900-2005 and the global IMAGE model. IMAGE could reproduce NH emissions and soil N surpluses at different scales (European Union and United States, country and state) and N loads in the Rhine and Mississippi. The regulation-driven changes during the past 25 yr in the European Union have reduced public concerns and have brought agricultural N loads to the aquatic environment closer to US levels. Despite differences in agro-environmental policies and agricultural structure (more N-fixing soybean and more spatially separated feed and livestock production in the United States than in the European Union), current N use efficiency in US and EU crop production is similar. IMAGE projections for the IAASTD-baseline scenario indicate that N loading to the environment in 2050 will be similar to current levels. In the United States, environmental N loads will remain substantially smaller than in the European Union, whereas agricultural production in 2050 in the United States will increase by 30% relative to 2005, as compared with an increase of 8% in the European Union. However, in the United States, even rigorous mitigation

Ammonia losses and nitrogen partitioning at the southern High Plains open lot dairy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal agriculture is a significant source of ammonia (NH3). Cattle excrete most ingested nitrogen (N); most urinary N is converted to NH3, volatilized and lost to the atmosphere. Open lot dairies on the southern High Plains are a growing industry and face environmental challenges as well as reporti...

Transcriptional Response of the Archaeal Ammonia Oxidizer Nitrosopumilus maritimus to Low and Environmentally Relevant Ammonia Concentrations

PubMed Central

Stahl, David A.

2013-01-01

The ability of chemoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing archaea to compete for ammonia among marine microorganisms at low ambient concentrations has been in part attributed to their extremely high affinity for ammonia, but as yet there is no mechanistic understanding of supporting metabolism. We examined transcription of selected genes for anabolic functions (CO2 fixation, ammonia transport, and cell wall synthesis) and a central catabolic function (ammonia oxidation) in the thaumarchaeon Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1 growing at two ammonia concentrations, as measured by combined ammonia and ammonium, one well above the Km for ammonia oxidation (∼500 μM) and the other well below the Km (<10 nM). Transcript levels were generally immediately and differentially repressed when cells transitioned from ammonia-replete to ammonia-limiting conditions. Transcript levels for ammonia oxidation, CO2 fixation, and one of the ammonia transport genes were approximately the same at high and low ammonia availability. Transcripts for all analyzed genes decreased with time in the complete absence of ammonia, but with various rates of decay. The new steady-state mRNA levels established are presumably more reflective of the natural physiological state of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and offer a reference for interpreting message abundance patterns in the natural environment. PMID:23995944

Manure fertilization alters the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria rather than ammonia-oxidizing archaea in a paddy soil.

PubMed

Wang, Yu; Zhu, Guibing; Song, Liyan; Wang, Shanyun; Yin, Chengqing

2014-03-01

Manure fertilizers are widely used in agriculture and highly impacted the soil microbial communities such as ammonia oxidizers. However, the knowledge on the communities of archaeal versus bacterial ammonia oxidizers in paddy soil affected by manure fertilization remains largely unknown, especially for a long-term influence. In present work, the impact of manure fertilization on the population of ammonia oxidizers, related potential nitrification rates (PNRs) and the key factors manipulating the impact were investigated through studying two composite soil cores (long-term fed with manure fertilization versus undisturbed). Moreover, soil incubated with NH(4)(+) for 5 weeks was designed to verify the field research. The results showed that the copy numbers of bacterial amoA gene in the manure fed soil were significant higher than those in the unfed soil (p < 0.05), suggesting a clear stimulating effect of long-term manure fertilization on the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). The detected PNRs in the manure fed soil core (14-218 nmol L(-1)  N g(-1)  h(-1)) were significant higher than those in the unfed soil core (5-72 nmol L(-1)  N g(-1)  h(-1) ; p < 0.05). Highly correlations between the PNRs and the bacterial amoA gene copies rather than archaeal amoA gene were observed, indicating strong nitrification capacity related to bacterial ammonia oxidizers. The NH(4)(+) -N significantly correlated to the abundance of AOB (p < 0.01) and explained 96.1% of the environmental variation, showing the NH(4)(+) -N was the main factor impacting the population of AOB. The incubation experiment demonstrated a clear increase of the bacterial amoA gene abundance (2.0 × 10(6) to 8.4 × 10(6)  g(-1) d.w.s. and 1.6 × 10(4) to 4.8 × 10(5)  g(-1) d.w.s.) in both soil but not for the archaeal amoA gene, in agreement with the field observation. Overall, our results suggested that manure fertilization promoted the

Simultaneous effect of temperature, cyanide and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria concentrations on ammonia oxidation.

PubMed

Do, Hyojin; Lim, Juntaek; Shin, Seung Gu; Wu, Yi-Ju; Ahn, Johng-Hwa; Hwang, Seokhwan

2008-11-01

For biological nitrification, a set of experiments were carried out to approximate the response of lag period along with ammonia oxidation rate with respect to different concentrations of cyanide (CN-) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), and temperature variation in laboratory-scale batch reactors. The effects of simultaneous changes in these three factors on ammonia oxidation were quantitatively estimated and modeled using response surface analysis. The lag period and the ammonia oxidation rate responded differently to changes in the three factors. The lag period and the ammonia oxidation rate were significantly affected by the CN- and AOB concentrations, while temperature changes only affected the ammonia oxidation rate. The increase of AOB concentration and temperature alleviated the inhibition effect of cyanide on ammonia oxidation. The statistical method used in this study can be extended to estimate the quantitative effects of other environmental factors that can change simultaneously.

Advanced ammonia (NH3) monitoring system for industrial applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spector, Oded; Jacobson, Esther

1999-12-01

The present paper describes an Electro-Optical Monitoring System developed for the real time in-situ monitoring of Ammonia (NH3) emissions, at very low concentrations in air, well below the hazardous levels. Ammonia is the starting chemical for almost all industrially produced nitrogen compounds and is therefore one of the most important inorganic raw materials. Due to its unique chemical and physical characteristics, the Ammonia (NH3) anhydrous gas is used in various industrial applications such as: Air Conditioning, Refrigeration (including space shuttles), Agriculture and Chemical Processing. NH3 gas, being a highly irritant toxic and flammable gas with a pungent odor detectable by human perception at 53 ppm, has a TLV-TWA of 25 ppm (TLV-STEL of 35 ppm) and a lower explosive limit (LEL) of 15% in air. Being extremely corrosive and irritating to the skin, eyes, nose and respiratory tract, (irritation begins at 130 - 200 ppm), exposures to high concentrations (above 2500 ppm) are life threatening, thus early detection of Ammonia at concentrations up to 50 ppm is essential to prevent its toxic influence. Existing detection methods for NH3 rely mainly on chemical sensors and analytical methods that require the gas to be sampled and introduced into the detection system via a probe, compared to various standards (for determining the concentration) and the result is not always reflecting the actual gas concentration. The emerging optical open path remote sensing technology that analyzes the specific 'finger print' absorption characteristics of NH3 in various narrow spectral bands, specifically in the UV solar blind band, is discussed including the rationale of the detection algorithm and system design. The system offers warning and alarm signals set at the above low concentration detection sensitivity, (10 - 50 ppm(DOT)m) thus providing reliable Ammonia detection over an air path from 3 (including air-duct applications) to 400 ft (1 - 120 m). Typical installations of

77 FR 27013 - Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-08

... Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Solicitation for... Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. DATES: All nomination materials...

Mapping Atmospheric Ammonia Emissions Using a Mobile Quantum Cascade Laser-based Open-path Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, K.; Tao, L.; Miller, D. J.; Khan, M. A.; Zondlo, M. A.

2012-12-01

Ammonia (NH3) is a key precursor to atmospheric fine particulate matter, with strong implications for regional air quality and global climate change. Despite the importance of atmospheric ammonia, its spatial/temporal variation is poorly characterized, and the knowledge of its sources, sinks, and transport is severely limited. Existing measurements suggest that traffic exhaust may provide significant amounts of ammonia in urban areas, which cause greater impacts on particulate matter formation and urban air quality. To capture the spatial and temporal variation of ammonia emissions, a portable, low power sensor with high time resolution is necessary. We have developed a portable open-path ammonia sensor with a detection limit of 0.5 ppbv ammonia for 1 s measurements. The sensor has a power consumption of about 60 W and is capable of running on a car battery continuously for 24 hours. An additional laser has been coupled to the sensor to yield concurrent N2O and CO measurements as tracers for determining various sources. The overall sensor prototype fits on a 60 cm × 20 cm aluminum breadboard. Roadside measurements indicated NH3/CO emission ratios of 4.1±5.4 ppbv/ppmv from a fleet of 320 vehicles, which agree with existing on-ramp measurements. Urban measurements in the Baltimore and Washington, DC metropolitan areas have shown significant ammonia mixing ratios concurrent with carbon monoxide levels from the morning and evening rush hours. On-road measurements of our open-path sensor have also been performed continuously from the Midwest to Princeton, NJ including urban areas such as Pittsburgh, tunnels, and relatively clean conditions. The emission ratios of ammonia against CO and/or CO2 help identify the sources and amounts of both urban and agricultural ammonia emissions. Preliminary data from both spatial mapping, monitoring, and vehicle exhaust measurements suggest that urban ammonia emissions from fossil fuel combustion are significant and may provide an

Nitrification in agricultural soils: impact, actors and mitigation.

PubMed

Beeckman, Fabian; Motte, Hans; Beeckman, Tom

2018-04-01

Nitrogen is one of the most important nutrients for plant growth and hence heavily applied in agricultural systems via fertilization. Nitrification, that is, the conversion of ammonium via nitrite to nitrate by soil microorganisms, however, leads to nitrate leaching and gaseous nitrous oxide production and as such to an up to 50% loss of nitrogen availability for the plant. Nitrate leaching also results in eutrophication of groundwater, drinking water and recreational waters, toxic algal blooms and biodiversity loss, while nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 300× greater than carbon dioxide. Logically, inhibition of nitrification is an important strategy used in agriculture to reduce nitrogen losses, and contributes to a more environmental-friendly practice. However, recently identified and crucial players in nitrification, that is, ammonia-oxidizing archaea and comammox bacteria, seem to be under-investigated in this respect. In this review, we give an update on the different pathways in ammonia oxidation, the relevance for agriculture and the interaction with nitrification inhibitors. As such, we hope to pinpoint possible strategies to optimize the efficiency of nitrification inhibition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of dicyandiamide on emissions of nitrous oxide, nitric oxide and ammonia from agricultural field in the North China Plain.

PubMed

Zhou, Yizhen; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Tian, Di; Mu, Yujing

2016-02-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O), nitric oxide (NO) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from an agricultural field in the North China Plain were compared for three treatments during a whole maize growing period from 26 June to 11 October, 2012. Compared with the control treatment (without fertilization, designated as CK), remarkable pulse emissions of N2O, NO and NH3 were observed from the normal fertilization treatment (designated as NP) just after fertilization, whereas only N2O and NH3 pulse emissions were evident from the nitrification inhibitor treatment (designated as ND). The reduction proportions of N2O and NO emissions from the ND treatment compared to those from the NP treatment during the whole maize growing period were 31% and 100%, respectively. A measurable increase of NH3 emission from the ND treatment was found with a cumulative NH3 emission of 3.8 ± 1.2 kg N/ha, which was 1.4 times greater than that from the NP treatment (2.7 ± 0.7 kg N/ha). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

MONITORING AMBIENT AMMONIA CHEMISTRY IN AN AGRICULTURAL REGION WITH A LOW DENSITY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

We present several years of ambient ammonia, ammonium, hydrochloric acid, chloride, nitric acid, nitrate, nitrous acid, sulfur dioxide, and sulfate concentrations at a rural site in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina. Also, the air chemistry of Lewiston, NC and Clinton, N...

Clinical utility of breath ammonia for evaluation of ammonia physiology in healthy and cirrhotic adults

PubMed Central

Spacek, Lisa A; Mudalel, Matthew; Tittel, Frank; Risby, Terence H; Solga, Steven F

2016-01-01

Blood ammonia is routinely used in clinical settings to assess systemic ammonia in hepatic encephalopathy and urea cycle disorders. Despite its drawbacks, blood measurement is often used as a comparator in breath studies because it is a standard clinical test. We sought to evaluate sources of measurement error and potential clinical utility of breath ammonia compared to blood ammonia. We measured breath ammonia in real time by quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectrometry and blood ammonia in 10 healthy and 10 cirrhotic participants. Each participant contributed 5 breath samples and blood for ammonia measurement within 1 h. We calculated the coefficient of variation (CV) for 5 breath ammonia values, reported medians of healthy and cirrhotic participants, and used scatterplots to display breath and blood ammonia. For healthy participants, mean age was 22 years (±4), 70% were men, and body mass index (BMI) was 27 (±5). For cirrhotic participants, mean age was 61 years (±8), 60% were men, and BMI was 31 (±7). Median blood ammonia for healthy participants was within normal range, 10 μmol L−1 (interquartile range (IQR), 3–18) versus 46 μmol L−1 (IQR, 23–66) for cirrhotic participants. Median breath ammonia was 379 pmol mL−1 CO2 (IQR, 265–765) for healthy versus 350 pmol mL−1 CO2 (IQR, 180–1013) for cirrhotic participants. CV was 17 ± 6%. There remains an important unmet need in the evaluation of systemic ammonia, and breath measurement continues to demonstrate promise to fulfill this need. Given the many differences between breath and blood ammonia measurement, we examined biological explanations for our findings in healthy and cirrhotic participants. We conclude that based upon these preliminary data breath may offer clinically important information this is not provided by blood ammonia. PMID:26658550

Ammonia Oxidation Plant at Plum Brook Ordnance Works

NASA Image and Video Library

1943-06-21

An ammonia oxidation plant at the Plum Brook Ordnance Works near Sandusky, Ohio, which later became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Plum Brook Station. During World War II the ordnance works produced trinitroluene (TNT), dinitrotoluene (DNT), and pentolite which were crated and shipped to an arsenal in Ravenna, Ohio. There, the explosives were packed into shells and sent to Allied forces overseas. Plum Brook was the third largest producer of TNT during World War II. Toluene, sulfuric acid, and nitric acid were used to manufacture the TNT. Nitric Acid is made by oxidizing ammonia, adding water, and concentrating it. The facility in this photograph was used for this oxidation. The structure included air compressors, filters, aftercoolers, power recovery systems, air receivers, heaters, ammonia gasifiers, gas mixers, cooler condensers, absorption columns, and bleaching columns. The Plum Brook Ordnance Works was shut down immediately after the war and remained vacant for the next ten years. NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), acquired the 500 acres of the site in 1955 to build a nuclear test reactor. By 1963, the agency had acquired the entire 9000 acres from the Army. Almost all of the military facilities were removed in the early 1960s. Plum Brook Station contained over 30 test facilities at its peak in the late 1960s. Today there are four major facilities in operation.

Perceptions of agriculture and natural resource careers among minority students in a national organization

Treesearch

Corliss Wilson Outley

2008-01-01

The purpose of the study was to identify factors that influence the career choice behaviors among students who were members of Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) National Society. A secondary purpose was to identify perceptions and attitudes among students that chose careers in agriculture and natural resources. The MANRRS...

Effects of chronic ammonia exposure on ammonia metabolism and excretion in marine medaka Oryzias melastigma.

PubMed

Gao, Na; Zhu, Limei; Guo, Zhiqiang; Yi, Meisheng; Zhang, Li

2017-06-01

Ammonia is highly toxic to aquatic organisms, but whether ammonia excretion or ammonia metabolism to less toxic compounds is the major strategy for detoxification in marine fish against chronic ammonia exposure is unclear to date. In this study, we investigated the metabolism and excretion of ammonia in marine medaka Oryzias melastigma during chronic ammonia exposure. The fish were exposed to 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.1 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl spiked seawater for 8 weeks. Exposure of 0.3-1.1 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl had deleterious effects on the fish, including significant reductions in growth, feed intake, and total protein content. However, the fish could take strategies to detoxify ammonia. The tissue ammonia (T Amm ) in the 0.3-1.1 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl treatments was significantly higher than those in the 0 and 0.1 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl treatments after 2 weeks of exposure, but it recovered with prolonged exposure time, ultimately reaching the control level after 8 weeks. The amino acid catabolic rate decreased to reduce the gross ammonia production with the increasing ambient ammonia concentration. The concentrations of most metabolites remained constant in the 0-0.6 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl treatments, whereas 5 amino acids and 3 energy metabolism-related metabolites decreased in the 1.1 mmol l -1  NH 4 Cl treatment. J Amm steadily increased in ambient ammonia from 0 to 0.6 mmol l -1 and slightly decreased when the ambient ammonia concentration increased to 1.1 mmol l -1 . Overall, marine medaka cope with sublethal ammonia environment by regulating the tissue T Amm via reducing the ammonia production and increasing ammonia excretion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Materials with Adsorptive Properties from Agricultural By-Products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This presentation will summarize the use of agricultural by-products (e.g., animal manure and plant waste) as starting materials to adsorb environmental contaminants such as mercury from air, ammonia from air, metal ions from water, and chlorinated organics from water. The results show that the mat...

ATMOSPHERIC CONCENTRATIONS OF AMMONIA AND AMMONIUM AT AN AGRICULTURAL SITE IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

In this study, we present approximately 1 year (October 1998 - September 1999) of 12-hour mean ammonia [NH3], ammonium [NH4(+)], hydrochloric acid [HCl], nitrate [NO3(-)], nitric acid [HNO3], nitrous acid [HNO2], sulfate [SO4(- -)], and sulfur dioxide [SO2] concentrations measure...

MULTI-MEDIA ASSISTANCE GUIDE FOR THE AMMONIA REFRIGERATION INDUSTRY

EPA Science Inventory

Multi-media Compliance Assistance Guide for the Ammonia Refrigeration Industry Both EPA and the Wharton School of Business have analyzed EPA = s Risk Management Plan (RMP) data on the chemical accident history of different industries. Nationally, the industry that was found to ...

National, holistic, watershed-scale approach to understand the sources, transport, and fate of agricultural chemicals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Capel, P.D.; McCarthy, K.A.; Barbash, J.E.

2008-01-01

This paper is an introduction to the following series of papers that report on in-depth investigations that have been conducted at five agricultural study areas across the United States in order to gain insights into how environmental processes and agricultural practices interact to determine the transport and fate of agricultural chemicals in the environment. These are the first study areas in an ongoing national study. The study areas were selected, based on the combination of cropping patterns and hydrologic setting, as representative of nationally important agricultural settings to form a basis for extrapolation to unstudied areas. The holistic, watershed-scale study design that involves multiple environmental compartments and that employs both field observations and simulation modeling is presented. This paper introduces the overall study design and presents an overview of the hydrology of the five study areas. Copyright ?? 2008 by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America. All rights reserved.

Estimating the agricultural fertilizer NH3 emission in China based on the bi-directional CMAQ model and an agro-ecosystem model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, S.

2014-12-01

Atmospheric ammonia (NH3) plays an important role in fine particle formation. Accurate estimates of ammonia can reduce uncertainties in air quality modeling. China is one of the largest countries emitting ammonia with the majority of NH3 emissions coming from the agricultural practices, such as fertilizer applications and animal operations. The current ammonia emission estimates in China are mainly based on pre-defined emission factors. Thus, there are considerable uncertainties in estimating NH3 emissions, especially in time and space distribution. For example, fertilizer applications vary in the date of application and amount by geographical regions and crop types. In this study, the NH3 emission from the agricultural fertilizer use in China of 2011 was estimated online by an agricultural fertilizer modeling system coupling a regional air-quality model and an agro-ecosystem model, which contains three main components 1) the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate (EPIC) model, 2) the meso-scale meteorology Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and 3) the CMAQ air quality model with bi-directional ammonia fluxes. The EPIC output information about daily fertilizer application and soil characteristics would be the input of the CMAQ model. In order to run EPIC model, much Chinese local information is collected and processed. For example, Crop land data are computed from the MODIS land use data at 500-m resolution and crop categories at Chinese county level; the fertilizer use rate for different fertilizer types, crops and provinces are obtained from Chinese statistic materials. The system takes into consideration many influencing factors on agriculture ammonia emission, including weather, the fertilizer application method, timing, amount, and rate for specific pastures and crops. The simulated fertilizer data is compared with the NH3 emissions and fertilizer application data from other sources. The results of CMAQ modeling are also discussed and analyzed with

Better Absorbents for Ammonia Separation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malmali, Mahdi; Le, Giang; Hendrickson, Jennifer

Making ammonia from renewable wind energy at a competitive price may be possible if the conventional ammonia condenser is replaced with an ammonia absorber. Such a process change requires an ammonia selective absorbent. Supported metal halide sorbents for this separation display outstanding dynamic capacity close to their equilibrium thermodynamic limits. Alkaline earth chlorides and bromides supported on silica and zeolite Y are the most promising. MgCl 2 and CaBr 2 at 40% loading on silica show capacities of 60-70 mg NH3/gsorbent at 150 °C and 4 bar. Overall, cations with smaller atomic numbers show more affinity to ammonia; bromides holdmore » ammonia more strongly than chlorides. Different solvents and metal halide mixtures do not show significant changes in the absorption capacity. Finally, these absorbents can be incorporated into ammonia reaction-absorption syntheses to achieve faster production rates.« less

Better Absorbents for Ammonia Separation

DOE PAGES

Malmali, Mahdi; Le, Giang; Hendrickson, Jennifer; ...

2018-03-30

Making ammonia from renewable wind energy at a competitive price may be possible if the conventional ammonia condenser is replaced with an ammonia absorber. Such a process change requires an ammonia selective absorbent. Supported metal halide sorbents for this separation display outstanding dynamic capacity close to their equilibrium thermodynamic limits. Alkaline earth chlorides and bromides supported on silica and zeolite Y are the most promising. MgCl 2 and CaBr 2 at 40% loading on silica show capacities of 60-70 mg NH3/gsorbent at 150 °C and 4 bar. Overall, cations with smaller atomic numbers show more affinity to ammonia; bromides holdmore » ammonia more strongly than chlorides. Different solvents and metal halide mixtures do not show significant changes in the absorption capacity. Finally, these absorbents can be incorporated into ammonia reaction-absorption syntheses to achieve faster production rates.« less

Competition for ammonia influences the structure of chemotrophic communities in geothermal springs.

PubMed

Hamilton, Trinity L; Koonce, Evangeline; Howells, Alta; Havig, Jeff R; Jewell, Talia; de la Torre, José R; Peters, John W; Boyd, Eric S

2014-01-01

Source waters sampled from Perpetual Spouter hot spring (pH 7.03, 86.4°C), Yellowstone National Park, WY, have low concentrations of total ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, suggesting nitrogen (N) limitation and/or tight coupling of N cycling processes. Dominant small-subunit rRNA sequences in Perpetual Spouter source sediments are closely affiliated with the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon "Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii" and the putatively nitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) bacterium Thermocrinis albus, respectively, suggesting that these populations may interact at the level of the bioavailable N pool, specifically, ammonia. This hypothesis was evaluated by using a combination of geochemical, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses of sediment microcosms. Amendment of microcosms with allylthiourea, an inhibitor of ammonia oxidation, decreased rates of acetylene reduction (a proxy for N2 fixation) and nitrite production (a proxy for ammonia oxidation) and decreased transcript levels of structural genes involved in both nitrogen fixation (nifH) and ammonia oxidation (amoA). In contrast, amendment of microcosms with ammonia stimulated nitrite production and increased amoA transcript levels while it suppressed rates of acetylene reduction and decreased nifH transcript levels. Sequencing of amplified nifH and amoA transcripts from native sediments, as well as microcosms, at 2 and 4 h postamendment, indicates that the dominant and responsive populations involved in ammonia oxidation and N2 fixation are closely affiliated with Ca. Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii and T. albus, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that ammonia-oxidizing archaea, such as Ca. Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii, have an apparent affinity for ammonia that is higher than that of the diazotrophs present in this ecosystem. Depletion of the bioavailable N pool through the activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea likely represents a strong selective pressure for the inclusion of organisms capable of

Competition for Ammonia Influences the Structure of Chemotrophic Communities in Geothermal Springs

PubMed Central

Hamilton, Trinity L.; Koonce, Evangeline; Howells, Alta; Havig, Jeff R.; Jewell, Talia; de la Torre, José R.; Peters, John W.

2014-01-01

Source waters sampled from Perpetual Spouter hot spring (pH 7.03, 86.4°C), Yellowstone National Park, WY, have low concentrations of total ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, suggesting nitrogen (N) limitation and/or tight coupling of N cycling processes. Dominant small-subunit rRNA sequences in Perpetual Spouter source sediments are closely affiliated with the ammonia-oxidizing archaeon “Candidatus Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii” and the putatively nitrogen-fixing (diazotrophic) bacterium Thermocrinis albus, respectively, suggesting that these populations may interact at the level of the bioavailable N pool, specifically, ammonia. This hypothesis was evaluated by using a combination of geochemical, physiological, and transcriptomic analyses of sediment microcosms. Amendment of microcosms with allylthiourea, an inhibitor of ammonia oxidation, decreased rates of acetylene reduction (a proxy for N2 fixation) and nitrite production (a proxy for ammonia oxidation) and decreased transcript levels of structural genes involved in both nitrogen fixation (nifH) and ammonia oxidation (amoA). In contrast, amendment of microcosms with ammonia stimulated nitrite production and increased amoA transcript levels while it suppressed rates of acetylene reduction and decreased nifH transcript levels. Sequencing of amplified nifH and amoA transcripts from native sediments, as well as microcosms, at 2 and 4 h postamendment, indicates that the dominant and responsive populations involved in ammonia oxidation and N2 fixation are closely affiliated with Ca. Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii and T. albus, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that ammonia-oxidizing archaea, such as Ca. Nitrosocaldus yellowstonii, have an apparent affinity for ammonia that is higher than that of the diazotrophs present in this ecosystem. Depletion of the bioavailable N pool through the activity of ammonia-oxidizing archaea likely represents a strong selective pressure for the inclusion of organisms capable

U.S. broiler housing ammonia emissions inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gates, R. S.; Casey, K. D.; Wheeler, E. F.; Xin, H.; Pescatore, A. J.

Using recently published baseline ammonia emissions data for U.S. broiler chicken housing, we present a method of estimating their contribution to an annual ammonia budget that is different from that used by USEPA. Emission rate increases in a linear relationship with flock age from near zero at the start of the flock to a maximum at the end of the flock, 28-65 days later. Market weight of chickens raised for meat varies from "broilers" weighing about 2 kg to "roasters" weighing about 3 kg. Multiple flocks of birds are grown in a single house annually, with variable downtime to prepare the house between flocks. The method takes into account weight and number of chickens marketed. Uncertainty in baseline emissions estimates is used so that inventory estimates are provided with error estimates. The method also incorporates the condition of litter that birds are raised upon and the varying market weight of birds grown. Using 2003 USDA data on broiler production numbers, broiler housing is estimated to contribute 8.8-11.7 kT ammonia for new and built-up litter, respectively, in Kentucky and 240-324 kT ammonia for new and built-up litter, respectively, nationally. Results suggest that a 10% uncertainty in annual emission rate is expected for the market weight categories of broilers, heavy broilers, and roasters. A 27-47% reduction in annual housing emission rate is predicted if new rather than built-up litter were used for every flock. The estimating method can be adapted to other meat bird building emissions and future ammonia emission strategies, with suitable insertion of an age-dependent emission factor or slope into a predictive model equation. The method can be readily applied and is an alternative to that used by USEPA.

Renal Ammonia Metabolism and Transport

PubMed Central

Weiner, I. David; Verlander, Jill W.

2015-01-01

Renal ammonia metabolism and transport mediates a central role in acid-base homeostasis. In contrast to most renal solutes, the majority of renal ammonia excretion derives from intrarenal production, not from glomerular filtration. Renal ammoniagenesis predominantly results from glutamine metabolism, which produces 2 NH4+ and 2 HCO3− for each glutamine metabolized. The proximal tubule is the primary site for ammoniagenesis, but there is evidence for ammoniagenesis by most renal epithelial cells. Ammonia produced in the kidney is either excreted into the urine or returned to the systemic circulation through the renal veins. Ammonia excreted in the urine promotes acid excretion; ammonia returned to the systemic circulation is metabolized in the liver in a HCO3−-consuming process, resulting in no net benefit to acid-base homeostasis. Highly regulated ammonia transport by renal epithelial cells determines the proportion of ammonia excreted in the urine versus returned to the systemic circulation. The traditional paradigm of ammonia transport involving passive NH3 diffusion, protonation in the lumen and NH4+ trapping due to an inability to cross plasma membranes is being replaced by the recognition of limited plasma membrane NH3 permeability in combination with the presence of specific NH3-transporting and NH4+-transporting proteins in specific renal epithelial cells. Ammonia production and transport are regulated by a variety of factors, including extracellular pH and K+, and by several hormones, such as mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids and angiotensin II. This coordinated process of regulated ammonia production and transport is critical for the effective maintenance of acid-base homeostasis. PMID:23720285

Renal ammonia metabolism and transport.

PubMed

Weiner, I David; Verlander, Jill W

2013-01-01

Renal ammonia metabolism and transport mediates a central role in acid-base homeostasis. In contrast to most renal solutes, the majority of renal ammonia excretion derives from intrarenal production, not from glomerular filtration. Renal ammoniagenesis predominantly results from glutamine metabolism, which produces 2 NH4(+) and 2 HCO3(-) for each glutamine metabolized. The proximal tubule is the primary site for ammoniagenesis, but there is evidence for ammoniagenesis by most renal epithelial cells. Ammonia produced in the kidney is either excreted into the urine or returned to the systemic circulation through the renal veins. Ammonia excreted in the urine promotes acid excretion; ammonia returned to the systemic circulation is metabolized in the liver in a HCO3(-)-consuming process, resulting in no net benefit to acid-base homeostasis. Highly regulated ammonia transport by renal epithelial cells determines the proportion of ammonia excreted in the urine versus returned to the systemic circulation. The traditional paradigm of ammonia transport involving passive NH3 diffusion, protonation in the lumen and NH4(+) trapping due to an inability to cross plasma membranes is being replaced by the recognition of limited plasma membrane NH3 permeability in combination with the presence of specific NH3-transporting and NH4(+)-transporting proteins in specific renal epithelial cells. Ammonia production and transport are regulated by a variety of factors, including extracellular pH and K(+), and by several hormones, such as mineralocorticoids, glucocorticoids and angiotensin II. This coordinated process of regulated ammonia production and transport is critical for the effective maintenance of acid-base homeostasis.

Effects of Agronomic Treatments on Structure and Function of Ammonia-Oxidizing Communities

PubMed Central

Phillips, Carol J.; Harris, Dave; Dollhopf, Sherry L.; Gross, Katherine L.; Prosser, James I.; Paul, Eldor A.

2000-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different agricultural treatments and plant communities on the diversity of ammonia oxidizer populations in soil. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), coupled with specific oligonucleotide probing, was used to analyze 16S rRNA genes of ammonia oxidizers belonging to the β subgroup of the division Proteobacteria by use of DNA extracted from cultivated, successional, and native deciduous forest soils. Community profiles of the different soil types were compared with nitrification rates and most-probable-number (MPN) counts. Despite significant variation in measured nitrification rates among communities, there were no differences in the DGGE banding profiles of DNAs extracted from these soils. DGGE profiles of DNA extracted from samples of MPN incubations, cultivated at a range of ammonia concentrations, showed the presence of bands not amplified from directly extracted DNA. Nitrosomonas-like bands were seen in the MPN DNA but were not detected in the DNA extracted directly from soils. These bands were detected in some samples taken from MPN incubations carried out with medium containing 1,000 μg of NH4+-N ml−1, to the exclusion of bands detected in the native DNA. Cell concentrations of ammonia oxidizers determined by MPN counts were between 10- and 100-fold lower than those determined by competitive PCR (cPCR). Although no differences were seen in ammonia oxidizer MPN counts from the different soil treatments, cPCR revealed higher numbers in fertilized soils. The use of a combination of traditional and molecular methods to investigate the activities and compositions of ammonia oxidizers in soil demonstrates differences in fine-scale compositions among treatments that may be associated with changes in population size and function. PMID:11097922

RESULTS OF INITIAL AMMONIA OXIDATION TESTING

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, C.; Fowley, M.

This memo presents an experimental survey of aqueous phase chemical processes to remove aqueous ammonia from waste process streams. Ammonia is generated in both the current Hanford waste flowsheet and in future waste processing. Much ammonia will be generated in the Low Activity Waste (LAW) melters.i Testing with simulants in glass melters at Catholic University has demonstrated the significant ammonia production.ii The primary reaction there is the reducing action of sugar on nitrate in the melter cold cap. Ammonia has been found to be a problem in secondary waste stabilization. Ammonia vapors are noxious and destruction of ammonia could reducemore » hazards to waste treatment process personnel. It is easily evolved especially when ammonia-bearing solutions are adjusted to high pH.« less

AGRICULTURAL AMMONIA EMISSIONS AND AMMONIUM CONCENTRATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH AEROSOLS AND PRECIPITATION IN THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Temporal and spatial variations in ammonia (NH3) emissions and ammonium (NH4+) concentrations associated with aerosols and volume-weighted NH4+ concentration in precipitation are investigated over the period 1990-1998 in the southeast United States (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Ken...

Potential for reducing on-farm greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from dairy cows with prolonged diet alterations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal agriculture significantly contributes to gaseous emissions that are implicated in global climate change and local environmental problems. Dairy cows specifically are responsible for enteric methane (CH4) emissions, and produce nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from manure. Here,...

Ammonia toxicity: from head to toe?

PubMed

Dasarathy, Srinivasan; Mookerjee, Rajeshwar P; Rackayova, Veronika; Rangroo Thrane, Vinita; Vairappan, Balasubramaniyan; Ott, Peter; Rose, Christopher F

2017-04-01

Ammonia is diffused and transported across all plasma membranes. This entails that hyperammonemia leads to an increase in ammonia in all organs and tissues. It is known that the toxic ramifications of ammonia primarily touch the brain and cause neurological impairment. However, the deleterious effects of ammonia are not specific to the brain, as the direct effect of increased ammonia (change in pH, membrane potential, metabolism) can occur in any type of cell. Therefore, in the setting of chronic liver disease where multi-organ dysfunction is common, the role of ammonia, only as neurotoxin, is challenged. This review provides insights and evidence that increased ammonia can disturb many organ and cell types and hence lead to dysfunction.

Ammonia concentration determines differential growth of ammonia-oxidising archaea and bacteria in soil microcosms.

PubMed

Verhamme, Daniel T; Prosser, James I; Nicol, Graeme W

2011-06-01

The first step of nitrification, oxidation of ammonia to nitrite, is performed by both ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) in soil, but their relative contributions to ammonia oxidation and existence in distinct ecological niches remain to be determined. To determine whether available ammonia concentration has a differential effect on AOA and AOB growth, soil microcosms were incubated for 28 days with ammonium at three concentrations: native (control), intermediate (20 μg NH(4)(+)-N per gram of soil) and high (200 μg NH(4)(+)-N per gram of soil). Quantitative PCR demonstrated growth of AOA at all concentrations, whereas AOB growth was prominent only at the highest concentration. Similarly, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis revealed changes in AOA communities at all ammonium concentrations, whereas AOB communities changed significantly only at the highest ammonium concentration. These results provide evidence that ammonia concentration contributes to the definition of distinct ecological niches of AOA and AOB in soil.

Ammonia concentration determines differential growth of ammonia-oxidising archaea and bacteria in soil microcosms

PubMed Central

Verhamme, Daniel T; Prosser, James I; Nicol, Graeme W

2011-01-01

The first step of nitrification, oxidation of ammonia to nitrite, is performed by both ammonia-oxidising archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) in soil, but their relative contributions to ammonia oxidation and existence in distinct ecological niches remain to be determined. To determine whether available ammonia concentration has a differential effect on AOA and AOB growth, soil microcosms were incubated for 28 days with ammonium at three concentrations: native (control), intermediate (20 μg NH4+-N per gram of soil) and high (200 μg NH4+-N per gram of soil). Quantitative PCR demonstrated growth of AOA at all concentrations, whereas AOB growth was prominent only at the highest concentration. Similarly, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis revealed changes in AOA communities at all ammonium concentrations, whereas AOB communities changed significantly only at the highest ammonium concentration. These results provide evidence that ammonia concentration contributes to the definition of distinct ecological niches of AOA and AOB in soil. PMID:21228892

Ammonia Leak Locator Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodge, Franklin T.; Wuest, Martin P.; Deffenbaugh, Danny M.

1995-01-01

The thermal control system of International Space Station Alpha will use liquid ammonia as the heat exchange fluid. It is expected that small leaks (of the order perhaps of one pound of ammonia per day) may develop in the lines transporting the ammonia to the various facilities as well as in the heat exchange equipment. Such leaks must be detected and located before the supply of ammonia becomes critically low. For that reason, NASA-JSC has a program underway to evaluate instruments that can detect and locate ultra-small concentrations of ammonia in a high vacuum environment. To be useful, the instrument must be portable and small enough that an astronaut can easily handle it during extravehicular activity. An additional complication in the design of the instrument is that the environment immediately surrounding ISSA will contain small concentrations of many other gases from venting of onboard experiments as well as from other kinds of leaks. These other vapors include water, cabin air, CO2, CO, argon, N2, and ethylene glycol. Altogether, this local environment might have a pressure of the order of 10(exp -7) to 10(exp -6) torr. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) was contracted by NASA-JSC to provide support to NASA-JSC and its prime contractors in evaluating ammonia-location instruments and to make a preliminary trade study of the advantages and limitations of potential instruments. The present effort builds upon an earlier SwRI study to evaluate ammonia leak detection instruments [Jolly and Deffenbaugh]. The objectives of the present effort include: (1) Estimate the characteristics of representative ammonia leaks; (2) Evaluate the baseline instrument in the light of the estimated ammonia leak characteristics; (3) Propose alternative instrument concepts; and (4) Conduct a trade study of the proposed alternative concepts and recommend promising instruments. The baseline leak-location instrument selected by NASA-JSC was an ion gauge.

Winners and losers of national and global efforts to reconcile agricultural intensification and biodiversity conservation.

PubMed

Egli, Lukas; Meyer, Carsten; Scherber, Christoph; Kreft, Holger; Tscharntke, Teja

2018-05-01

Closing yield gaps within existing croplands, and thereby avoiding further habitat conversions, is a prominently and controversially discussed strategy to meet the rising demand for agricultural products, while minimizing biodiversity impacts. The agricultural intensification associated with such a strategy poses additional threats to biodiversity within agricultural landscapes. The uneven spatial distribution of both yield gaps and biodiversity provides opportunities for reconciling agricultural intensification and biodiversity conservation through spatially optimized intensification. Here, we integrate distribution and habitat information for almost 20,000 vertebrate species with land-cover and land-use datasets. We estimate that projected agricultural intensification between 2000 and 2040 would reduce the global biodiversity value of agricultural lands by 11%, relative to 2000. Contrasting these projections with spatial land-use optimization scenarios reveals that 88% of projected biodiversity loss could be avoided through globally coordinated land-use planning, implying huge efficiency gains through international cooperation. However, global-scale optimization also implies a highly uneven distribution of costs and benefits, resulting in distinct "winners and losers" in terms of national economic development, food security, food sovereignty or conservation. Given conflicting national interests and lacking effective governance mechanisms to guarantee equitable compensation of losers, multinational land-use optimization seems politically unlikely. In turn, 61% of projected biodiversity loss could be avoided through nationally focused optimization, and 33% through optimization within just 10 countries. Targeted efforts to improve the capacity for integrated land-use planning for sustainable intensification especially in these countries, including the strengthening of institutions that can arbitrate subnational land-use conflicts, may offer an effective, yet

Dynamic Response of Ammonia-Oxidizers to Four Fertilization Regimes across a Wheat-Rice Rotation System

PubMed Central

Wang, Jichen; Ni, Lei; Song, Yang; Rhodes, Geoff; Li, Jing; Huang, Qiwei; Shen, Qirong

2017-01-01

Ammonia oxidation by microorganisms is a rate-limiting step of the nitrification process and determines the efficiency of fertilizer utilized by crops. Little is known about the dynamic response of ammonia-oxidizers to different fertilization regimes in a wheat-rice rotation system. Here, we examined ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA) communities across eight representative stages of wheat and rice growth and under four fertilization regimes: no nitrogen fertilization (NNF), chemical fertilization (CF), organic-inorganic mixed fertilizer (OIMF) and organic fertilization (OF). The abundance and composition of ammonia oxidizers were analyzed using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of their amoA genes. Results showed that fertilization but not plant growth stages was the best predictor of soil AOB community abundance and composition. Soils fertilized with more urea-N had higher AOB abundance, while organic-N input showed little effect on AOB abundance. 109 bp T-RF (Nitrosospira Cluster 3b) and 280 bp T-RF (Nitrosospira Cluster 3c) dominated the AOB communities with opposing responses to fertilization regimes. Although the abundance and composition of the AOA community was significantly impacted by fertilization and plant growth stage, it differed from the AOB community in that there was no particular trend. In addition, across the whole wheat-rice rotation stages, results of multiple stepwise linear regression revealed that AOB played a more important role in ammonia oxidizing process than AOA. This study provided insight into the dynamic effects of fertilization strategies on the abundance and composition of ammonia-oxidizers communities, and also offered insights into the potential of managing nitrogen for sustainable agricultural productivity with respect to soil ammonia-oxidizers. PMID:28446904

North American networking activities on non-wood forest products by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Treesearch

Paul Vantomme

2001-01-01

FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, is the largest autonomous agency within the United Nations system dealing with agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and related disciplines. FAO provides a neutral forum for policy dialogue, a source of information and knowledge, technical assistance, and advice to 180 member countries. Technical...

Proceedings of the Annual National Agricultural Education Research Meeting (12th, Atlanta, Georgia, December 6, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Vocational Association, Arlington, VA. Agricultural Education Div.

These proceedings include the following papers: "An Assessment of the National FFA Public Service Announcement Program" (Sutphin, Dillon, and Rush); "Educational Objectives and Administrative Criteria for the National FFA Contest Program" (Smith and Kahler); "A National Profile of Agricultural Teacher Educators and State Supervisors of Vocational…

Review of atmospheric ammonia data in the context of developing technologies, changing climate, and future policy evidence needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braban, Christine; Tang, Sim; Bealey, Bill; Roberts, Elin; Stephens, Amy; Galloway, Megan; Greenwood, Sarah; Sutton, Mark; Nemitz, Eiko; Leaver, David

2017-04-01

Ambient ammonia measurements have been undertaken both in the atmosphere to understand sources, concentrations at background and vulnerable ecosystems and for long term monitoring of concentrations. As a pollutant which is projected to increase concentration in the coming decades with significant policy challenges to implementing mitigation strategies it is useful to assess what has been measured, where and why. In this study a review of the literature, has shown that ammonia measurements are frequently not publically reported and in general not reposited in the open data centres, available for research. The specific sectors where measurements have been undertaken are: agricultural point source assessments, agricultural surface exchange measurements, sensitive ecosystem monitoring, landscape/regional studies and governmental long term monitoring. Less frequently ammonia is measured as part of an intensive atmospheric chemistry field campaign. Technology is developing which means a shift from chemical denuder methods to spectroscopic techniques may be possible, however chemical denuding techniques with off-line laboratory analysis will likely be an economical approach for some time to come. This paper reviews existing datasets from the different sectors of research and integrates them for a global picture to allow both a long term understanding and facilitate comparison with future measurements.

Ammonia Ice Clouds on Jupiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

The top cloud layer on Jupiter is thought to consist of ammonia ice, but most of that ammonia 'hides' from spectrometers. It does not absorb light in the same way ammonia does. To many scientists, this implies that ammonia churned up from lower layers of the atmosphere 'ages' in some way after it condenses, possibly by being covered with a photochemically generated hydrocarbon mixture. The New Horizons Linear Etalon Imaging Spectral Array (LEISA), the half of the Ralph instrument that is able to 'see' in infrared wavelengths that are absorbed by ammonia ice, spotted these clouds and watched them evolve over five Jupiter days (about 40 Earth hours). In these images, spectroscopically identified fresh ammonia clouds are shown in bright blue. The largest cloud appeared as a localized source on day 1, intensified and broadened on day 2, became more diffuse on days 3 and 4, and disappeared on day 5. The diffusion seemed to follow the movement of a dark spot along the boundary of the oval region. Because the source of this ammonia lies deeper than the cloud, images like these can tell scientists much about the dynamics and heat conduction in Jupiter's lower atmosphere.

Sources of atmospheric ammonia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harriss, R. C.; Michaels, J. T.

1982-01-01

The information available on factors that influence emissions from the principal societal sources of ammonia to the atmosphere, namely combustion processes, volatilization of farm animal wastes, and volatilization of fertilizers, is reviewed. Emission factors are established for each major source of atmospheric ammonia. The factors are then multiplied by appropriate source characterization descriptors to obtain calculated fluxes of ammonia to the atmosphere on a state-by-state basis for the United States.

Measurement of atmospheric ammonia at a dairy using differential optical absorption spectroscopy in the mid-ultraviolet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mount, George H.; Rumburg, Brian; Havig, Jeff; Lamb, Brian; Westberg, Hal; Yonge, David; Johnson, Kristen; Kincaid, Ronald

Ammonia is the most abundant basic gas in the atmosphere, and after N 2 and N 2O is the most abundant nitrogen-containing specie (Seinfeld and Pandis, 1998. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: from air pollution to climate changes. Wiley, New York). Typical concentrations of ammonia in the boundary layer range from <1 part per billion by volume (ppbv) in the free continental troposphere to parts per million (ppmv) levels over animal waste lagoons and near animal stalls. Agricultural activities are the dominant global source of ammonia emissions and a major environmental concern. In the US, ≈85% of ammonia emissions come from livestock operations (EPA Trends, 1998. www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/trends98/chapter2.pdf). Dairy farms constitute a large fraction of the livestock inventory. Current estimates of ammonia emissions to the atmosphere are characterized by a high degree of uncertainty, and so it is very important to obtain better estimates of ammonia emissions. We are working at the Washington State University research dairy to quantify ammonia emissions and investigate the effects of various mitigation strategies on those emissions. We describe here a new instrument utilizing the differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) technique to measure ammonia in the mid-ultraviolet with a detectability limit of about 1 ppb. DOAS avoids many of the problems that have thwarted past ammonia concentration measurements. Initial results show concentrations in the barn/concrete yard areas in the tens of parts per million range, over the slurry lagoons of hundreds of parts per billion to low parts per million, and low parts per million levels after initial slurry applications onto pastureland. Future papers will report on emission fluxes from the various parts of the dairy and the results of mitigation strategies; we show here initial data results. For a recent review of ammonia volatilization from dairy farms, see Bussink and Oenema (Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems 51

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea have more important role than ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in ammonia oxidation of strongly acidic soils

PubMed Central

Zhang, Li-Mei; Hu, Hang-Wei; Shen, Ju-Pei; He, Ji-Zheng

2012-01-01

Increasing evidence demonstrated the involvement of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) in the global nitrogen cycle, but the relative contributions of AOA and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to ammonia oxidation are still in debate. Previous studies suggest that AOA would be more adapted to ammonia-limited oligotrophic conditions, which seems to be favored by protonation of ammonia, turning into ammonium in low-pH environments. Here, we investigated the autotrophic nitrification activity of AOA and AOB in five strongly acidic soils (pH<4.50) during microcosm incubation for 30 days. Significantly positive correlations between nitrate concentration and amoA gene abundance of AOA, but not of AOB, were observed during the active nitrification. 13CO2-DNA-stable isotope probing results showed significant assimilation of 13C-labeled carbon source into the amoA gene of AOA, but not of AOB, in one of the selected soil samples. High levels of thaumarchaeal amoA gene abundance were observed during the active nitrification, coupled with increasing intensity of two denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis bands for specific thaumarchaeal community. Addition of the nitrification inhibitor dicyandiamide (DCD) completely inhibited the nitrification activity and CO2 fixation by AOA, accompanied by decreasing thaumarchaeal amoA gene abundance. Bacterial amoA gene abundance decreased in all microcosms irrespective of DCD addition, and mostly showed no correlation with nitrate concentrations. Phylogenetic analysis of thaumarchaeal amoA gene and 16S rRNA gene revealed active 13CO2-labeled AOA belonged to groups 1.1a-associated and 1.1b. Taken together, these results provided strong evidence that AOA have a more important role than AOB in autotrophic ammonia oxidation in strongly acidic soils. PMID:22134644

Agricultural By-Products Turned into Important Materials with Adsorptive Properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This presentation will summarize the use of agricultural by-products (e.g., animal manure and plant waste) as starting materials to adsorb environmental contaminants such as mercury from air, ammonia from air, metal ions from water, and chlorinated organics from water. The results show that the mat...

Ammonia transformations and abundance of ammonia oxidizers in a clay soil underlying a manure pond.

PubMed

Sher, Yonatan; Baram, Shahar; Dahan, Ofer; Ronen, Zeev; Nejidat, Ali

2012-07-01

Unlined manure ponds are constructed on clay soil worldwide to manage farm waste. Seepage of ammonia-rich liquor into underlying soil layers contributes to groundwater contamination by nitrate. To identify the possible processes that lead to the production of nitrate from ammonia in this oxygen-limited environment, we studied the diversity and abundance of ammonia-transforming microorganisms under an unlined manure pond. The numbers of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and anammox bacteria were most abundant in the top of the soil profile and decreased significantly with depth (0.5 m), correlating with soil pore-water ammonia concentrations and soil ammonia concentrations, respectively. On the other hand, the numbers of ammonia-oxidizing archaea were relatively constant throughout the soil profile (10(7) amoA copies per g(soil)). Nitrite-oxidizing bacteria were detected mainly in the top 0.2 m. The results suggest that nitrate accumulation in the vadose zone under the manure pond could be the result of complete aerobic nitrification (ammonia oxidation to nitrate) and could exist as a byproduct of anammox activity. While the majority of the nitrogen was removed within the 0.5-m soil section, possibly by combined anammox and heterotrophic denitrification, a fraction of the produced nitrate leached into the groundwater. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human (13)N-ammonia PET studies: the importance of measuring (13)N-ammonia metabolites in blood.

PubMed

Keiding, Susanne; Sørensen, Michael; Munk, Ole Lajord; Bender, Dirk

2010-03-01

Dynamic (13)N-ammonia PET is used to assess ammonia metabolism in brain, liver and muscle based on kinetic modeling of metabolic pathways, using arterial blood (13)N-ammonia as input function. Rosenspire et al. (1990) introduced a solid phase extraction procedure for fractionation of (13)N-content in blood into (13)N-ammonia, (13)N-urea, (13)N-glutamine and (13)N-glutamate. Due to a radioactive half-life for (13)N of 10 min, the procedure is not suitable for blood samples taken beyond 5-7 min after tracer injection. By modifying Rosenspire's method, we established a method enabling analysis of up to 10 blood samples in the course of 30 min. The modified procedure was validated by HPLC and by 30-min reproducibility studies in humans examined by duplicate (13)N-ammonia injections with a 60-min interval. Blood data from a (13)N-ammonia brain PET study (from Keiding et al. 2006) showed: (1) time courses of (13)N-ammonia fractions could be described adequately by double exponential functions; (2) metabolic conversion of (13)N-ammonia to (13)N-metabolites were in the order: healthy subjects > cirrhotic patients without HE > cirrhotic patients with HE; (3) kinetics of initial tracer distribution in tissue can be assessed by using total (13)N-concentration in blood as input function, whereas assessment of metabolic processes requires (13)N-ammonia measurements.

MetNH3: Metrology for ammonia in ambient air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braban, Christine; Twigg, Marsailidh; Tang, Sim; Leuenberger, Daiana; Ferracci, Valerio; Martin, Nick; Pascale, Celine; Hieta, Tuomas; Pogany, Andrea; Persijn, Stefan; van Wijk, Janneke; Gerwig, Holger; Wirtze, Klaus; Tiebe, Carlo; Balslev-Harder, David; Niederhausen, Bernhardt

2015-04-01

Measuring ammonia in ambient air is a sensitive and priority issue due to its harmful effects on human health and ecosystems. The European Directive 2001/81/EC on 'National Emission Ceilings for Certain Atmospheric Pollutants (NEC)' regulates ammonia emissions in the member states. However, there is a lack of regulation to ensure reliable ammonia measurements namely in applicable analytical technology, maximum allowed uncertainty, quality assurance and quality control (QC/QA) procedures as well as in the infrastructure to attain metrological traceability. Validated ammonia measurement data of high quality from air monitoring networks are vitally important for identifying changes due to implementations of environment policies, for understanding where the uncertainties in current emission inventories are derived from and for providing independent verification of atmospheric model predictions. The new EURAMET project MetNH3 aims to develop improved reference gas mixtures by static and dynamic gravimetric generation methods, develop and characterise laser based optical spectrometric standards and establish the transfer from high-accuracy standards to field applicable methods. MetNH3started in June 2014 and in this presentation the first results from the metrological characterisation of a commercially available cavity ring-down spectrometer (CRDS) will be discussed. Also first tests and results from a new design, Controlled Atmosphere Test Facility (CATFAC), which is to be characterised and used to validate the performance of diffusive samplers, denuders and on-line instruments, will be reported. CAFTEC can be used to control test parameters such as ammonia concentration, relative humidity and wind speed. Outline plans for international laboratory and field intercomparisons in 2016 will be presented.

Ammonia-water cation and ammonia dimer cation.

PubMed

Kim, Hahn; Lee, Han Myoung

2009-06-25

We have investigated the structure, interaction energy, electronic properties, and IR spectra of the ammonia-water cation (NH(3)H(2)O)(+) using density functional theory (DFT) and high-level ab initio theory. The ammonia-water cation has three minimum-energy structures of (a) H(2)NH(+)...OH(2), (b) H(3)N(+)...OH(2), and (c) H(3)NH(+)...OH. The lowest-energy structure is (a), followed by (c) and (b). The ammonia dimer cation has two minimum-energy structures [the lowest H(3)NH(+)...NH(2) structure and the second lowest (H(3)N...NH(3))(+) structure]. The minimum transition barrier for the interconversion between (a), (b), and (c) is approximately 6 kcal/mol. Most DFT calculations with various functionals, except a few cases, overstabilize the N...O and N...N binding, predicting different structures from Moller-Plesset second-order perturbation (MP2) theory and the most reliable complete basis set (CBS) limit of coupled cluster theory with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations [CCSD(T)]. Thus, the validity test of the DFT functionals for these ionized molecular systems would be of importance.

Nitric oxide scavengers differentially inhibit ammonia oxidation in ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria.

PubMed

Sauder, Laura A; Ross, Ashley A; Neufeld, Josh D

2016-04-01

Differential inhibitors are important for measuring the relative contributions of microbial groups, such as ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), to biogeochemical processes in environmental samples. In particular, 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide (PTIO) represents a nitric oxide scavenger used for the specific inhibition of AOA, implicating nitric oxide as an intermediate of thaumarchaeotal ammonia oxidation. This study investigated four alternative nitric oxide scavengers for their ability to differentially inhibit AOA and AOB in comparison to PTIO. Caffeic acid, curcumin, methylene blue hydrate and trolox were tested onNitrosopumilus maritimus, two unpublished AOA representatives (AOA-6f and AOA-G6) as well as the AOB representative Nitrosomonas europaea All four scavengers inhibited ammonia oxidation by AOA at lower concentrations than for AOB. In particular, differential inhibition of AOA and AOB by caffeic acid (100 μM) and methylene blue hydrate (3 μM) was comparable to carboxy-PTIO (100 μM) in pure and enrichment culture incubations. However, when added to aquarium sponge biofilm microcosms, both scavengers were unable to inhibit ammonia oxidation consistently, likely due to degradation of the inhibitors themselves. This study provides evidence that a variety of nitric oxide scavengers result in differential inhibition of ammonia oxidation in AOA and AOB, and provides support to the proposed role of nitric oxide as a key intermediate in the thaumarchaeotal ammonia oxidation pathway. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sources and sinks for ammonia and nitrite on the early Earth and the reaction of nitrite with ammonia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Summers, D. P.

1999-01-01

An analysis of sources and sinks for ammonia and nitrite on the early Earth was conducted. Rates of formation and destruction, and steady state concentrations of both species were determined by steady state kinetics. The importance of the reaction of nitrite with ammonia on the feasibility of ammonia formation from nitrite was evaluated. The analysis considered conditions such as temperature, ferrous iron concentration, and pH. For sinks we considered the reduction of nitrite to ammonia, reaction between nitrite and ammonia, photochemical destruction of both species, and destruction at hydrothermal vents. Under most environmental conditions, the primary sink for nitrite is reduction to ammonia. The reaction between ammonia and nitrite is not an important sink for either nitrite or ammonia. Destruction at hydrothermal vents is important at acidic pH's and at low ferrous iron concentrations. Photochemical destruction, even in a worst case scenario, is unimportant under many conditions except possibly under acidic, low iron concentration, or low temperature conditions. The primary sink for ammonia is photochemical destruction in the atmosphere. Under acidic conditions, more of the ammonia is tied up as ammonium (reducing its vapor pressure and keeping it in solution) and hydrothermal destruction becomes more important.

Summer-time distribution of air pollutants in Sequoia National Park, California.

PubMed

Bytnerowicz, Andrzej; Tausz, Michael; Alonso, Rocio; Jones, David; Johnson, Ronald; Grulke, Nancy

2002-01-01

Concentrations of air pollutants were monitored during the May November 1999 period on a network of forested sites in Sequoia National Park, California. Measurements were conducted with: (1) active monitors for nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3); (2) honeycomb denuder/filter pack systems for nitric acid vapor (HNO3), nitrous acid vapor (HNO2), ammonia (NH3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), particulate nitrate (NO3-), ammonium (NH4+), and sulfate (SO4(2-)); and (3) passive samplers for O3, HNO3 and NO2. Elevated concentrations of O3 (seasonal means 41-71 ppb), HNO3 (seasonal means 0.4-2.9 microg/m3), NH3 (seasonal means 1.6-4.5 microg/m3), NO3 (1.1-2.0 microg/m3) and NH4+ (1.0-1.9 microg/m3) were determined. Concentrations of other pollutants were low. With increasing elevation and distance from the pollution source area of O3, NH3 and HNO3 concentrations decreased. Ammonia and NH4+ were dominant N pollutants indicating strong influence of agricultural emissions on forests and other ecosystems of the Sequoia National Park.

[National plan for prevention in agriculture state of art and prosecution].

PubMed

Ariano, Eugenio

2013-01-01

Agricultural work submits to high risks for safety and health. In 2009, in execution of "workplace health protection pact" (DPCM 17.12.2007), has been defined the National Plan for prevention in agriculture and forestry, whose first three-year program ended in 2012. Goals were: to Systematize and to standardize direction and control activity, defining the number of factories to control, in most italian regions, for high and ubiquitous risks applying homogeneous standards, spending special attention to risks of fatal and serious injury; to develop agricultural machinery trade control, for new and second-hand machinery, for normalizing the whole fleet; to contribute to monitoring of risk factors and injury dynamics, for a better definition of prevention policies; to increase the knowledge of public health agency officers; to identify and to promote technical solutions, helping to define, in proper way, good practices for complex problems; to promote coordination between economic develop policies and prevention policies for agriculture, breeding and forestry, paying attention also to financial helps. The plan, divided in regional plans, obtained most of defined goals and allowed to build a permanent interregional net of referents and expert officers. Next years perspective is to enhance in developing the faced themes and objectives.

21 CFR 862.1065 - Ammonia test system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ammonia test system. 862.1065 Section 862.1065....1065 Ammonia test system. (a) Identification. An ammonia test system is a device intended to measure ammonia levels in blood, serum, and plasma, Ammonia measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment...

Estimating health and economic benefits of reductions in air pollution from agriculture.

PubMed

Giannadaki, Despina; Giannakis, Elias; Pozzer, Andrea; Lelieveld, Jos

2018-05-01

Agricultural ammonia emissions strongly contribute to fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5 ) with significant impacts on human health, contributing to mortality. We used model calculated emission scenarios to examine the health and economic benefits accrued by reducing agricultural emissions. We applied the "value of statistical life" metric to monetize the associated health outcomes. Our analysis indicates that a 50% reduction in agricultural emissions could prevent >200 thousand deaths per year in the 59 countries included in our study, notably in Europe, Russia, Turkey, the US, Canada and China, accompanied with economic benefits of many billions US$. In the European Union (EU) mortality could be reduced by 18% with an annual economic benefit of 89 billion US$. A theoretical complete phase-out of agricultural emissions could lead to a reduction in PM 2.5 related mortality of >50% plus associated economic costs in 42 out of the 59 countries studied. Within the EU, 140 thousand deaths could be prevented per year with an associated economic benefit of about 407billionUS$/year. A cost-benefit assessment of ammonia emission abatement options for the EU indicates that the reduction of agricultural emissions generates net financial and social benefits. The monetization of the health benefits of air pollution abatement policies and the costs of implementation can help devise cost-effective air quality management strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Swine manure application effects on ammonia volatilization, forage quality, and yield in the Pre-Amazon Region of Brazil

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The use of swine manure as a nutrient source for pastures is increasingly common in Brazil, due to its low cost. However, this practice can cause nitrogen (N) losses in agricultural soil, where ammonia volatilization may be the main drawback, generating undesirable economic and environmental consequ...

Urease inhibitor for reducing ammonia emissions from an open-lot beef cattle feedyard in the Texas High Plains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reduction of ammonia (NH3) emissions from animal feeding operations is important from the perspective of environmental policy and its impact on agriculture. In laboratory studies, urease inhibitors have been effective in reducing NH3 emissions from beef cattle manure, however there has been little t...

Novel Syntrophic Populations Dominate an Ammonia-Tolerant Methanogenic Microbiome.

PubMed

Frank, J A; Arntzen, M Ø; Sun, L; Hagen, L H; McHardy, A C; Horn, S J; Eijsink, V G H; Schnürer, A; Pope, P B

2016-01-01

Biogas reactors operating with protein-rich substrates have high methane potential and industrial value; however, they are highly susceptible to process failure because of the accumulation of ammonia. High ammonia levels cause a decline in acetate-utilizing methanogens and instead promote the conversion of acetate via a two-step mechanism involving syntrophic acetate oxidation (SAO) to H 2 and CO 2 , followed by hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis. Despite the key role of syntrophic acetate-oxidizing bacteria (SAOB), only a few culturable representatives have been characterized. Here we show that the microbiome of a commercial, ammonia-tolerant biogas reactor harbors a deeply branched, uncultured phylotype (unFirm_1) accounting for approximately 5% of the 16S rRNA gene inventory and sharing 88% 16S rRNA gene identity with its closest characterized relative. Reconstructed genome and quantitative metaproteomic analyses imply unFirm_1's metabolic dominance and SAO capabilities, whereby the key enzymes required for acetate oxidation are among the most highly detected in the reactor microbiome. While culturable SAOB were identified in genomic analyses of the reactor, their limited proteomic representation suggests that unFirm_1 plays an important role in channeling acetate toward methane. Notably, unFirm_1-like populations were found in other high-ammonia biogas installations, conjecturing a broader importance for this novel clade of SAOB in anaerobic fermentations. IMPORTANCE The microbial production of methane or "biogas" is an attractive renewable energy technology that can recycle organic waste into biofuel. Biogas reactors operating with protein-rich substrates such as household municipal or agricultural wastes have significant industrial and societal value; however, they are highly unstable and frequently collapse due to the accumulation of ammonia. We report the discovery of a novel uncultured phylotype (unFirm_1) that is highly detectable in metaproteomic data

Supervised Agricultural Experience Instruction in Agricultural Teacher Education Programs: A National Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rank, Bryan D.; Retallick, Michael S.

2017-01-01

Faculty in agricultural teacher education programs are responsible for preparing future teachers to lead effective school-based agricultural education programs. However, agriculture teachers are having difficulty implementing supervised agricultural experience (SAE), even though they value it conceptually as a program component. In an effort to…

Estimating Emissions of Ammonia and Methane from an Anaerobic Livestock Lagoon Using Micrometeorological Methods and Inverse Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shonkwiler, K. B.; Ham, J. M.; Williams, C.

2012-12-01

Development Initiative. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy. [2] Loubet, B., Génermont, S., Ferrara, R., Bedos, C., Decuq, C., Personne, E., Fanucci, O., Durand, B., Rana, G., Cellier, P., 2010. An inverse model to estimate ammonia emissions from fields. Eur. J. Soil Sci. 61: 793-805. Panorama of a weather station (left) utilizing micrometeorological methods to aid in estimating emissions of methane and ammonia from an anaerobic livestock lagoon (center) at a commercial dairy in Northern Colorado, USA.

Stimulation of thaumarchaeal ammonia oxidation by ammonia derived from organic nitrogen but not added inorganic nitrogen.

PubMed

Levičnik-Höfferle, Spela; Nicol, Graeme W; Ausec, Luka; Mandić-Mulec, Ines; Prosser, James I

2012-04-01

Ammonia oxidation, the first step in nitrification, is performed by autotrophic bacteria and thaumarchaea, whose relative contributions vary in different soils. Distinctive environmental niches for the two groups have not been identified, but evidence from previous studies suggests that activity of thaumarchaea, unlike that of bacterial ammonia oxidizers, is unaffected by addition of inorganic N fertilizer and that they preferentially utilize ammonia generated from the mineralization of organic N. This hypothesis was tested by determining the influence of both inorganic and organic N sources on nitrification rate and ammonia oxidizer growth and community structure in microcosms containing acidic, forest soil in which ammonia oxidation was dominated by thaumarchaea. Nitrification rate was unaffected by the incubation of soil with inorganic ammonium but was significantly stimulated by the addition of organic N. Oxidation of ammonia generated from native soil organic matter or added organic N, but not added inorganic N, was accompanied by increases in abundance of the thaumarchaeal amoA gene, a functional gene for ammonia oxidation, but changes in community structure were not observed. Bacterial amoA genes could not be detected. Ammonia oxidation was completely inhibited by 0.01% acetylene in all treatments, indicating ammonia monooxygenase-dependent activity. The findings have implications for current models of soil nitrification and for nitrification control strategies to minimize fertilizer loss and nitrous oxide production. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unmanned aerial system laser based measurements of ammonia and methane emissions from animal feeding operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shadman, S.; McHale, L.; Miller, T.; Yalin, A.

2017-12-01

In the US, 40 Tg of ammonia is emitted every year into the atmosphere via agricultural activities. Ammonia is the third most abundant nitrogen containing species in the atmosphere and it has important impacts on atmospheric chemistry, health, and the environment. Since the atmospheric lifetime of ammonia is a few days, it typically deposits to the ground close to its source. In this study we are developing two laser-based sensors to measure ammonia and methane emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) with the specific goal of quantifying the dry deposition of ammonia in the first few kilometers downwind of the CAFOs. Since methane is nonreactive and does not undergo dry deposition, its change in concentration with downwind distance is due to dispersion alone. We therefore plan to use methane as a conservative tracer, and will infer the ammonia deposition from the changing (deceasing) ratio of ammonia to methane as a function of downwind position. The laser sensors (ammonia and methane) developed in this study are relatively lightweight (<3.5 kg), low power (<40 W) and achieve part-per-billion level concentration sensitivity via sensitive open-path absorption spectroscopy methods. The sensors are designed for simultaneous airborne measurements of both species on a 12 foot Telemaster unmanned aerial system (UAS). The methane sensor employs cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) at 1.65 um with a distributed feedback laser and has effective cavity length of 20 km. The ammonia sensor employs wavelength modulation spectroscopy (WMS) with a quantum cascade laser at 10.33 um with a Herriot multipass cell (19 m effective length). In order to minimize the thermal expansion effects, most mounts and physical structures are made from carbon-fiber. For each sensor, a custom electronics module has been designed to control and power the electro-optic components, as well as to acquire, analyze, and save data (including concentration, temperature, pressure, and

Aquatic Life Criteria - Ammonia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Documents related to EPA's final 2013 Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria for Ammonia (Freshwater). These documents pertain to the safe levels of Ammonia in water that should protect to the majority of species.

Spatial and temporal patterns of nitrogen isotopic composition of ammonia at U.S. ammonia monitoring network sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Felix, J. David; Elliott, Emily M.; Gay, David A.

2017-02-01

Ammonia (NH3) emissions and ammonium (NH4+) deposition can have harmful effects on the environment and human health but remain generally unregulated in the U.S. PM2.5 regulations require that an area not exceed an annual average PM2.5 value of 12 μg/m3 (averaged over three years), and since NH3 is a significant precursor to PM2.5 formation these are the closest indirect regulations of NH3 emissions in the U.S. If the U.S. elects to adopt NH3 emission regulations similar to those applied by the European Union, it will be imperative to first adequately quantify NH3 emission sources and transport, and also understand the factors causing varying emissions from each source. To further investigate NH3 emission sources and transport at a regional scale, NH3 was sampled monthly at a subset of nine Ammonia Monitoring Network (AMoN) sites and analyzed for nitrogen isotopic composition of NH3 (δ15N-NH3). The observed δ15N-NH3 values ranged from -42.4 to +7.1‰ with an average of -15.1 ± 9.7. The observed δ15N-NH3 values reported here provide insight into the spatial and temporal trends of the NH3 sources that contribute to ambient [NH3] in the U.S. In regions where agriculture is prevalent (i.e., U.S. Midwest), low and seasonally variable δ15N-NH3 values are observed and are associated with varying agricultural sources. In comparison, rural nonagricultural areas have higher and more seasonally consistent δ15N-NH3 values associated with a constant "natural" (e.g. soil, vegetation, bi-directional flux, ocean) NH3 source. With regards to temporal variation, the peak in U.S. spring agricultural activity (e.g. fertilizer application, livestock waste volatilization) is accompanied by a decrease in δ15N-NH3 values at a majority of the sites, whereas higher δ15N-NH3 values in other seasons could be due to shifting sources (e.g. coal-fired power plants) and/or fractionation scenarios. Fractionation processes that may mask NH3 source signatures are discussed and require

Emerging Educational and Agricultural Trends and their Impact on the Secondary Agricultural Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Ralsa Marshall, Jr.; Moore, Gary E.; Flowers, Jim

2004-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to identify the emerging trends in education and agriculture and to determine their implications on the secondary agricultural education program. For this study, the researchers did a national solicitation for nominations with 1,160 national agricultural education leaders, state agricultural education leaders,…

Seawater and shellfish (Geukensia demissa) quality along the Western Coast of Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland: an area impacted by feral horses and agricultural runoff.

PubMed

Lambert, Mary S; Ozbay, Gulnihal; Richards, Gary P

2009-08-01

We evaluated the quality of seawater and ribbed mussels (Gukensia demissa) at six sites along the West Coast of Assateague Island National Seashore (ASIS), a barrier island popular with tourists and fishermen. Parameters evaluated were summertime temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorus, total ammonia nitrogen, and nitrite levels for seawater and total heterotrophic plate counts and total Vibrionaceae levels for the ribbed mussels. Approximately 150 feral horses (Equus caballus) are located on ASIS and, combined with agricultural runoff from animals and croplands, local wildlife, and anthropogenic inputs, contribute to nutrient loads affecting water and shellfish quality. The average monthly dissolved oxygen for June was 2.65 mg L(-1), below the minimum acceptable threshold of 3.0 mg L(-1). Along Chincoteague Bay, total phosphorus generally exceeded the maximum level of 0.037 mg L(-1), as set by the Maryland Coastal Bays Program management objective for seagrasses, with a high of 1.92 mg L(-1) in June, some 50-fold higher than the recommended threshold. Total ammonia nitrogen approached levels harmful to fish, with a maximum recorded value of 0.093 mg L(-1). Levels of total heterotrophic bacteria spiked to 9.5 x 10(6) cells g(-1) of mussel tissue in August in Sinepuxent Bay, leading to mussels which exceeded acceptable standards for edible bivalves by 19-fold. An average of 76% of the bacterial isolates were in the Vibrionaceae family. Together, these data suggest poor stewardship of our coastal environment and the need for new intervention strategies to reduce chemical and biological contamination of our marine resources.

ERIC First Analysis: Agricultural Policy. 1986-87 National High School Debate Resolutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, David L.; Fraleigh, Douglas

Designed to serve as a framework in which high school debate students, coaches, and judges can evaluate the issues, arguments, and evidence concerning which agricultural policies best serve the United States, this booklet provides guidelines for research on the 1986-87 debate resolutions selected by the National Federation of State High School…

The Ammonia-Soda Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tingle, M.

1979-01-01

This article is a condensed version of a commentary written to accompany a set of slides which describes the ammonia-soda process used by the ammonia-soda plant at Northwich of the United Kingdom. (HM)

Nutrients in Streams and Rivers Across the Nation -- 1992-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mueller, David K.; Spahr, Norman E.

2006-01-01

Nutrient compounds of nitrogen and phosphorus were investigated in streams and rivers sampled as part of the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. Nutrient data were collected in 20 NAWQA study units during 1992-95, 16 study units during 1996-98, and 15 study units during 1999-2001. To facilitate comparisons among sampling sites with variable sampling frequency, daily loads were determined by using regression models that relate constituent transport to streamflow and time. Model results were used to compute mean annual loads, yields, and concentrations of ammonia, nitrate, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus, which were compared among stream and river sampling sites. Variations in the occurrence and distribution of nutrients in streams and rivers on a broad national scale reflect differences in the sources of nutrient inputs to the upstream watersheds and in watershed characteristics that affect movement of those nutrients. Sites were classified by watershed size and by land use in the upstream watershed: agriculture, urban, and undeveloped (forest or rangeland). Selection of NAWQA urban sites was intended to avoid effects of major wastewater-treatment plants and other point sources, but in some locations this was not feasible. Nutrient concentrations and yields generally increased with anthropogenic development in the watershed. Median concentrations and yields for all constituents at sites downstream from undeveloped areas were less than at sites downstream from agricultural or urban areas. Concentrations of ammonia, orthophosphate, and total phosphorus at agricultural and urban sites were not significantly different; however, concentrations of nitrate and total nitrogen were higher at agricultural than at urban sites. Total nitrogen concentrations at agricultural sites were higher in areas of high nitrogen input or enhanced transport, such as irrigation or artificial drainage that can rapidly move water from

Impact of agricultural emission reductions on fine-particulate matter and public health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzer, Andrea; Tsimpidi, Alexandra P.; Karydis, Vlassis A.; de Meij, Alexander; Lelieveld, Jos

2017-10-01

A global chemistry-climate model has been used to study the impacts of pollutants released by agriculture on fine-particulate matter (PM2.5), with a focus on Europe, North America, East and South Asia. Simulations reveal that a relatively strong reduction in PM2.5 levels can be achieved by decreasing agricultural emissions, notably of ammonia (NH3) released from fertilizer use and animal husbandry. The absolute impact on PM2.5 reduction is strongest in East Asia, even for small emission decreases. Conversely, over Europe and North America, aerosol formation is not immediately limited by the availability of ammonia. Nevertheless, reduction of NH3 can also substantially decrease PM2.5 concentrations over the latter regions, especially when emissions are abated systematically. Our results document how reduction of agricultural emissions decreases aerosol pH due to the depletion of aerosol ammonium, which affects particle liquid phase and heterogeneous chemistry. Further, it is shown that a 50 % reduction of agricultural emissions could prevent the mortality attributable to air pollution by ˜ 250 000 people yr-1 worldwide, amounting to reductions of 30, 19, 8 and 3 % over North America, Europe, East and South Asia, respectively. A theoretical 100 % reduction could even reduce the number of deaths globally by about 800 000 per year.

Efficiency of urease and nitrification inhibitors in reducing ammonia volatilization from diverse nitrogen fertilizers applied to different soil types and wheat straw mulching.

PubMed

San Francisco, Sara; Urrutia, Oscar; Martin, Vincent; Peristeropoulos, Angelos; Garcia-Mina, Jose Maria

2011-07-01

Some authors suggest that the absence of tillage in agricultural soils might have an influence on the efficiency of nitrogen applied in the soil surface. In this study we investigate the influence of no-tillage and soil characteristics on the efficiency of a urease inhibitor (N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide, NBPT) and a nitrification inhibitor (diciandiamide, DCD) in decreasing ammonia volatilization from urea and ammonium nitrate (AN), respectively. The results indicate that ammonia volatilization in soils amended with urea was significantly higher than in those fertilized with AN. Likewise, the main soil factors affecting ammonia volatilization from urea are clay and sand soil contents. While clay impedes ammonia volatilization, sand favours it. The presence of organic residues on soil surface (no-tillage) tends to increase ammonia volatilization from urea, although this fact depended on soil type. The presence of NBPT in urea fertilizer significantly reduced soil ammonia volatilization. This action of NBPT was negatively affected by acid soil pH and favoured by soil clay content. The presence of organic residues on soil surface amended with urea increased ammonia volatilization, and was particularly high in sandy compared with clay soils. Application of NBPT reduced ammonia volatilization although its efficiency is reduced in acid soils. Concerning AN fertilization, there were no differences in ammonia volatilization with or without DCD in no-tillage soils. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Ammonia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to the ammonia module, when to list ammonia as a candidate cause, ways to measure ammonia, simple and detailed conceptual diagrams for ammonia, literature reviews and references for the ammonia module.

The National Agricultural Text Digitizing Project: Toward the Electronic Library. Report of the Pilot Project, Phases 1-2, 1986-1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Nancy L.; Andre, Pamela Q. J.

The National Agricultural Text Digitizing Project (NATDP) began in 1986 with cooperation between the National Agricultural Library and the University of Vermont, and then expanded to include 45 land-grant university libraries and 1 special library. The first activity was to evaluate the new technology of optical scanning. The project was designed…

Proceedings of the Annual National Agricultural Education Research Meeting (9th, St, Louis, Missouri, December 3, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Vocational Association, Arlington, VA. Agricultural Education Div.

These proceedings contain the texts of 29 papers presented at the ninth Annual Agricultural Education Research Meeting. During the five sessions of the conference, various areas of agricultural education were addressed, such as inservice education, job satisfaction and morale, teacher concerns, national issues, program improvement, preservice…

Agricultural Influences on Cache Valley, Utah Air Quality During a Wintertime Inversion Episode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, P. J.

2017-12-01

Several of northern Utah's intermountain valleys are classified as non-attainment for fine particulate matter. Past data indicate that ammonium nitrate is the major contributor to fine particles and that the gas phase ammonia concentrations are among the highest in the United States. During the 2017 Utah Winter Fine Particulate Study, USDA brought a suite of online and real-time measurement methods to sample particulate matter and potential gaseous precursors from agricultural emissions in the Cache Valley. Instruments were co-located at the State of Utah monitoring site in Smithfield, Utah from January 21st through February 12th, 2017. A Scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and aerodynamic particle sizer (APS) acquired size distributions of particles from 10 nm - 10 μm in 5-min intervals. A URG ambient ion monitor (AIM) gave hourly concentrations for gas and particulate ions and a Chromatotec Trsmedor gas chromatograph obtained 10 minute measurements of gaseous sulfur species. High ammonia concentrations were detected at the Smithfield site with concentrations above 100 ppb at times, indicating a significant influence from agriculture at the sampling site. Ammonia is not the only agricultural emission elevated in Cache Valley during winter, as reduced sulfur gas concentrations of up to 20 ppb were also detected. Dimethylsulfide was the major sulfur-containing gaseous species. Analysis indicates that particle growth and particle nucleation events were both observed by the SMPS. Relationships between gas and particulate concentrations and correlations between the two will be discussed.

Understanding chemistry behind secondary aerosol production from nitrogen and sulfur compounds from agriculture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural emissions impact particulate mass concentrations through both primary and secondary processes. Evidence from laboratory and field work suggest that not only does ammonia produce secondary particulate matter, but nitrogen and sulfur containing volatile organic compounds also contribute. ...

Interactions between ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria in co-cultures: Is there evidence for mutualism, commensalism, or competition?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sayavedra-Soto, Luis; Arp, Daniel

Nitrification is a two-step environmental microbial process in the nitrogen cycle in which ammonia is oxidized to nitrate. Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and archaea oxidize ammonia to nitrite and nitrite is oxidized to nitrate by nitrite-oxidizing bacteria. These microorganisms, which likely act in concert in a microbial community, play critical roles in the movement of inorganic N in soils, sediments and waters and are essential to the balance of the nitrogen cycle. Anthropogenic activity has altered the balance of the nitrogen cycle through agriculture practices and organic waste byproducts. Through their influence on available N for plant growth, nitrifying microorganisms influence plantmore » productivity for food and fiber production and the associated carbon sequestration. N Fertilizer production, primarily as ammonia, requires large inputs of natural gas and hydrogen. In croplands fertilized with ammonia-based fertilizers, nitrifiers contribute to the mobilization of this N by producing nitrate (NO3-), wasting the energy used in the production and application of ammonia-based fertilizer. The resulting nitrate is readily leached from these soils, oxidized to gaseous N oxides (greenhouse gases), and denitrified to N2 (which is no longer available as a plant N source). Still, ammonia oxidizers are beneficial in the treatment of wastewater and they also show potential to contribute to microbial bioremediation strategies for clean up of environments contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons. Mitigation of the negative effects and exploitation of the beneficial effects of nitrifiers will be facilitated by a systems-level understanding of the interactions of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria with the environment and with each other.« less

Autotrophic ammonia oxidation by soil thaumarchaea.

PubMed

Zhang, Li-Mei; Offre, Pierre R; He, Ji-Zheng; Verhamme, Daniel T; Nicol, Graeme W; Prosser, James I

2010-10-05

Nitrification plays a central role in the global nitrogen cycle and is responsible for significant losses of nitrogen fertilizer, atmospheric pollution by the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, and nitrate pollution of groundwaters. Ammonia oxidation, the first step in nitrification, was thought to be performed by autotrophic bacteria until the recent discovery of archaeal ammonia oxidizers. Autotrophic archaeal ammonia oxidizers have been cultivated from marine and thermal spring environments, but the relative importance of bacteria and archaea in soil nitrification is unclear and it is believed that soil archaeal ammonia oxidizers may use organic carbon, rather than growing autotrophically. In this soil microcosm study, stable isotope probing was used to demonstrate incorporation of (13)C-enriched carbon dioxide into the genomes of thaumarchaea possessing two functional genes: amoA, encoding a subunit of ammonia monooxygenase that catalyses the first step in ammonia oxidation; and hcd, a key gene in the autotrophic 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate cycle, which has been found so far only in archaea. Nitrification was accompanied by increases in archaeal amoA gene abundance and changes in amoA gene diversity, but no change was observed in bacterial amoA genes. Archaeal, but not bacterial, amoA genes were also detected in (13)C-labeled DNA, demonstrating inorganic CO(2) fixation by archaeal, but not bacterial, ammonia oxidizers. Autotrophic archaeal ammonia oxidation was further supported by coordinate increases in amoA and hcd gene abundance in (13)C-labeled DNA. The results therefore provide direct evidence for a role for archaea in soil ammonia oxidation and demonstrate autotrophic growth of ammonia oxidizing archaea in soil.

Continuous measurements of ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane from air scrubbers at pig housing facilities.

PubMed

Van der Heyden, C; Brusselman, E; Volcke, E I P; Demeyer, P

2016-10-01

Ammonia, largely emitted by agriculture, involves a great risk for eutrophication and acidification leading to biodiversity loss. Air scrubbers are widely applied to reduce ammonia emission from pig and poultry housing facilities, but it is not always clear whether their performance meets the requirements. Besides, there is a growing international concern for the livestock related greenhouse gases methane and nitrous oxide but hardly any data concerning their fate in air scrubbers are available. This contribution presents the results from measurement campaigns conducted at a chemical, a biological and a two-stage biological air scrubber installed at pig housing facilities in Flanders. Ammonia, nitrous oxide and methane at the inlet and outlet of the air scrubbers were monitored on-line during one week using a photoacoustic gas monitor, which allowed to investigate diurnal fluctuations in the removal performance of air scrubbers. Additionally, the homogeneity of the air scrubbers, normally checked by gas detection tubes, was investigated in more detail using the continuous data. The biological air scrubber with extra nitrification tank performed well in terms of ammonia removal (86 ± 6%), while the two-stage air scrubber suffered from nitrifying bacteria inhibition. In the chemical air scrubber the pH was not kept constant, lowering the ammonia removal efficiency. A lower ammonia removal efficiency was found during the day, when the ventilation rate was the highest. Nitrous oxide was produced inside the biological and two-stage scrubber, resulting in an increased outlet concentration of more than 200%. Methane could not be removed in the different air scrubbers because of its low water solubility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ammonia Synthesis at Low Pressure.

PubMed

Cussler, Edward; McCormick, Alon; Reese, Michael; Malmali, Mahdi

2017-08-23

Ammonia can be synthesized at low pressure by the use of an ammonia selective absorbent. The process can be driven with wind energy, available locally in areas requiring ammonia for synthetic fertilizer. Such wind energy is often called "stranded," because it is only available far from population centers where it can be directly used. In the proposed low pressure process, nitrogen is made from air using pressure swing absorption, and hydrogen is produced by electrolysis of water. While these gases can react at approximately 400 °C in the presence of a promoted conventional catalyst, the conversion is often limited by the reverse reaction, which makes this reaction only feasible at high pressures. This limitation can be removed by absorption on an ammine-like calcium or magnesium chloride. Such alkaline metal halides can effectively remove ammonia, thus suppressing the equilibrium constraints of the reaction. In the proposed absorption-enhanced ammonia synthesis process, the rate of reaction may then be controlled not by the chemical kinetics nor the absorption rates, but by the rate of the recycle of unreacted gases. The results compare favorably with ammonia made from a conventional small scale Haber-Bosch process.

Short-term effect of ammonia concentration and salinity on activity of ammonia oxidizing bacteria.

PubMed

Claros, J; Jiménez, E; Borrás, L; Aguado, D; Seco, A; Ferrer, J; Serralta, J

2010-01-01

A continuously aerated SHARON (single reactor high activity ammonia removal over nitrite) system has been operated to achieve partial nitritation. Two sets of batch experiments were carried out to study the effect of ammonia concentration and salinity on the activity of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Activity of AOB raised as free ammonia concentration was increased reaching its maximum value at 4.5 mg NH3-N l(-1). The half saturation constant for free ammonia was determined (K(NH3)=0.32 mg NH3-N l(-1)). Activity decreased at TAN (total ammonium-nitrogen) concentration over 2,000 mg NH4-N l(-1). No free ammonia inhibition was detected. The effect of salinity was studied by adding different concentrations of different salts to the biomass. No significant differences were observed between the experiments carried out with a salt containing or not containing NH4. These results support that AOB are inhibited by salinity, not by free ammonia. A mathematical expression to represent this inhibition is proposed. To compare substrate affinity and salinity inhibitory effect on different AOB populations, similar experiments were carried out with biomass from a biological nutrient removal pilot plant. The AOB activity reached its maximum value at 0.008 mg NH3-N l(-1) and decreased at TAN concentration over 400 mg NH4-N l(-1). These differences can be explained by the different AOB predominating species: Nitrosomonas europaea and N. eutropha in the SHARON biomass and Nitrosomonas oligotropha in the pilot plant.

Agricultural lung diseases.

PubMed Central

Kirkhorn, S R; Garry, V F

2000-01-01

Agriculture is considered one of the most hazardous occupations. Organic dusts and toxic gases constitute some of the most common and potentially disabling occupational and environmental hazards. The changing patterns of agriculture have paradoxically contributed to both improved working conditions and increased exposure to respiratory hazards. Animal confinement operations with increasing animal density, particularly swine confinement, have contributed significantly to increased intensity and duration of exposure to indoor air toxins. Ongoing research has implicated bacterial endotoxins, fungal spores, and the inherent toxicity of grain dusts as causes of upper and lower airway inflammation and as immunologic agents in both grain and animal production. Animal confinement gases, particularly ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, have been implicated as additional sources of respiratory irritants. It has become evident that a significant percentage of agricultural workers have clinical symptoms associated with long-term exposure to organic dusts and animal confinement gases. Respiratory diseases and syndromes, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, organic dust toxic syndrome, chronic bronchitis, mucous membrane inflammation syndrome, and asthmalike syndrome, result from ongoing acute and chronic exposures. In this review we focus upon the emerging respiratory health issues in a changing agricultural economic and technologic environment. Environmental and occupational hazards and exposures will be emphasized rather than clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods of prevention, from both engineering controls and personal respiratory perspectives, are also addressed. PMID:10931789

Ask a Question | National Agricultural Library

Science.gov Websites

Nutrition Invasive Species Marketing and Trade Natural Resources and Environment Plants and Crops Research Animal Welfare Food and Nutrition General Collections Quarterly Review Pasture, Forage and Rangeland Farmers Sustainable Agriculture Veterans in Agriculture Food and Human Nutrition Dietary Guidelines and

Assessment of the magnitude of ammonia emissions in the United Kingdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutton, M. A.; Place, C. J.; Eager, M.; Fowler, D.; Smith, R. I.

Estimates of ammonia emission in the U.K. have been critically reviewed with the aim of establishing the magnitude and uncertainty of each of the sources. European studies are also reviewed, with the U.K. providing a useful case study to highlight the uncertainties common to all ammonia emission inventories. This analysis of the emission factors and their application to U.K. sources supports an emission of 450 (231-715) Gg NH 3 yr -1. Agricultural activities are confirmed as the major source, providing 406 (215-630) Gg NH 3yr -1 (90% of the total), and therefore dominate uncertainties. Non-agricultural sources include sewage, pets, horses, humans, combustion and wild animals, though these contribute only 44 (16-85) Gg yr -1. Cattle represent the largest single uncertainty, accounting for 245 (119-389) Gg yr -1. The major uncertainties for cattle derive from estimation of the amount of nitrogen (N) excreted, the % N volatilized from land spreading of wastes, and the % N volatilized from stored farm-yard manure. Similar relative uncertainties apply to each of sheep, pigs and poultry, as well as fertilized crops, though these are quantitatively less important. Accounting; for regional differences in livestock demography, emission of 347, 63 and 40 Gg yr -1 are estimated for England & Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, respectively. Though very uncertain, the total is in good agreement with estimates required to balance the U.K. atmospheric NH. budget.

Assessing Ammonia Treatment Options

EPA Science Inventory

This is the second of three articles to help water system operators understand ammonia and how to monitor and control its effects at the plant and in the distribution system. The first article (Opflow, April 2012) provided an overview of ammonia's chemistry, origins, and water sy...

Modeling of ammonia dry deposition downwind of a large poultry facility

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes a study investigating dry deposition of ammonia downwind of a poultry facility located on the southern perimeter of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. This work is a component of a larger project conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: "Imp...

Characteristics of atmospheric ammonia and its relationship with vehicle emissions in a megacity in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ruyu; Ye, Xingnan; Liu, Yuxuan; Li, Haowen; Yang, Xin; Chen, Jianmin; Gao, Wei; Yin, Zi

2018-06-01

Atmospheric ammonia plays an important role in haze formation in East China. In this study, long-term measurements of NH3 concentrations were implemented at urban, suburban, and tunnel sites in Shanghai, the largest city in East China. The average monthly ammonia concentrations at the urban site varied from 3.7 ppb to 14.5 ppb and exhibited the highest levels in summer and lowest levels in winter, indicating that the biological emissions and agriculture in the surrounding areas are important contributors. The suburban NH3 levels were significantly higher in autumn compared to those at the urban site, indicating the important contribution of agricultural activities. Regardless of the season, the difference of NH3 concentrations between the tunnel and urban sites remained almost constant. On average, the tunnel NH3 level was three times higher than that of the nearby urban site, indicating strong vehicle NH3 emissions in the tunnel. The tunnel NH3 levels on weekdays were comparable to those on weekends, a result that was in agreement with the daily average traffic volume. It was estimated that the vehicle emissions contributed 12.6-24.6% of the atmospheric NH3 in the urban area and 3.8-7.5% for the whole area of Shanghai. Our results suggest that vehicle NH3 emissions should be considered, although agricultural emissions are still more important for mitigating severe haze pollution during wintertime in the megacities of China.

Ammonia excretion in Caenorhabditis elegans: mechanism and evidence of ammonia transport of the Rhesus protein CeRhr-1

PubMed Central

Adlimoghaddam, Aida; Boeckstaens, Mélanie; Marini, Anna-Maria; Treberg, Jason R.; Brassinga, Ann-Karen C.; Weihrauch, Dirk

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT The soil-dwelling nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a bacteriovorous animal, excreting the vast majority of its nitrogenous waste as ammonia (25.3±1.2 µmol gFW−1 day−1) and very little urea (0.21±0.004 µmol gFW−1 day−1). Although these roundworms have been used for decades as genetic model systems, very little is known about their strategy to eliminate the toxic waste product ammonia from their bodies into the environment. The current study provides evidence that ammonia is at least partially excreted via the hypodermis. Starvation reduced the ammonia excretion rates by more than half, whereas mRNA expression levels of the Rhesus protein CeRhr-2, V-type H+-ATPase (subunit A) and Na+/K+-ATPase (α-subunit) decreased correspondingly. Moreover, ammonia excretion rates were enhanced in media buffered to pH 5 and decreased at pH 9.5. Inhibitor experiments, combined with enzyme activity measurements and mRNA expression analyses, further suggested that the excretion mechanism involves the participation of the V-type H+-ATPase, carbonic anhydrase, Na+/K+-ATPase, and a functional microtubule network. These findings indicate that ammonia is excreted, not only by apical ammonia trapping, but also via vesicular transport and exocytosis. Exposure to 1 mmol l−1 NH4Cl caused a 10-fold increase in body ammonia and a tripling of ammonia excretion rates. Gene expression levels of CeRhr-1 and CeRhr-2, V-ATPase and Na+/K+-ATPase also increased significantly in response to 1 mmol l−1 NH4Cl. Importantly, a functional expression analysis showed, for the first time, ammonia transport capabilities for CeRhr-1 in a phylogenetically ancient invertebrate system, identifying these proteins as potential functional precursors to the vertebrate ammonia-transporting Rh-glycoproteins. PMID:25740900

The National Program for Occupational Safety and Health in Agriculture. 1992 Project Facts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. for Occupational Safety and Health (DHHS/PHS), Cincinnati, OH.

This book contains information about a project instituted in 1990 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to prevent work-related diseases and injuries among agricultural workers. Included are facts about 25 projects within NIOSH and 42 cooperative agreements between NIOSH and institutions in 25 states. These…

46 CFR 154.1760 - Liquid ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Liquid ammonia. 154.1760 Section 154.1760 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR....1760 Liquid ammonia. The master shall ensure that no person sprays liquid ammonia into a cargo tank...

46 CFR 154.1760 - Liquid ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Liquid ammonia. 154.1760 Section 154.1760 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR....1760 Liquid ammonia. The master shall ensure that no person sprays liquid ammonia into a cargo tank...

46 CFR 154.1760 - Liquid ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Liquid ammonia. 154.1760 Section 154.1760 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR....1760 Liquid ammonia. The master shall ensure that no person sprays liquid ammonia into a cargo tank...

46 CFR 154.1760 - Liquid ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Liquid ammonia. 154.1760 Section 154.1760 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR....1760 Liquid ammonia. The master shall ensure that no person sprays liquid ammonia into a cargo tank...

46 CFR 154.1760 - Liquid ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Liquid ammonia. 154.1760 Section 154.1760 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) CERTAIN BULK DANGEROUS CARGOES SAFETY STANDARDS FOR....1760 Liquid ammonia. The master shall ensure that no person sprays liquid ammonia into a cargo tank...

Ammonia emissions from cattle feeding operations.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ammonia is a colorless gas with an pungent odor that occurs naturally in trace amounts in the atmosphere, where it is the dominant base. Ammonia is produced during the decomposition of livestock manure. There is concern about atmospheric ammonia because of its potential effects on air quality, wat...

Stabilities of protonated water-ammonia clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundén, A. E. K.; Støchkel, K.; Hvelplund, P.; Brøndsted Nielsen, S.; Dynefors, B.; Hansen, K.

2018-05-01

Branching ratios of water and ammonia evaporation have been measured for spontaneous evaporation from protonated mixed clusters H+(H2O)n(NH3)m in the size range 0 ≤ n ≤ 11 and 0 ≤ m ≤ 7. Mixed clusters evaporate water except for clusters containing six or more ammonia molecules, indicating the formation of a stable core of one ammonium ion surrounded by four ammonia molecules and a second shell consisting predominantly of water. We relate evaporative branching ratios to free energy differences between the products of competing channels and determine the free energy differences for clusters with up to seven ammonia molecules. Clusters containing up to five ammonia molecules show a very strong scaling of these free energy differences.

Copper-induced ammonia N-H functionalization.

PubMed

Álvarez, María; Álvarez, Eleuterio; Fructos, Manuel R; Urbano, Juan; Pérez, Pedro J

2016-10-07

The activation of ammonia has been achieved with the aid of the Tp(Ms)Cu core (Tp(Ms) = hydrotris(3-mesityl-pyrazolyl)borate). Complexes of the general composition Tp(Ms)Cu(amine) (1-4) including the ammonia adduct Tp(Ms)Cu(NH3) (1) have been synthesized and fully spectroscopical- and structurally characterized. Coordinated ammonia in 1 has been reacted with Ph3CPF6 yielding Tp(Ms)Cu(NH2CPh3) (5) as a result of N-H cleavage and N-C bond formation. In a parallel manner the catalytic functionalization of ammonia with ethyl diazoacetate leading to glycinate derivatives has been developed with Tp(Ms)Cu(THF) as the catalyst, in the first example of this transformation with ammonia and a copper-based system.

Titan's Ammonia Feature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smythe, W.; Nelson, R.; Boryta, M.; Choukroun, M.

2011-01-01

NH3 has long been considered an important component in the formation and evolution of the outer planet satellites. NH3 is particularly important for Titan, since it may serve as the reservoir for atmospheric nitrogen. A brightening seen on Titan starting in 2004 may arise from a transient low-lying fog or surface coating of ammonia. The spectral shape suggests the ammonia is anhydrous, a molecule that hydrates quickly in the presence of water.

27 CFR 21.96 - Ammonia, aqueous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ammonia, aqueous. 21.96 Section 21.96 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT... Ammonia, aqueous. (a) Alkalinity. Strongly alkaline to litmus. (b) Ammonia content. 27 to 30 percent by...

27 CFR 21.96 - Ammonia, aqueous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ammonia, aqueous. 21.96 Section 21.96 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT... Ammonia, aqueous. (a) Alkalinity. Strongly alkaline to litmus. (b) Ammonia content. 27 to 30 percent by...

27 CFR 21.96 - Ammonia, aqueous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ammonia, aqueous. 21.96 Section 21.96 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT... Ammonia, aqueous. (a) Alkalinity. Strongly alkaline to litmus. (b) Ammonia content. 27 to 30 percent by...

27 CFR 21.96 - Ammonia, aqueous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ammonia, aqueous. 21.96 Section 21.96 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT... Ammonia, aqueous. (a) Alkalinity. Strongly alkaline to litmus. (b) Ammonia content. 27 to 30 percent by...

27 CFR 21.96 - Ammonia, aqueous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ammonia, aqueous. 21.96 Section 21.96 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT... Ammonia, aqueous. (a) Alkalinity. Strongly alkaline to litmus. (b) Ammonia content. 27 to 30 percent by...

76 FR 25298 - Solicitation of Members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-04

... Solicitation of Members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA. ACTION: Solicitation for membership. SUMMARY..., Education, and Economics Advisory Board. The notice was published in the Federal Register on April 22, 2011...

Recent Advances in Renal Ammonia Metabolism and Transport

PubMed Central

Weiner, I. David; Verlander, Jill W.

2016-01-01

Purpose of review The purpose of this review is to provide a succinct description of recent findings that advance our understanding of the fundamental renal process of ammonia metabolism and transport in conditions relevant to the clinician. Recent findings Recent studies advance our understanding of renal ammonia metabolism. Mechanisms through which chronic kidney disease and altered dietary protein intake alter ammonia excretion have been identified. Lithium, although it can acutely cause distal RTA, was shown with long-term use to increase urinary ammonia excretion, and this appeared to be mediated, at least in part, by increased Rhcg expression. Gene deletion studies showed that the ammonia recycling enzyme, glutamine synthetase, has a critical role in normal and acidosis-stimulated ammonia metabolism and that the proximal tubule basolateral bicarbonate transporter, NBCe1, is necessary for normal ammonia metabolism. Finally, our understanding of the molecular ammonia species, NH3 versus NH4+, transported by Rh glycoproteins continues to be advanced. Summary Fundamental studies have been recently published that advance our understanding of the regulation of ammonia metabolism in clinically important circumstances and our understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of proximal tubule ammonia generation and the mechanisms through which Rh glycoproteins contribute to ammonia secretion. PMID:27367914

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS): Agricultural Chemical Use

Science.gov Websites

Management Agricultural Chemical Use Database Search Tips Usage Search | US Maps | Graphical Reports effort among USDA, the USDA Regional Pest Management Centers and the NSF Center for Integrated Pest Management (CIPM). All data available have been previously published by NASS and have been consolidated at

Ammonia synthesis using magnetic induction method (MIM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puspitasari, P.; Razak, J. Abd; Yahya, N.

2012-09-01

The most challenging issues for ammonia synthesis is to get the high yield. New approach of ammonia synthesis by using Magnetic Induction Method (MIM) and the Helmholtz Coils has been proposed. The ammonia detection was done by using Kjeldahl Method and FTIR. The system was designed by using Autocad software. The magnetic field of MIM was vary from 100mT-200mT and the magnetic field for the Helmholtz coils was 14mT. The FTIR result shows that ammonia has been successfully formed at stretching peaks 1097,1119,1162,1236, 1377, and 1464 cm-1. UV-VIS result shows the ammonia bond at 195nm of wavelength. The ammonia yield was increase to 244.72μmole/g.h by using the MIM and six pairs of Helmholtz coils. Therefore this new method will be a new promising method to achieve the high yield ammonia at ambient condition (at 25δC and 1atm), under the Magnetic Induction Method (MIM).

Ammonia chemistry in a flameless jet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zieba, Mariusz; Schuster, Anja; Scheffknecht, Guenter

2009-10-15

In this paper, the nitrogen chemistry in an ammonia (NH{sub 3}) doped flameless jet is investigated using a kinetic reactor network model. The reactor network model is used to explain the main differences in ammonia chemistry for methane (CH{sub 4})-containing fuels and methane-free fuels. The chemical pathways of nitrogen oxides (NO{sub x}) formation and destruction are identified using rate-of-production analysis. The results show that in the case of natural gas, ammonia reacts relatively late at fuel lean condition leading to high NO{sub x} emissions. In the pre-ignition zone, the ammonia chemistry is blocked due to the absence of free radicalsmore » which are consumed by methane-methyl radical (CH{sub 3}) conversion. In the case of methane-free gas, the ammonia reacted very rapidly and complete decomposition was reached in the fuel rich region of the jet. In this case the necessary radicals for the ammonia conversion are generated from hydrogen (H{sub 2}) oxidation. (author)« less

Autotrophic growth of nitrifying community in an agricultural soil

PubMed Central

Xia, Weiwei; Zhang, Caixia; Zeng, Xiaowei; Feng, Youzhi; Weng, Jiahua; Lin, Xiangui; Zhu, Jianguo; Xiong, Zhengqin; Xu, Jian; Cai, Zucong; Jia, Zhongjun

2011-01-01

The two-step nitrification process is an integral part of the global nitrogen cycle, and it is accomplished by distinctly different nitrifiers. By combining DNA-based stable isotope probing (SIP) and high-throughput pyrosequencing, we present the molecular evidence for autotrophic growth of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in agricultural soil upon ammonium fertilization. Time-course incubation of SIP microcosms indicated that the amoA genes of AOB was increasingly labeled by 13CO2 after incubation for 3, 7 and 28 days during active nitrification, whereas labeling of the AOA amoA gene was detected to a much lesser extent only after a 28-day incubation. Phylogenetic analysis of the 13C-labeled amoA and 16S rRNA genes revealed that the Nitrosospira cluster 3-like sequences dominate the active AOB community and that active AOA is affiliated with the moderately thermophilic Nitrososphaera gargensis from a hot spring. The higher relative frequency of Nitrospira-like NOB in the 13C-labeled DNA suggests that it may be more actively involved in nitrite oxidation than Nitrobacter-like NOB. Furthermore, the acetylene inhibition technique showed that 13CO2 assimilation by AOB, AOA and NOB occurs only when ammonia oxidation is not blocked, which provides strong hints for the chemolithoautotrophy of nitrifying community in complex soil environments. These results show that the microbial community of AOB and NOB dominates the nitrification process in the agricultural soil tested. PMID:21326337

Polyaniline-based optical ammonia detector

DOEpatents

Duan, Yixiang; Jin, Zhe; Su, Yongxuan

2002-01-01

Electronic absorption spectroscopy of a polyaniline film deposited on a polyethylene surface by chemical oxidation of aniline monomer at room temperature was used to quantitatively detect ammonia gas. The present optical ammonia gas detector was found to have a response time of less than 15 s, a regeneration time of less than 2 min. at room temperature, and a detection limit of 1 ppm (v/v) for ammonia, with a linear dynamic range from 180 ppm to 18,000 ppm.

Satellite Observations of Tropospheric Ammonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shephard, M. W.; Luo, M.; Rinsland, C. P.; Cady-Pereira, K. E.; Beer, R.; Pinder, R. W.; Henze, D.; Payne, V. H.; Clough, S.; Rodgers, C. D.; Osterman, G. B.; Bowman, K. W.; Worden, H. M.

2008-12-01

Global high-spectral resolution (0.06 cm-1) nadir measurements from TES-Aura enable the simultaneous retrieval of a number of tropospheric pollutants and trace gases in addition to the TES standard operationally retrieved products (e.g. carbon monoxide, ozone). Ammonia (NH3) is one of the additional species that can be retrieved in conjunction with the TES standard products, and is important for local, regional, and global tropospheric chemistry studies. Ammonia emissions contribute significantly to several well-known environmental problems, yet the magnitude and seasonal/spatial variability of the emissions are poorly constrained. In the atmosphere, an important fraction of fine particulate matter is composed of ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate. These particles are statistically associated with health impacts. When deposited to ecosystems in excess, nitrogen, including ammonia can cause nutrient imbalances, change in ecosystem species composition, eutrophication, algal blooms and hypoxia. Ammonia is also challenging to measure in-situ. Observations of surface concentrations are rare and are particularly sparse in North America. Satellite observations of ammonia are therefore highly desirable. We recently demonstrated that tropospheric ammonia is detectable in the TES spectra and presented some corresponding preliminary retrievals over a very limited range of conditions (Beer et al., 2008). Presented here are results that expand upon these initial TES ammonia retrievals in order to evaluate/validate the retrieval results utilizing in-situ surface observations (e.g. LADCO, CASTNet, EPA /NC State) and chemical models (e.g. GEOS-Chem and CMAQ). We also present retrievals over regions of interest that have the potential to help further understand air quality and the active nitrogen cycle. Beer, R., M. W. Shephard, S. S. Kulawik, S. A. Clough, A. Eldering, K. W. Bowman, S. P. Sander, B. M. Fisher, V. H. Payne, M. Luo, G. B. Osterman, and J. R. Worden, First

Method for forming ammonia

DOEpatents

Kong, Peter C.; Pink, Robert J.; Zuck, Larry D.

2008-08-19

A method for forming ammonia is disclosed and which includes the steps of forming a plasma; providing a source of metal particles, and supplying the metal particles to the plasma to form metal nitride particles; and providing a substance, and reacting the metal nitride particles with the substance to produce ammonia, and an oxide byproduct.

Modeling the inactivation of ascaris eggs as a function of ammonia concentration and temperature.

PubMed

Fidjeland, J; Nordin, A; Pecson, B M; Nelson, K L; Vinnerås, B

2015-10-15

Ammonia sanitization is a promising technology for sanitizing human excreta intended for use as a fertilizer in agriculture. Ascaris eggs are the most persistent pathogens regarding ammonia inactivation and are commonly present in fecal sludge in low- and middle-income countries. In this study, a model for predicting ammonia inactivation of ascaris eggs was developed. Data from four previous studies were compiled and analyzed statistically, and a mathematical model for the treatment time required for inactivation was created. The inactivation rate increased with NH3 activity to the power of 0.7. The required treatment time was found to decrease 10-fold for each 16 °C temperature increase. Dry matter (DM) content and pH had no direct effect on inactivation, but had an indirect effect due to their impact on NH3 activity, which was estimated using the Pitzer approach. An additional model giving an approximation of Pitzer NH3 activity but based on the Emerson approach, DM content and total ammonia (NHTot) was also developed. The treatment time required for different log10 reductions of ascaris egg viability can thus easily be estimated by the model as a function of NH3 activity and temperature. The impact on treatment time by different treatment options can then be theoretically evaluated, promoting improvements of the treatment e.g. by adding urea or alkaline agents, or increasing the temperature by solar heating. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Agricultural Research & Education: Serving the Nation. A University Science and Education Exhibit on Capitol Hill, March 2, 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC.

The brochure describes an agricultural science and education exhibition presented by the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges in a Cannon House office building in Washington, DC on March 2, 1999. It gives background information on: three areas in which scientific research and education in the agricultural sciences…

The Effects of Acute Copper and Ammonia Challenges on Ammonia and Urea Excretion by the Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus.

PubMed

Zimmer, Alex M; Jorge, Marianna Basso; Wood, Chris M; Martins, Camila M G; Bianchini, Adalto

2017-04-01

Copper (Cu) is a persistent environmental contaminant that elicits several physiological disturbances in aquatic organisms, including a disruption in ammonia regulation. We hypothesized that exposure to Cu in a model crustacean (blue crab, Callinectes sapidus) acclimated to brackish water (2 ppt) would lead to hyperammonemia by stimulating an increase in ammonia production and/or by inhibiting ammonia excretion. We further hypothesized that urea production would represent an ammonia detoxification strategy in response to Cu. In a pilot experiment, exposure to 0, 100, and 200 µg/L Cu for 6 h caused significant concentration-dependent increases in ammonia excretion (J amm ). Based on these results, an acute 24-h 100 µg/L Cu exposure was conducted and this similarly caused an overall stimulation of J amm during the 24-h period, indicative of an increase in ammonia production. Terminal haemolymph total ammonia content (T amm ) was unchanged, suggesting that while ammonia production was increased, there was no inhibition of the excretion mechanism. In support of our second hypothesis, urea excretion (J urea ) increased in response to Cu exposure; haemolymph [urea] was unaffected. This suggested that urea production also was increased. To further test the hypothesis that J urea increased to prevent hyperammonemia during Cu exposure, crabs were exposed to high environmental ammonia (HEA; 2.5 mmol/L NH 4 HCO 3 ) for 12 h in a separate experiment. This led to a fourfold increase in haemolymph T amm , whereas J urea increased only transiently and haemolymph [urea] was unchanged, indicating that urea production likely does not contribute to the attenuation of hyperammonemia in blue crabs. Overall, Cu exposure in blue crabs led to increased ammonia and urea production, which were both eliminated by excretion. These results may have important implications in aquaculture systems where crabs may be exposed to elevated Cu and/or ammonia.

Ammonia volatilization following dairy slurry application to a permanent grassland on a volcanic soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez-Lagos, J.; Salazar, F.; Alfaro, M.; Misselbrook, T.

2013-12-01

Agriculture is the largest source of ammonia (NH3) emission to the atmosphere. Within the agricultural sector, the application of slurry to grasslands as fertilizer is one of the main emission sources. This is a common practice in southern Chile, where most dairy production systems are grazing-based. In Chile, there are few published data of gaseous emissions following slurry application to grassland. The aim of this study was to evaluate NH3 volatilization following dairy slurry application to a permanent grassland on an Andosol soil. Ammonia volatilization was measured in four field experiments (winters of 2009 and 2011 and early and late springs of 2011) using a micrometeorological mass balance method with passive flux samplers following dairy slurry application at a target rate of 100 kg total N ha-1. The accumulated N loss was equivalent to 7, 8, 16 and 21% of the total N applied and 22, 34, 88 and 74% of total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) applied for winters 2009 and 2011, and early and late spring 2011, respectively. Ammonia emission rates were high immediately after application and declined rapidly with time, with more than 50% of the total emissions within the first 24 h. Losses were highly influenced by environmental conditions, increasing with temperature and lack of rainfall. Taking into consideration the low N losses via leaching and nitrous oxide emissions reported for the study area, results indicate that NH3 volatilization is the main pathway of N loss in fertilized grasslands of southern Chile. However, dairy slurry application could be an important source of nutrients, if applied at a suitable time, rate and using an appropriate technique, and if soil and climate conditions are taken into consideration. This could improve N use efficiency and reduce N losses to the wider environment.

Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea Show More Distinct Biogeographic Distribution Patterns than Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria across the Black Soil Zone of Northeast China.

PubMed

Liu, Junjie; Yu, Zhenhua; Yao, Qin; Sui, Yueyu; Shi, Yu; Chu, Haiyan; Tang, Caixian; Franks, Ashley E; Jin, Jian; Liu, Xiaobing; Wang, Guanghua

2018-01-01

Black soils (Mollisols) of northeast China are highly productive and agriculturally important for food production. Ammonia-oxidizing microbes play an important role in N cycling in the black soils. However, the information related to the composition and distribution of ammonia-oxidizing microbes in the black soils has not yet been addressed. In this study, we used the amoA gene to quantify the abundance and community composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) across the black soil zone. The amoA abundance of AOA was remarkably larger than that of AOB, with ratios of AOA/AOB in the range from 3.1 to 91.0 across all soil samples. The abundance of AOA amoA was positively correlated with total soil C content ( p < 0.001) but not with soil pH ( p > 0.05). In contrast, the abundance of AOB amoA positively correlated with soil pH ( p = 0.009) but not with total soil C. Alpha diversity of AOA did not correlate with any soil parameter, however, alpha diversity of AOB was affected by multiple soil factors, such as soil pH, total P, N, and C, available K content, and soil water content. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the AOA community was mainly affected by the sampling latitude, followed by soil pH, total P and C; while the AOB community was mainly determined by soil pH, as well as total P, C and N, water content, and sampling latitude, which highlighted that the AOA community was more geographically distributed in the black soil zone of northeast China than AOB community. In addition, the pairwise analyses showed that the potential nitrification rate (PNR) was not correlated with alpha diversity but weakly positively with the abundance of the AOA community ( p = 0.048), whereas PNR significantly correlated positively with the richness ( p = 0.003), diversity ( p = 0.001) and abundance ( p < 0.001) of the AOB community, which suggested that AOB community might make a greater contribution to nitrification than AOA

Ammonia-Oxidizing Archaea Show More Distinct Biogeographic Distribution Patterns than Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria across the Black Soil Zone of Northeast China

PubMed Central

Liu, Junjie; Yu, Zhenhua; Yao, Qin; Sui, Yueyu; Shi, Yu; Chu, Haiyan; Tang, Caixian; Franks, Ashley E.; Jin, Jian; Liu, Xiaobing; Wang, Guanghua

2018-01-01

Black soils (Mollisols) of northeast China are highly productive and agriculturally important for food production. Ammonia-oxidizing microbes play an important role in N cycling in the black soils. However, the information related to the composition and distribution of ammonia-oxidizing microbes in the black soils has not yet been addressed. In this study, we used the amoA gene to quantify the abundance and community composition of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) across the black soil zone. The amoA abundance of AOA was remarkably larger than that of AOB, with ratios of AOA/AOB in the range from 3.1 to 91.0 across all soil samples. The abundance of AOA amoA was positively correlated with total soil C content (p < 0.001) but not with soil pH (p > 0.05). In contrast, the abundance of AOB amoA positively correlated with soil pH (p = 0.009) but not with total soil C. Alpha diversity of AOA did not correlate with any soil parameter, however, alpha diversity of AOB was affected by multiple soil factors, such as soil pH, total P, N, and C, available K content, and soil water content. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that the AOA community was mainly affected by the sampling latitude, followed by soil pH, total P and C; while the AOB community was mainly determined by soil pH, as well as total P, C and N, water content, and sampling latitude, which highlighted that the AOA community was more geographically distributed in the black soil zone of northeast China than AOB community. In addition, the pairwise analyses showed that the potential nitrification rate (PNR) was not correlated with alpha diversity but weakly positively with the abundance of the AOA community (p = 0.048), whereas PNR significantly correlated positively with the richness (p = 0.003), diversity (p = 0.001) and abundance (p < 0.001) of the AOB community, which suggested that AOB community might make a greater contribution to nitrification than AOA community

FATE & EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURAL PESTICIDES WITHIN WEEKS BAY WATERSHED, A NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE

EPA Science Inventory

Lytle, J.S., T.F. Lytle and M.A. Lewis. In press. Fate and Effects of Agricultural Pesticides Within Weeks Bay Watershed, a National Estuarine Research Preserve. To be presented at the 24th Annual Meeting in North America of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: ...

Ammonia gas permeability of meat packaging materials.

PubMed

Karim, Faris; Hijaz, Faraj; Kastner, Curtis L; Smith, J Scott

2011-03-01

Meat products are packaged in polymer films designed to protect the product from exterior contaminants such as light, humidity, and harmful chemicals. Unfortunately, there is almost no data on ammonia permeability of packaging films. We investigated ammonia permeability of common meat packaging films: low-density polyethylene (LDPE; 2.2 mil), multilayer polyolefin (MLP; 3 mil), and vacuum (V-PA/PE; 3 mil, 0.6 mil polyamide/2.4 mil polyethylene). The films were fabricated into 10 × 5 cm pouches and filled with 50 mL deionized water. Pouches were placed in a plexiglass enclosure in a freezer and exposed to 50, 100, 250, or 500 ppm ammonia gas for 6, 12, 24, and 48 h at -17 ± 3 °C and 21 ± 3 °C. At freezing temperatures, no ammonia residues were detected and no differences in pH were found in the water. At room temperature, ammonia levels and pH of the water increased significantly (P < 0.05) with increasing exposure times and ammonia concentrations. Average ammonia levels in the water were 7.77 ppm for MLP, 5.94 ppm for LDPE, and 0.89 ppm for V-PA/PE at 500 ppm exposure for 48 h at 21 ± 3 °C. Average pH values were 8.64 for MLP, 8.38 for LDPE, and 7.23 for V-PA/PE (unexposed ranged from 5.49 to 6.44) at 500 ppm exposure for 48 h. The results showed that temperature influenced ammonia permeability. Meat packaging materials have low ammonia permeability and protect meat products exposed to ammonia leaks during frozen storage.

Under-five mortality among mothers employed in agriculture: findings from a nationally representative sample.

PubMed

Singh, Rajvir; Tripathi, Vrijesh

2015-01-01

Background. India accounts for 24% to all under-five mortality in the world. Residence in rural area, poverty and low levels of mother's education are known confounders of under-five mortality. Since two-thirds of India's population lives in rural areas, mothers employed in agriculture present a particularly vulnerable population in the Indian context and it is imperative that concerns of this sizeable population are addressed in order to achieve MDG4 targets of reducing U5MR to fewer than 41 per 1,000 by 2015. This study was conducted to examine factors associated with under-five mortality among mothers employed in agriculture. Methods. Data was retrieved from National Family Household Survey-3 in India (2008). The study population is comprised of a national representative sample of single children aged 0 to 59 months and born to mothers aged 15 to 49 years employed in agriculture from all 29 states of India. Univariate and Multivariate Cox PH regression analysis was used to analyse the Hazard Rates of mortality. The predictive power of child mortality among mothers employed in agriculture was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results. An increase in mothers' ages corresponds with a decrease in child mortality. Breastfeeding reduces child mortality by 70% (HR 0.30, 0.25-0.35, p = 0.001). Standard of Living reduces child mortality by 32% with high standard of living (HR 0.68, 0.52-0.89, 0.001) in comparison to low standard of living. Prenatal care (HR 0.40, 0.34-0.48, p = 0.001) and breastfeeding health nutrition education (HR 0.45, 0.31-0.66, p = 0.001) are associated significant factors for child mortality. Birth Order five is a risk factor for mortality (HR 1.49, 1.05-2.10, p = 0.04) in comparison to Birth Order one among women engaged in agriculture while the household size (6-10 members and ≥ 11 members) is significant in reducing child mortality in comparison to ≤5 members in the house. Under

DEVELOPMENT AND SELECTION OF AMMONIA EMISSION FACTORS FOR THE 1985 NAPAP EMISSIONS INVENTORY

EPA Science Inventory

The report, prepared for the National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program (NAPAP), identifies the most appropriate ammonia (NH3) emission factors available for inclusion in the 1985 NAPAP Emissions Inventory. H3 emission factors developed for several new NAPAP source categories...

Peripheral Ammonia as a Mediator of Methamphetamine Neurotoxicity

PubMed Central

Halpin, Laura E.; Yamamoto, Bryan K.

2012-01-01

Ammonia is metabolized by the liver and has established neurological effects. The current study examined the possibility that ammonia contributes to the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine (METH). The results show that a binge dosing regimen of METH to the rat increased plasma and brain ammonia concentrations that were paralleled by evidence of hepatotoxicity. The role of peripheral ammonia in the neurotoxic effects of METH was further substantiated by the demonstration that the enhancement of peripheral ammonia excretion blocked the increases in brain and plasma ammonia and attenuated the long term depletions of dopamine and serotonin typically produced by METH. Conversely, the localized perfusion of ammonia in combination with METH, but not METH alone or ammonia alone, into the striatum recapitulated the neuronal damage produced by the systemic administration of METH. Furthermore, this damage produced by the local administration of ammonia and METH was blocked by the GYKI 52466, an AMPA receptor antagonist. These findings highlight the importance of ammonia derived from the periphery as a small molecule mediator of METH neurotoxicity and more broadly emphasize the importance of peripheral organ damage as a possible mechanism that mediates the neuropathology produced by drugs of abuse and other neuroactive molecules. PMID:22993432

Agricultural Chartbook 1988. Agriculture Handbook No. 673.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC.

These charts present an overview of the current economic health of American agriculture. The charts move from the national and international arenas to farm economic health measures and crop and livestock trends. A small amount of descriptive narrative accompanies most of the charts. Charts depicting the economic picture of U.S. agriculture include…

The Chemistry of Liquid Ammonia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lagowski, J. J.

1978-01-01

The solvent and chemical properties of liquid ammonia are presented. In a certain sense, ammonia is a more versatile solvent than is water because of its ability to solubilize, without reaction, highly negative or reducing species. (Author/BB)

Getter materials for cracking ammonia

DOEpatents

Boffito, Claudio; Baker, John D.

1999-11-02

A method is provided for cracking ammonia to produce hydrogen. The method includes the steps of passing ammonia over an ammonia-cracking catalyst which is an alloy including (1) alloys having the general formula Zr.sub.1-x Ti.sub.x M.sub.1 M.sub.2, wherein M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 are selected independently from the group consisting of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, and x is between about 0.0 and about 1.0 inclusive; and between about 20% and about 50% Al by weight. In another aspect, the method of the invention is used to provide methods for operating hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells. In still another aspect, the present invention provides a hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine and a hydrogen fuel cell including the above-described ammonia-cracking catalyst.

Ammonia recovery from agricultural wastes by membrane distillation: fouling characterization and mechanism.

PubMed

Zarebska, A; Nieto, D Romero; Christensen, K V; Norddahl, B

2014-06-01

One of the main obstacles impeding implementation of membrane distillation for the recovery and concentration of ammonia from swine manure is wetting caused by fouling. Due to the different types of fouling which can occur in a membrane system, foulants characterization is a complex problem. To elucidate the fouling mechanism, deposit morphology and composition of foulants have been determined using Scanning Electron Microscopy, X-ray Energy Dispersive Spectrometry, Attenuated Total Reflectance Infrared Spectrometry, Ion chromatography and Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. Based on the analysis of fouled membranes, it is concluded that membrane fouling is dominated by organic fouling in combination with deposits of inorganic elements and microorganisms. After a week of running the membrane process without cleaning, the average fouling layer thickness was estimated to 10-15 μm. The fouling layer further results in a loss of membrane hydrophobicity. This indicates that fouling could be a severe problem for membrane distillation performance. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes of Ammonia-Metabolizing Enzyme Activity and Gene Expression of Two Strains in Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei Under Ammonia Stress

PubMed Central

Qiu, Liguo; Shi, Xiang; Yu, Simeng; Han, Qian; Diao, Xiaoping; Zhou, Hailong

2018-01-01

Ammonia stress can inhibit the survival and growth, and even cause mortality of shrimp. In this study, ammonia-metabolizing enzyme activities and gene expression were compared between two strains of L. vannamei under different ammonia-N (NH4+) concentrations (3.4, 13.8, and 24.6 mg/L). The results showed that elevated ammonia concentrations mainly increased glutamine synthetase (GSase) activities while inhibiting transglutaminase (TGase) activities in the muscle of both strains. Thus, we concluded that L. vannamei could accelerate the synthesis of glutamine from glutamate and NH4+ to alleviate ammonia stress. Compared with the muscle, the hepatopancreas plays a major role in ammonia stress and might be a target tissue to respond to the ammonia stress. Compared to the control group, the treatment of high ammonia concentrations reduced the hepatopancreas TGase (TG) gene expression and increased the gene expression rates of glutamate dehydrogenase-β (GDH-β) and GSase (GS) in both the muscle and the hepatopancreas of the two strains (p < 0.05). These genes (GDH-β and GS) in strain B were not only expressed earlier but also at levels higher than the expression range of strain A. At the gene level, strain B showed a more rapid and positive response than strain A. These data might help reveal the physiological responses mechanisms of shrimp adapt to ammonia stress and speed up the selective breeding process in L. vannamei. PMID:29628893

Ammonia stress under high environmental ammonia induces Hsp70 and Hsp90 in the mud eel, Monopterus cuchia.

PubMed

Hangzo, Hnunlalliani; Banerjee, Bodhisattwa; Saha, Shrabani; Saha, Nirmalendu

2017-02-01

The obligatory air-breathing mud eel (Monopterus cuchia) is frequently being challenged with high environmental ammonia (HEA) exposure in its natural habitats. The present study investigated the possible induction of heat shock protein 70 and 90 (hsp70, hsc70, hsp90α and hsp90β) genes and more expression of Hsp70 and Hsp90 proteins under ammonia stress in different tissues of the mud eel after exposure to HEA (50 mM NH 4 Cl) for 14 days. HEA resulted in significant accumulation of toxic ammonia in different body tissues and plasma, which was accompanied with the stimulation of oxidative stress in the mud eel as evidenced by more accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) during exposure to HEA. Further, hyper-ammonia stress led to significant increase in the levels of mRNA transcripts for inducible hsp70 and hsp90α genes and also their translated proteins in different tissues probably as a consequence of induction of hsp70 and hsp90α genes in the mud eel. However, hyper-ammonia stress was neither associated with any significant alterations in the levels of mRNA transcripts for constitutive hsc70 and hsp90β genes nor their translated proteins in any of the tissues studied. More abundance of Hsp70 and Hsp90α proteins might be one of the strategies adopted by the mud eel to defend itself from the ammonia-induced cellular damages under ammonia stress. Further, this is the first report of ammonia-induced induction of hsp70 and hsp90α genes under hyper-ammonia stress in any freshwater air-breathing teleost.

Ca. Nitrososphaera and Bradyrhizobium are inversely correlated and related to agricultural practices in long-term field experiments

PubMed Central

Zhalnina, Kateryna; de Quadros, Patricia D.; Gano, Kelsey A.; Davis-Richardson, Austin; Fagen, Jennie R.; Brown, Christopher T.; Giongo, Adriana; Drew, Jennifer C.; Sayavedra-Soto, Luis A.; Arp, Dan J.; Camargo, Flavio A. O.; Daroub, Samira H.; Clark, Ian M.; McGrath, Steve P.; Hirsch, Penny R.; Triplett, Eric W.

2013-01-01

Agricultural land management, such as fertilization, liming, and tillage affects soil properties, including pH, organic matter content, nitrification rates, and the microbial community. Three different study sites were used to identify microorganisms that correlate with agricultural land use and to determine which factors regulate the relative abundance of the microbial signatures of the agricultural land-use. The three sites included in this study are the Broadbalk Experiment at Rothamsted Research, UK, the Everglades Agricultural Area, Florida, USA, and the Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan, USA. The effects of agricultural management on the abundance and diversity of bacteria and archaea were determined using high throughput, barcoded 16S rRNA sequencing. In addition, the relative abundance of these organisms was correlated with soil features. Two groups of microorganisms involved in nitrogen cycle were highly correlated with land use at all three sites. The ammonia oxidizing-archaea, dominated by Ca. Nitrososphaera, were positively correlated with agriculture while a ubiquitous group of soil bacteria closely related to the diazotrophic symbiont, Bradyrhizobium, was negatively correlated with agricultural management. Analysis of successional plots showed that the abundance of ammonia oxidizing-archaea declined and the abundance of bradyrhizobia increased with time away from agriculture. This observation suggests that the effect of agriculture on the relative abundance of these genera is reversible. Soil pH and NH3 concentrations were positively correlated with archaeal abundance but negatively correlated with the abundance of Bradyrhizobium. The high correlations of Ca. Nitrososphaera and Bradyrhizobium abundances with agricultural management at three long-term experiments with different edaphoclimatic conditions allowed us to suggest these two genera as signature microorganisms for agricultural land use. PMID:23641242

Submersible microbial desalination cell for simultaneous ammonia recovery and electricity production from anaerobic reactors containing high levels of ammonia.

PubMed

Zhang, Yifeng; Angelidaki, Irini

2015-02-01

High ammonia concentration in anaerobic reactors can seriously inhibit the anaerobic digestion process. In this study, a submersible microbial desalination cell (SMDC) was developed as an innovative method to lower the ammonia level in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) by in situ ammonia recovery and electricity production. In batch experiment, the ammonia concentration in the CSTR decreased from 6 to 0.7 g-N/L during 30 days, resulting in an average recovery rate of 80 g-N/m(2)/d. Meanwhile, a maximum power density of 0.71±0.5 W/m(2) was generated at 2.85 A/m(2). Both current driven NH4(+) migration and free NH3 diffusion were identified as the mechanisms responsible for the ammonia transportation. With an increase in initial ammonia concentration and a decrease in external resistance, the SMDC performance was enhanced. In addition, the coexistence of other cations in CSTR or cathode had no negative effect on the ammonia transportation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ammonia Excretion in an Osmoregulatory Syncytium Is Facilitated by AeAmt2, a Novel Ammonia Transporter in Aedes aegypti Larvae

PubMed Central

Durant, Andrea C.; Donini, Andrew

2018-01-01

The larvae of the mosquito Aedes aegypti inhabit ammonia rich septic tanks in tropical regions of the world that make extensive use of these systems, explaining the prevalence of disease during dry seasons. Since ammonia (NH3/NH4+) is toxic to animals, an understanding of the physiological mechanisms of ammonia excretion permitting the survival of A. aegypti larvae in high ammonia environments is important. We have characterized a novel ammonia transporter, AeAmt2, belonging to the Amt/MEP/Rh family of ammonia transporters. Based on the amino acid sequence, the predicted topology of AeAmt2 consists of 11 transmembrane helices with an extracellular N-terminus and a cytoplasmic C-terminus region. Alignment of the predicted AeAmt2 amino acid sequence with other Amt/MEP proteins from plants, bacteria, and yeast highlights the presence of conserved residues characteristic of ammonia conducting channels in this protein. AeAmt2 is expressed in the ionoregulatory anal papillae of A. aegypti larvae where it is localized to the apical membrane of the epithelium. dsRNA-mediated knockdown of AeAmt2 results in a significant decrease in NH4+ efflux from the anal papillae, suggesting a key role in facilitating ammonia excretion. The effect of high environmental ammonia (HEA) on expression of AeAmt2, along with previously characterized AeAmt1, AeRh50-1, and AeRh50-2 in the anal papillae was investigated. We show that changes in expression of ammonia transporters occur in response to acute and chronic exposure to HEA, which reflects the importance of these transporters in the physiology of life in high ammonia habitats. PMID:29695971

Ammonia and ammonium hydroxide sensors for ammonia/water absorption machines: Literature review and data compilation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anheier, N. C., Jr.; McDonald, C. E.; Cuta, J. M.; Cuta, F. M.; Olsen, K. B.

1995-05-01

This report describes an evaluation of various sensing techniques for determining the ammonia concentration in the working fluid of ammonia/water absorption cycle systems. The purpose was to determine if any existing sensor technology or instrumentation could provide an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective continuous measure of ammonia concentration in water. The resulting information will be used for design optimization and cycle control in an ammonia-absorption heat pump. Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) researchers evaluated each sensing technology against a set of general requirements characterizing the potential operating conditions within the absorption cycle. The criteria included the physical constraints for in situ operation, sensor characteristics, and sensor application. PNL performed an extensive literature search, which uncovered several promising sensing technologies that might be applicable to this problem. Sixty-two references were investigated, and 33 commercial vendors were identified as having ammonia sensors. The technologies for ammonia sensing are acoustic wave, refractive index, electrode, thermal, ion-selective field-effect transistor (ISFET), electrical conductivity, pH/colormetric, and optical absorption. Based on information acquired in the literature search, PNL recommends that follow-on activities focus on ISFET devices and a fiber optic evanescent sensor with a colormetric indicator. The ISFET and fiber optic evanescent sensor are inherently microminiature and capable of in situ measurements. Further, both techniques have been demonstrated selective to the ammonium ion (NH4(+)). The primary issue remaining is how to make the sensors sufficiently corrosion-resistant to be useful in practice.

A New Era in Agriculture: Reinventing Agricultural Education for the Year 2020.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council for Agricultural Education, Alexandria, VA.

The Reinventing Agricultural Education for the Year 2020 initiative brought together a diverse group of people from across the nation to create a new vision for agriculture education. The group envisioned a system of agricultural education beginning in early childhood and continuing throughout life. The group examined agricultural education's…

Flexible ammonia handling strategies using both cutaneous and branchial epithelia in the highly ammonia-tolerant Pacific hagfish.

PubMed

Clifford, Alexander M; Weinrauch, Alyssa M; Edwards, Susan L; Wilkie, Michael P; Goss, Greg G

2017-08-01

Hagfish consume carrion, potentially exposing them to hypoxia, hypercapnia, and high environmental ammonia (HEA). We investigated branchial and cutaneous ammonia handling strategies by which Pacific hagfish ( Eptatretus stoutii ) tolerate and recover from high ammonia loading. Hagfish were exposed to HEA (20 mmol/l) for 48 h to elevate plasma total ammonia (T Amm ) levels before placement into divided chambers for a 4-h recovery period in ammonia-free seawater where ammonia excretion ( J Amm ) was measured independently in the anterior and posterior compartments. Localized HEA exposures were also conducted by subjecting hagfish to HEA in either the anterior or posterior compartments. During recovery, HEA-exposed animals increased J Amm in both compartments, with the posterior compartment comprising ~20% of the total J Amm compared with ~11% in non-HEA-exposed fish. Plasma T Amm increased substantially when whole hagfish and the posterior regions were exposed to HEA. Alternatively, plasma T Amm did not elevate after anterior localized HEA exposure. J Amm was concentration dependent (0.05-5 mmol/l) across excised skin patches at up to eightfold greater rates than in skin sections that were excised from HEA-exposed hagfish. Skin excised from more posterior regions displayed greater J Amm than those from more anterior regions. Immunohistochemistry with hagfish-specific anti-rhesus glycoprotein type c (α-hRhcg; ammonia transporter) antibody was characterized by staining on the basal aspect of hagfish epidermis while Western blotting demonstrated greater expression of Rhcg in more posterior skin sections. We conclude that cutaneous Rhcg proteins are involved in cutaneous ammonia excretion by Pacific hagfish and that this mechanism could be particularly important during feeding. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

77 FR 58978 - Notice of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-25

..., Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA... Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. DATES: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board will meet October 23-25, 2012. The public may file...

77 FR 31302 - Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE National Agricultural Statistics Service Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics AGENCY: National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of Renewal of the Charter for the Advisory Committee on Agriculture Statistics. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of...

Crystal Structure of an Ammonia-Permeable Aquaporin

PubMed Central

Kirscht, Andreas; Kaptan, Shreyas S.; Bienert, Gerd Patrick; Chaumont, François; Nissen, Poul; de Groot, Bert L.; Kjellbom, Per; Gourdon, Pontus; Johanson, Urban

2016-01-01

Aquaporins of the TIP subfamily (Tonoplast Intrinsic Proteins) have been suggested to facilitate permeation of water and ammonia across the vacuolar membrane of plants, allowing the vacuole to efficiently sequester ammonium ions and counteract cytosolic fluctuations of ammonia. Here, we report the structure determined at 1.18 Å resolution from twinned crystals of Arabidopsis thaliana aquaporin AtTIP2;1 and confirm water and ammonia permeability of the purified protein reconstituted in proteoliposomes as further substantiated by molecular dynamics simulations. The structure of AtTIP2;1 reveals an extended selectivity filter with the conserved arginine of the filter adopting a unique unpredicted position. The relatively wide pore and the polar nature of the selectivity filter clarify the ammonia permeability. By mutational studies, we show that the identified determinants in the extended selectivity filter region are sufficient to convert a strictly water-specific human aquaporin into an AtTIP2;1-like ammonia channel. A flexible histidine and a novel water-filled side pore are speculated to deprotonate ammonium ions, thereby possibly increasing permeation of ammonia. The molecular understanding of how aquaporins facilitate ammonia flux across membranes could potentially be used to modulate ammonia losses over the plasma membrane to the atmosphere, e.g., during photorespiration, and thereby to modify the nitrogen use efficiency of plants. PMID:27028365

Chirality dependent interaction of ammonia with carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Talukdar, Keka; Shantappa, Anil

2018-04-01

For the specific structure and extraordinary properties, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have many applications in diversified fields. The interaction of CNTs with ammonia is a very interesting matter to study as it is related to the application of CNTs as ammonia sensor. Here the interaction of single walled zigzag, armchair and chiral carbon nanotubes is studied in respect of the change in energies before and after binding with ammonia by molecular dynamics simulation. Their deformation after simulation is modeled. The change of thermal conductivity of the CNTs is also found by simulation. The potential energy before and after absorption of ammonia gives useful information of the system. Thermal conductivities of the ammonia bound CNTs are changed considerably. It is observed that the potential energy and thermal conductivity both are changing for the interaction with ammonia and hence they are sensitive to ammonia binding.

Effect of dietary protein restriction on renal ammonia metabolism

PubMed Central

Lee, Hyun-Wook; Osis, Gunars; Handlogten, Mary E.; Guo, Hui; Verlander, Jill W.

2015-01-01

Dietary protein restriction has multiple benefits in kidney disease. Because protein intake is a major determinant of endogenous acid production, it is important that net acid excretion change in parallel during protein restriction. Ammonia is the primary component of net acid excretion, and inappropriate ammonia excretion can lead to negative nitrogen balance. Accordingly, we examined ammonia excretion in response to protein restriction and then we determined the molecular mechanism of the changes observed. Wild-type C57Bl/6 mice fed a 20% protein diet and then changed to 6% protein developed an 85% reduction in ammonia excretion within 2 days, which persisted during a 10-day study. The expression of multiple proteins involved in renal ammonia metabolism was altered, including the ammonia-generating enzymes phosphate-dependent glutaminase (PDG) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and the ammonia-metabolizing enzyme glutamine synthetase. Rhbg, an ammonia transporter, increased in expression in the inner stripe of outer medullary collecting duct intercalated cell (OMCDis-IC). However, collecting duct-specific Rhbg deletion did not alter the response to protein restriction. Rhcg deletion did not alter ammonia excretion in response to dietary protein restriction. These results indicate 1) dietary protein restriction decreases renal ammonia excretion through coordinated regulation of multiple components of ammonia metabolism; 2) increased Rhbg expression in the OMCDis-IC may indicate a biological role in addition to ammonia transport; and 3) Rhcg expression is not necessary to decrease ammonia excretion during dietary protein restriction. PMID:25925252

Population array and agricultural data arrays for the Los Alamos National Laboratory

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobson, K.W.; Duffy, S.; Kowalewsky, K.

1998-07-01

To quantify or estimate the environmental and radiological impacts from man-made sources of radioactive effluents, certain dose assessment procedures were developed by various government and regulatory agencies. Some of these procedures encourage the use of computer simulations (models) to calculate air dispersion, environmental transport, and subsequent human exposure to radioactivity. Such assessment procedures are frequently used to demonstrate compliance with Department of Energy (DOE) and US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) regulations. Knowledge of the density and distribution of the population surrounding a source is an essential component in assessing the impacts from radioactive effluents. Also, as an aid to calculatingmore » the dose to a given population, agricultural data relevant to the dose assessment procedure (or computer model) are often required. This report provides such population and agricultural data for the area surrounding Los Alamos National Laboratory.« less

Ambient ammonia measurements using laser photo-acoustic spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aldridge, M. D., III; Copeland, G. E.; Harward, C. N.

1981-01-01

Ammonia concentrations reached minimal levels (approximately 0.1 ppb) in early winter, followed by a sudden later winter increase. A direct relationship between ambient ammonia levels and air temperature was inferred from the data (linear correlation coefficient r=0.53). Ammonia concentrations were determined to be directly related to the absolute humidity of the air (r=0.72); a weaker relationship between ammonia concentrations and relative humidity was discovered (r=0.37). The data also indicated that ammonia levels were generally higher within continental air masses than those of maritime origin. Soil parameters such as pH and moisture content were found to have a major bearing on the release of gaseous ammonia from soils in the region.

Corrosion inhibitor for aqueous ammonia absorption system

DOEpatents

Phillips, Benjamin A.; Whitlow, Eugene P.

1998-09-22

A method of inhibiting corrosion and the formation of hydrogen and thus improving absorption in an ammonia/water absorption refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump system by maintaining the hydroxyl ion concentration of the aqueous ammonia working fluid within a selected range under anaerobic conditions at temperatures up to 425.degree. F. This hydroxyl ion concentration is maintained by introducing to the aqueous ammonia working fluid an inhibitor in an amount effective to produce a hydroxyl ion concentration corresponding to a normality of the inhibitor relative to the water content ranging from about 0.015 N to about 0.2 N at 25.degree. C. Also, working fluids for inhibiting the corrosion of carbon steel and resulting hydrogen formation and improving absorption in an ammonia/water absorption system under anaerobic conditions at up to 425.degree. F. The working fluids may be aqueous solutions of ammonia and a strong base or aqueous solutions of ammonia, a strong base, and a specified buffer.

Corrosion inhibitor for aqueous ammonia absorption system

DOEpatents

Phillips, B.A.; Whitlow, E.P.

1998-09-22

A method is described for inhibiting corrosion and the formation of hydrogen and thus improving absorption in an ammonia/water absorption refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump system by maintaining the hydroxyl ion concentration of the aqueous ammonia working fluid within a selected range under anaerobic conditions at temperatures up to 425 F. This hydroxyl ion concentration is maintained by introducing to the aqueous ammonia working fluid an inhibitor in an amount effective to produce a hydroxyl ion concentration corresponding to a normality of the inhibitor relative to the water content ranging from about 0.015 N to about 0.2 N at 25 C. Also, working fluids for inhibiting the corrosion of carbon steel and resulting hydrogen formation and improving absorption in an ammonia/water absorption system under anaerobic conditions at up to 425 F. The working fluids may be aqueous solutions of ammonia and a strong base or aqueous solutions of ammonia, a strong base, and a specified buffer. 5 figs.

[Ammonia as a cause for hepatic encephalopathy].

PubMed

Naimushin, Alexey; Livneh, Avi

2010-02-01

In a patient with cirrhosis of the liver, associated with hepatitis B virus, who was admitted for confusion and acute elevation of liver enzymes, a diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy was made. A serum ammonia level of 54 (normal less than 33) microgram/liter, supported the diagnosis, but puzzled the medical staff regarding the possibility that ammonia may directly induce the confusion. While it is widely accepted that the ammonia level is a marker that usually parallels the amount of toxins and metabolites that bypasses the liver, its role in causing brain dysfunction is debated. However, since ammonia may directly hinder the metabolism of neuro-transmitters, and drugs and treatments specifically aimed at reducing ammonia levels may minimize the time interval for recovery from the acute brain insult, it is assumed that ammonia by itself had a role in bringing about the encephalopathy manifestations in our patients and other patients with cirrhosis of the liver.

Development, characterization, and validation of an optical transfer standard for ammonia in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lüttschwager, Nils; Balslev-Harder, David; Leuenberger, Daiana; Pogány, Andrea; Werhahn, Olav; Ebert, Volker

2017-04-01

Ammonia is an atmospheric trace gas that is predominantly emitted from anthropogenic agricultural activities. Since elevated levels of ammonia can have negative effects to human health as well as ecosystems, it is imperative to monitor and control ammonia emissions. This requires SI-traceable standards to calibrate ammonia monitoring instrumentation and to make measurements comparable. The lack of such standards became a pressing issue in recent years and the MetNH3 project (www.metnh3.eu) was initiated to fill the gap, pursuing different strategies. The work that we present was part of these endeavours and focusses on the development and application of an optical transfer standard for amount fraction measurements of ammonia in ambient air. An optical transfer standard (OTS) offers an alternative to calibrations of air monitoring instrumentation by means of reference gas mixtures. With an OTS, absolute amount fraction results are derived by evaluating absorption spectra using a spectral model and pre-measured spectral properties of the analyte. In that way, the instrument can measure calibration gas-independent ("calibration-free") and, moreover, can itself serve as standard to calibrate air monitoring analyzers. Molecular spectral properties are the excellent, non-drifting point of reference of the OTS and form, together with traceable measurements of temperature and pressure, the basis for SI-traceable amount fraction measurements. We developed an OTS based on a commercial cavity-ring-down spectrometer with a detection limit below 1 ppb (1 nmol/mol). A custom spectral data evaluation routine for absolute, calibration-free measurements, as well as measurements of spectral properties of ammonia with the focus on measurement uncertainty and traceability [1] are the fundaments of our OTS. Validation measurements were conducted using a SI-traceable ammonia reference gas generator over a period of several months. Here, we present an evaluation of the performance of our

Beliefs and Attitudes of Secondary Agriculture Teachers about Global Agriculture Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hurst, Sara D.; Roberts, T. Grady; Harder, Amy

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of secondary agriculture teachers regarding global agricultural issues. A randomized national sample of 417 teachers were surveyed using a modified version of the International Agricultural Awareness and Understanding Survey (Wingenbach, Boyd, Lindner, Dick, Arispe, & Haba,…

Little River Experimental Watershed, Georgia: National Institute of Food and Agriculture - Conservation Effects Assessment Project

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In September 2007, USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), now the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) jointly funded two integrated research and outreach grants to conduct a synthesis of resul...

77 FR 11064 - National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-24

..., Education, and Economics Advisory Board Notice of Meeting AGENCY: Research, Education, and Economics, USDA... Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board. DATES: The National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board will meet March 28-29, 2012. The public may file written...

Ammonia synthesis. Ammonia synthesis by N₂ and steam electrolysis in molten hydroxide suspensions of nanoscale Fe₂O₃.

PubMed

Licht, Stuart; Cui, Baochen; Wang, Baohui; Li, Fang-Fang; Lau, Jason; Liu, Shuzhi

2014-08-08

The Haber-Bosch process to produce ammonia for fertilizer currently relies on carbon-intensive steam reforming of methane as a hydrogen source. We present an electrochemical pathway in which ammonia is produced by electrolysis of air and steam in a molten hydroxide suspension of nano-Fe2O3. At 200°C in an electrolyte with a molar ratio of 0.5 NaOH/0.5 KOH, ammonia is produced at 1.2 volts (V) under 2 milliamperes per centimeter squared (mA cm(-2)) of applied current at coulombic efficiency of 35% (35% of the applied current results in the six-electron conversion of N2 and water to ammonia, and excess H2 is cogenerated with the ammonia). At 250°C and 25 bar of steam pressure, the electrolysis voltage necessary for 2 mA cm(-2) current density decreased to 1.0 V. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Job control, psychological demand, and farmworker health: evidence from the national agricultural workers survey.

PubMed

Grzywacz, Joseph G; Alterman, Toni; Gabbard, Susan; Shen, Rui; Nakamoto, Jorge; Carroll, Daniel J; Muntaner, Carles

2014-01-01

Improve understanding of the potential occupational health impact of how agricultural jobs are organized. Exposure to low job control, high psychological demands, and high job strain were hypothesized to have greater risk for poor self-rated physical health and elevated depressive symptoms. Cross-sectional data (N = 3691) obtained using the Work Organization and Psychosocial Factors module of the US National Agricultural Workers Survey fielded in 2009-2010. More than one fifth (22.4%) of farmworkers reported fair/poor health, and 8.7% reported elevated depressive symptoms. High psychological demand was associated with increased risk of fair/poor health (odds ratio, 1.73; 95% confidence interval, 1.4 to 2.2) and elevated depressive symptoms (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.9 to 3.8). The organization of work in field agriculture may pose risks for poor occupational health outcomes among a vulnerable worker population.

Ammonia and ammonium hydroxide sensors for ammonia/water absorption machines: Literature review and data compilation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anheier, N.C. Jr.; McDonald, C.E.; Cuta, J.M.

1995-05-01

This report describes an evaluation of various sensing techniques for determining the ammonia concentration in the working fluid of ammonia/water absorption cycle systems. The purpose of this work was to determine if any existing sensor technology or instrumentation could provide an accurate, reliable, and cost-effective continuous measure of ammonia concentration in water. The resulting information will be used for design optimization and cycle control in an ammonia-absorption heat pump. PNL researchers evaluated each sensing technology against a set of general requirements characterizing the potential operating conditions within the absorption cycle. The criteria included the physical constraints for in situ operation,more » sensor characteristics, and sensor application. PNL performed an extensive literature search, which uncovered several promising sensing technologies that might be applicable to this problem. Sixty-two references were investigated, and 33 commercial vendors were identified as having ammonia sensors. The technologies for ammonia sensing are acoustic wave, refractive index, electrode, thermal, ion-selective field-effect transistor (ISFET), electrical conductivity, pH/colormetric, and optical absorption. Based on information acquired in the literature search, PNL recommends that follow-on activities focus on ISFET devices and a fiber optic evanescent sensor with a colormetric indicator. The ISFET and fiber optic evanescent sensor are inherently microminiature and capable of in situ measurements. Further, both techniques have been demonstrated selective to the ammonium ion (NH{sub 4}{sup +}). The primary issue remaining is how to make the sensors sufficiently corrosion-resistant to be useful in practice.« less

Ammonia in comet P/Halley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meier, R.; Eberhardt, P.; Krankowsky, D.; Hodges, R. R.

1994-01-01

In comet P/Halley the abundances of ammonia relative to water reported in the literature differ by about one order of magnitude from roughly 0.1% up to 2%. Different observational techniques seem to have inherent systematic errors. Using the ion mass channels m/q = 19 amu/e, 18 amu/e and 17 amu/e of the Neutral Mass Spectrometer experiment aboard the spacecraft Giotto, we derive a production rate of ammonia of (1.5(sub -0.7)(sup +0.5))% relative to water. Inside the contact surface we can explain our data by a nuclear source only. The uncertainty in our abundance of ammonia is primarily a result of uncertainties in some key reaction coefficients. We discuss in detail these reactions and the range of error indicated results from extreme assumptions in the rate coefficients. From our data, even in the worst case, we can exclude the ammonia abundance to be only of the order of a few per mill.

USE OF ZEOLITE FOR REMOVING AMMONIA AND AMMONIA-CAUSED TOXCITY IN MARINE TOXICITY IDENTIFCATION EVALUATIONS (TIES)

EPA Science Inventory

Ammonia occurs in marine waters including effluents, receiving waters, and sediment interstitial waters. At sufficiently high concentrations, ammonia can be toxic to aquatic species. Toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) methods provide researchers with tools for identifyi...

46 CFR 151.50-32 - Ammonia, anhydrous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-32 Ammonia, anhydrous. (a) The anhydrous ammonia tanks may be installed in the bulk liquid cargo tanks provided the liquid surrounding the...) Noncorrosive in the liquid and vapor phase to the ammonia tanks and piping. (b) Copper, copper alloys, and...

46 CFR 151.50-32 - Ammonia, anhydrous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-32 Ammonia, anhydrous. (a) The anhydrous ammonia tanks may be installed in the bulk liquid cargo tanks provided the liquid surrounding the...) Noncorrosive in the liquid and vapor phase to the ammonia tanks and piping. (b) Copper, copper alloys, and...

46 CFR 151.50-32 - Ammonia, anhydrous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-32 Ammonia, anhydrous. (a) The anhydrous ammonia tanks may be installed in the bulk liquid cargo tanks provided the liquid surrounding the...) Noncorrosive in the liquid and vapor phase to the ammonia tanks and piping. (b) Copper, copper alloys, and...

46 CFR 151.50-32 - Ammonia, anhydrous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-32 Ammonia, anhydrous. (a) The anhydrous ammonia tanks may be installed in the bulk liquid cargo tanks provided the liquid surrounding the...) Noncorrosive in the liquid and vapor phase to the ammonia tanks and piping. (b) Copper, copper alloys, and...

46 CFR 151.50-32 - Ammonia, anhydrous.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Special Requirements § 151.50-32 Ammonia, anhydrous. (a) The anhydrous ammonia tanks may be installed in the bulk liquid cargo tanks provided the liquid surrounding the...) Noncorrosive in the liquid and vapor phase to the ammonia tanks and piping. (b) Copper, copper alloys, and...

Industrial ammonia gassing

PubMed Central

Walton, M.

1973-01-01

Walton, M. (1972).British Journal of Industrial Medicine,30, 78-86. Industrial ammonia gassing. Seven cases of ammonia gassing are described with follow-up for five years of the six survivors and the post-mortem findings of the fatal case. All the survivors attributed continuing symptoms to the gassing. The study failed to demonstrate permanent ill effects in the one case of mild exposure. Of the more serious cases one has stopped smoking and taken up physical training teaching. He now has above average lung function. Two serious cases who continued to smoke have the lung function abnormalities expected from their smoking. In the other two seriously exposed cases, who also continued to smoke, there is a persistent reduction in ventilation and gas transfer which seems to be due to the ammonia gassing. The post-mortem findings in the fatal case showed acute congestion and oedema of the mucosa of the respiratory tract, the bronchial walls being stripped of their lining epithelium and the alveoli stuffed with red blood cells and oedema fluid. Images PMID:4685304

Resveratrol Prevents Ammonia Toxicity in Astroglial Cells

PubMed Central

Guerra, Maria Cristina; Leite, Marina Concli; Souza, Diogo Onofre; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto; Gottfried, Carmem

2012-01-01

Ammonia is implicated as a neurotoxin in brain metabolic disorders associated with hyperammonemia. Acute ammonia toxicity can be mediated by an excitotoxic mechanism, oxidative stress and nitric oxide (NO) production. Astrocytes interact with neurons, providing metabolic support and protecting against oxidative stress and excitotoxicity. Astrocytes also convert excess ammonia and glutamate into glutamine via glutamine synthetase (GS). Resveratrol, a polyphenol found in grapes and red wines, exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and modulates glial functions, such as glutamate metabolism. We investigated the effect of resveratrol on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), GS activity, S100B secretion, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels in astroglial cells exposed to ammonia. Ammonia induced oxidative stress, decreased GS activity and increased cytokines release, probably by a mechanism dependent on protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways. Resveratrol prevented ammonia toxicity by modulating oxidative stress, glial and inflammatory responses. The ERK and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) are involved in the protective effect of resveratrol on cytokines proinflammatory release. In contrast, other antioxidants (e.g., ascorbic acid and trolox) were not effective against hyperammonemia. Thus, resveratrol could be used to protect against ammonia-induced neurotoxicity. PMID:23284918

75 FR 32736 - Notice of Solicitation for Members of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-09

... Science Society Category G. National Crop, Soil, Agronomy, Horticulture, or Weed Science Society Category... research, crop and animal science, land-grant institutions, non-land grant college or university with a historic commitment to research in the food and agricultural sciences, food retailing and marketing, rural...

Engineering Design and Operation Report: Biological Treatment Process for the Removal of Ammonia from a Small Drinking Water System in Iowa: Pilot to Full-Scale

EPA Science Inventory

Many regions in the United States have excessive levels of ammonia in their drinking water sources (e.g., ground and surface waters) as a result of naturally occurring processes, agricultural and urban runoff, concentrated animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment...

Effects of agriculture upon the air quality and climate: research, policy, and regulations.

PubMed

Aneja, Viney P; Schlesinger, William H; Erisman, Jan Willem

2009-06-15

Scientific assessments of agricultural air quality, including estimates of emissions and potential sequestration of greenhouse gases, are an important emerging area of environmental science that offers significant challenges to policy and regulatory authorities. Improvements are needed in measurements, modeling, emission controls, and farm operation management. Controlling emissions of gases and particulate matter from agriculture is notoriously difficult as this sector affects the most basic need of humans, i.e., food. Current policies combine an inadequate science covering a very disparate range of activities in a complex industry with social and political overlays. Moreover, agricultural emissions derive from both area and point sources. In the United States, agricultural emissions play an important role in several atmospherically mediated processes of environmental and public health concerns. These atmospheric processes affect local and regional environmental quality, including odor, particulate matter (PM) exposure, eutrophication, acidification, exposure to toxics, climate, and pathogens. Agricultural emissions also contribute to the global problems caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Agricultural emissions are variable in space and time and in how they interact within the various processes and media affected. Most important in the U.S. are ammonia (where agriculture accounts for approximately 90% of total emissions), reduced sulfur (unquantified), PM25 (approximately 16%), PM110 (approximately 18%), methane (approximately 29%), nitrous oxide (approximately 72%), and odor and emissions of pathogens (both unquantified). Agriculture also consumes fossil fuels for fertilizer production and farm operations, thus emitting carbon dioxide (CO2), oxides of nitrogen (NO(x)), sulfur oxides (SO(x)), and particulates. Current research priorities include the quantification of point and nonpoint sources, the biosphere-atmosphere exchange of ammonia, reduced sulfur

Ammonia transport in the kidney by Rhesus glycoproteins

PubMed Central

Verlander, Jill W.

2014-01-01

Renal ammonia metabolism is a fundamental element of acid-base homeostasis, comprising a major component of both basal and physiologically altered renal net acid excretion. Over the past several years, a fundamental change in our understanding of the mechanisms of renal epithelial cell ammonia transport has occurred, replacing the previous model which was based upon diffusion equilibrium for NH3 and trapping of NH4+ with a new model in which specific and regulated transport of both NH3 and NH4+ across renal epithelial cell membranes via specific membrane proteins is required for normal ammonia metabolism. A major advance has been the recognition that members of a recently recognized transporter family, the Rhesus glycoprotein family, mediate critical roles in renal and extrarenal ammonia transport. The erythroid-specific Rhesus glycoprotein, Rh A Glycoprotein (Rhag), was the first Rhesus glycoprotein recognized as an ammonia-specific transporter. Subsequently, the nonerythroid Rh glycoproteins, Rh B Glycoprotein (Rhbg) and Rh C Glycoprotein (Rhcg), were cloned and identified as ammonia transporters. They are expressed in specific cell populations and membrane domains in distal renal epithelial cells, where they facilitate ammonia secretion. In this review, we discuss the distribution of Rhbg and Rhcg in the kidney, the regulation of their expression and activity in physiological disturbances, the effects of genetic deletion on renal ammonia metabolism, and the molecular mechanisms of Rh glycoprotein-mediated ammonia transport. PMID:24647713

Study on the mechanism of copper-ammonia complex decomposition in struvite formation process and enhanced ammonia and copper removal.

PubMed

Peng, Cong; Chai, Liyuan; Tang, Chongjian; Min, Xiaobo; Song, Yuxia; Duan, Chengshan; Yu, Cheng

2017-01-01

Heavy metals and ammonia are difficult to remove from wastewater, as they easily combine into refractory complexes. The struvite formation method (SFM) was applied for the complex decomposition and simultaneous removal of heavy metal and ammonia. The results indicated that ammonia deprivation by SFM was the key factor leading to the decomposition of the copper-ammonia complex ion. Ammonia was separated from solution as crystalline struvite, and the copper mainly co-precipitated as copper hydroxide together with struvite. Hydrogen bonding and electrostatic attraction were considered to be the main surface interactions between struvite and copper hydroxide. Hydrogen bonding was concluded to be the key factor leading to the co-precipitation. In addition, incorporation of copper ions into the struvite crystal also occurred during the treatment process. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Ammonia poisoning

MedlinePlus

... Ammonia gas Some household cleaners Some liniments Some fertilizers Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. ... care professional. Seek immediate medical help. If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, ...

Ammonia Test

MedlinePlus

... of hepatic encephalopathy, but there is not widespread agreement on its clinical utility. Since hepatic encephalopathy can ... more clinically useful, but there is not widespread agreement on this. Is ammonia testing used to detect ...

Staging properties of potassium-ammonia ternary graphite intercalation compounds at high ammonia pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, X. W.; Solin, S. A.

1989-04-01

The pressure dependence of the (00l) x-ray diffraction patterns of the ternary graphite intercalation compound K(NH3)xC24 has been studied in the range 0.5-11 kbar (for which x~4.5) using a diamond anvil cell. A special apparatus for loading the cell with liquid ammonia at room temperature has been constructed and is briefly described. In these experiments, the pressure-transmitting fluid was also an intercalant, namely ammonia. Therefore, the chemical potential of this species was linearly coupled to the applied pressure in contrast to the usual case where the pressure-transmitting fluid is chemically passive. The pressure dependences of the basal spacings and of the relative intensities of key reflections have been measured, as have the compressibilities of the stage-1 and stage-2 components of the two-phase system. Basal-spacing anomalies and anomalies in the relative intensities occur at pressures of ~3.5 and 8.0 kbar and are tentatively attributed to in-plane coordination changes in the potassium-ammonia ratio. Using thermodynamic arguments and Le Chatelier's principle we show quantitatively that a staging phase transition from pure stage-1 phase to an admixture of stage-1 and stage-2 is expected with increased pressure above 10 bar in agreement with experiment. The saturation ammonia compositions (x values) of the admixed stages are found to be 4.5 and 5.4 for the stage-1 and -2 components, respectively. This result is interpreted as evidence that the composition is not sterically limited but is determined by the binding energy of ammonia for potassium and by the perturbation to this energy from the guest-host interaction.

Food and Agriculture Organization: A Clearinghouse for Agricultural Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joling, Carole

1989-01-01

Describes the functions of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is an international clearinghouse for agricultural information. The discussion focuses on the information formats provided by the agency and the dissemination channels used for FAO information. Lists of finding aids for FAO materials and libraries…

Mechanism of ammonia excretion in the freshwater leech Nephelopsis obscura: characterization of a primitive Rh protein and effects of high environmental ammonia

PubMed Central

Quijada-Rodriguez, Alex R.; Treberg, Jason R.

2015-01-01

Remarkably little is known about nitrogenous excretion in freshwater invertebrates. In the current study, the nitrogen excretion mechanism in the carnivorous ribbon leech, Nephelopsis obscura, was investigated. Excretion experiments showed that the ribbon leech is ammonotelic, excreting 166.0 ± 8.6 nmol·grams fresh weight (gFW)−1·h−1 ammonia and 14.7 ± 1.9 nmol·gFW−1·h−1 urea. Exposure to high and low pH hampered and enhanced, respectively, ammonia excretion rates, indicating an acid-linked ammonia trapping mechanism across the skin epithelia. Accordingly, compared with body tissues, the skin exhibited elevated mRNA expression levels of a newly identified Rhesus protein and at least in tendency the Na+/K+-ATPase. Pharmacological experiments and enzyme assays suggested an ammonia excretion mechanism that involves the V-ATPase, Na+/K+-ATPase, and carbonic anhydrase, but not necessarily a functional microtubule system. Most importantly, functional expression studies of the identified Rh protein cloned from leech skin tissue revealed an ammonia transport capability of this protein when expressed in yeast. The leech Rh-ammonia transporter (NoRhp) is a member of the primitive Rh protein family, which is a sister group to the common ancestor of vertebrate ammonia-transporting Rh proteins. Exposure to high environmental ammonia (HEA) caused a new adjustment of body ammonia, accompanied with a decrease in NoRhp and Na+/K+-ATPase mRNA levels, but unaltered ammonia excretion rates. To our knowledge, this is only the second comprehensive study regarding the ammonia excretion mechanisms in a freshwater invertebrate, but our results show that basic processes of ammonia excretion appear to also be comparable to those found in freshwater fish, suggesting an early evolution of ionoregulatory mechanisms in freshwater organisms. PMID:26180186

Mechanism of ammonia excretion in the freshwater leech Nephelopsis obscura: characterization of a primitive Rh protein and effects of high environmental ammonia.

PubMed

Quijada-Rodriguez, Alex R; Treberg, Jason R; Weihrauch, Dirk

2015-09-15

Remarkably little is known about nitrogenous excretion in freshwater invertebrates. In the current study, the nitrogen excretion mechanism in the carnivorous ribbon leech, Nephelopsis obscura, was investigated. Excretion experiments showed that the ribbon leech is ammonotelic, excreting 166.0 ± 8.6 nmol·grams fresh weight (gFW)(-1)·h(-1) ammonia and 14.7 ± 1.9 nmol·gFW(-1)·h(-1) urea. Exposure to high and low pH hampered and enhanced, respectively, ammonia excretion rates, indicating an acid-linked ammonia trapping mechanism across the skin epithelia. Accordingly, compared with body tissues, the skin exhibited elevated mRNA expression levels of a newly identified Rhesus protein and at least in tendency the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Pharmacological experiments and enzyme assays suggested an ammonia excretion mechanism that involves the V-ATPase, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, and carbonic anhydrase, but not necessarily a functional microtubule system. Most importantly, functional expression studies of the identified Rh protein cloned from leech skin tissue revealed an ammonia transport capability of this protein when expressed in yeast. The leech Rh-ammonia transporter (NoRhp) is a member of the primitive Rh protein family, which is a sister group to the common ancestor of vertebrate ammonia-transporting Rh proteins. Exposure to high environmental ammonia (HEA) caused a new adjustment of body ammonia, accompanied with a decrease in NoRhp and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase mRNA levels, but unaltered ammonia excretion rates. To our knowledge, this is only the second comprehensive study regarding the ammonia excretion mechanisms in a freshwater invertebrate, but our results show that basic processes of ammonia excretion appear to also be comparable to those found in freshwater fish, suggesting an early evolution of ionoregulatory mechanisms in freshwater organisms. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Ammonia emission inventory for the state of Wyoming

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirchstetter, Thomas W.; Maser, Colette R.; Brown, Nancy J.

2003-12-17

Ammonia (NH{sub 3}) is the only significant gaseous base in the atmosphere and it has a variety of impacts as an atmospheric pollutant, including the formation of secondary aerosol particles: ammonium sulfate and ammonium nitrate. NH{sub 3} preferentially forms ammonium sulfate; consequently ammonium nitrate aerosol formation may be limited by the availability of NH{sub 3}. Understanding the impact of emissions of oxides of sulfur and nitrogen on visibility, therefore, requires accurately determined ammonia emission inventories for use in air quality models, upon which regulatory and policy decisions increasingly depend. This report presents an emission inventory of NH{sub 3} for themore » state of Wyoming. The inventory is temporally and spatially resolved at the monthly and county level, and is comprised of emissions from individual sources in ten categories: livestock, fertilizer, domestic animals, wild animals, wildfires, soil, industry, mobile sources, humans, and publicly owned treatment works. The Wyoming NH{sub 3} inventory was developed using the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Ammonia Model as framework. Current Wyoming-specific activity data and emissions factors obtained from state agencies and published literature were assessed and used as inputs to the CMU Ammonia Model. Biogenic emissions from soils comprise about three-quarters of the Wyoming NH{sub 3} inventory, though emission factors from soils are highly uncertain. Published emission factors are scarce and based on limited measurements. In Wyoming, agricultural land, rangeland, and forests comprise 96% of the land area and essentially all of the estimated emissions from soils. Future research on emission rates of NH{sub 3} for these land categories may lead to a substantial change in the magnitude of soil emissions, a different inventory composition, and reduced uncertainty in the inventory. While many NH{sub 3} inventories include annual emissions, air quality modeling studies require finer

Innovative Biological Treatment Process for the Removal of Ammonia, Arsenic, Iron and Manganese from a Small Drinking Water System in Gilbert, Iowa (Phase 1: Pilot Evaluation)

EPA Science Inventory

Many regions in the United States have excessive levels of ammonia in their drinking water sources (e.g., ground and surface waters) as a result of naturally occurring processes, agricultural and urban runoff, concentrated animal feeding operations, municipal wastewater treatment...

Ammonia Clouds on Jupiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on the image for movie of Ammonia Ice Clouds on Jupiter

In this movie, put together from false-color images taken by the New Horizons Ralph instrument as the spacecraft flew past Jupiter in early 2007, show ammonia clouds (appearing as bright blue areas) as they form and disperse over five successive Jupiter 'days.' Scientists noted how the larger cloud travels along with a small, local deep hole.

Comparison of Techniques to Estimate Ammonia Emissions at Cattle Feedlots Using Time-Averaged and Instantaneous Concentration Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shonkwiler, K. B.; Ham, J. M.; Williams, C. M.

2013-12-01

Ammonia (NH3) that volatilizes from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) can form aerosols that travel long distances where such aerosols can deposit in sensitive regions, potentially causing harm to local ecosystems. However, quantifying the emissions of ammonia from CAFOs through direct measurement is very difficult and costly to perform. A system was therefore developed at Colorado State University for conditionally sampling NH3 concentrations based on weather parameters measured using inexpensive equipment. These systems use passive diffusive cartridges (Radiello, Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA) that provide time-averaged concentrations representative of a two-week deployment period. The samplers are exposed by a robotic mechanism so they are only deployed when wind is from the direction of the CAFO at 1.4 m/s or greater. These concentration data, along with other weather variables measured during each sampler deployment period, can then be used in a simple inverse model (FIDES, UMR Environnement et Grandes Cultures, Thiverval-Grignon, France) to estimate emissions. There are not yet any direct comparisons of the modeled emissions derived from time-averaged concentration data to modeled emissions from more sophisticated backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLs) techniques that utilize instantaneous measurements of NH3 concentration. In the summer and autumn of 2013, a suite of robotic passive sampler systems were deployed at a 25,000-head cattle feedlot at the same time as an open-path infrared (IR) diode laser (GasFinder2, Boreal Laser Inc., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) which continuously measured ammonia concentrations instantaneously over a 225-m path. This particular laser is utilized in agricultural settings, and in combination with a bLs model (WindTrax, Thunder Beach Scientific, Inc., Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada), has become a common method for estimating NH3 emissions from a variety of agricultural and industrial operations. This study will first

78 FR 52192 - Final Aquatic Life Ambient Water Quality Criteria For Ammonia-Freshwater 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-22

... ambient water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life from effects of ammonia in freshwater... life criteria are developed based on EPA's Guidelines for Deriving Numerical National Water Quality... quality standards for protecting aquatic life and human health. EPA's recommended water quality criteria...

Converting Wind Energy to Ammonia at Lower Pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malmali, Mahdi; Reese, Michael; McCormick, Alon V.

Renewable wind energy can be used to make ammonia. However, wind-generated ammonia costs about twice that made from a traditional fossil-fuel driven process. To reduce the production cost, we replace the conventional ammonia condensation with a selective absorber containing metal halides, e.g., calcium chloride, operating at near synthesis temperatures. With this reaction-absorption process, ammonia can be synthesized at 20 bar from air, water, and wind-generated electricity, with rates comparable to the conventional process running at 150–300 bar. In our reaction-absorption process, the rate of ammonia synthesis is now controlled not by the chemical reaction but largely by the pump usedmore » to recycle the unreacted gases. The results suggest an alternative route to distributed ammonia manufacture which can locally supply nitrogen fertilizer and also a method to capture stranded wind energy as a carbon-neutral liquid fuel.« less

Converting Wind Energy to Ammonia at Lower Pressure

DOE PAGES

Malmali, Mahdi; Reese, Michael; McCormick, Alon V.; ...

2017-11-07

Renewable wind energy can be used to make ammonia. However, wind-generated ammonia costs about twice that made from a traditional fossil-fuel driven process. To reduce the production cost, we replace the conventional ammonia condensation with a selective absorber containing metal halides, e.g., calcium chloride, operating at near synthesis temperatures. With this reaction-absorption process, ammonia can be synthesized at 20 bar from air, water, and wind-generated electricity, with rates comparable to the conventional process running at 150–300 bar. In our reaction-absorption process, the rate of ammonia synthesis is now controlled not by the chemical reaction but largely by the pump usedmore » to recycle the unreacted gases. The results suggest an alternative route to distributed ammonia manufacture which can locally supply nitrogen fertilizer and also a method to capture stranded wind energy as a carbon-neutral liquid fuel.« less

Ammonia Affects Astroglial Proliferation in Culture

PubMed Central

Bodega, Guillermo; Segura, Berta; Ciordia, Sergio; Mena, María del Carmen; López-Fernández, Luis Andrés; García, María Isabel; Trabado, Isabel; Suárez, Isabel

2015-01-01

Primary cultures of rat astroglial cells were exposed to 1, 3 and 5 mM NH4Cl for up to 10 days. Dose- and time-dependent reductions in cell numbers were seen, plus an increase in the proportion of cells in the S phase. The DNA content was reduced in the treated cells, and BrdU incorporation diminished. However, neither ammonia nor ammonia plus glutamine had any effect on DNA polymerase activity. iTRAQ analysis showed that exposure to ammonia induced a significant reduction in histone and heterochromatin protein 1 expression. A reduction in cell viability was also noted. The ammonia-induced reduction of proliferative activity in these cultured astroglial cells seems to be due to a delay in the completion of the S phase provoked by the inhibition of chromatin protein synthesis. PMID:26421615

Dynamics of ammonia-oxidizing communities in barley-planted bulk soil and rhizosphere following nitrate and ammonium fertilizer amendment.

PubMed

Glaser, Katrin; Hackl, Evelyn; Inselsbacher, Erich; Strauss, Joseph; Wanek, Wolfgang; Zechmeister-Boltenstern, Sophie; Sessitsch, Angela

2010-12-01

Oxidation of ammonia by nitrifying microorganisms is a major pathway that fertilizer nitrogen (N) may take upon application to agricultural soils, but the relative roles of bacterial (AOB) vs. archaeal (AOA) ammonia oxidizers are controversial. We explored the effects of various forms of mineral N fertilizer on the AOB and AOA community dynamics in two different soils planted with barley. Ammonia oxidizers were monitored via real-time PCR and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of bacterial and archaeal amoA genes following the addition of either [NH₄]₂SO₄, NH₄NO₃ or KNO₃. AOB and AOA communities were also studied specifically in the rhizospheres of two different barley varieties upon [NH₄]₂SO₄ vs. KNO₃ addition. AOB changed in community composition and increased in abundance upon ammonium amendment in bulk soil and rhizosphere, with changes in bacterial amoA copy numbers lagging behind relative to changes in soil ammonium. In both soils, only T-RFs corresponding to phylotypes related to Nitrosospira clade 3a underwent significant community changes. Increases in AOB abundance were generally stronger in the bulk soil than in the rhizosphere, implying significant ammonia uptake by plant roots. AOA underwent shifts in the community composition over time and fluctuated in abundance in all treatments irrespective of ammonia availability. AOB were thus considered as the main agents responsible for fertilizer ammonium oxidation, while the functions of AOA in soil N cycling remain unresolved. © 2010 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia (Revised External ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In August 2013, EPA submitted a revised draft IRIS assessment of ammonia to the agency's Science Advisory Board (SAB) and posted this draft on the IRIS website. EPA had previously released a draft of the assessment for public comment, held a public meeting about the draft, and then revised it based on the comments received. The SAB CAAC-Ammonia panel will review this draft assessment. Details about the meeting dates, times, and location are available via the Federal Register Notice posted on March 25, 2014. The SAB provided information on how the public can participate in the external peer review meetings, as well as instructions about how to provide comments to the SAB in the notice. Additional information on the SAB review of ammonia is on the SAB website. Report Information: The Toxicological Review of Ammonia was originally released for a 60-day public comment period on June 8, 2012. [Federal Register Notice Jun 8, 2012] EPA revised the toxicological review in response to the public comments received. EPA has released the revised external review draft ammonia assessment and the SAB CAAC is conducting a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the assessment that will appear in the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. Information regarding the peer review can be found at the SAB review of ammonia website. EPA is undertaking an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for ammonia. IRIS is an EPA database cont

75 FR 68598 - Notice of Appointment of Members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-08

... follows: Category F. ``National Food Animal Science Society,'' Nancy M. Cox, Director, Kentucky... and processing, forestry research, crop and animal science, land-grant institutions, non-land grant college or university with a historic commitment to research in the food and agricultural sciences, food...

Changes of ammonia, urea contents and transaminase activity in the body during aerial exposure and ammonia loading in Chinese loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus.

PubMed

Zhang, Yun-Long; Zhang, Hai-Long; Wang, Ling-Yu; Gu, Bei-Yi; Fan, Qi-Xue

2017-04-01

The Paramisgurnus dabryanus was exposed to 30 mmol L -1 NH 4 Cl solution and air to assessing the change of body ammonia and urea contents and the activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST). After 48 h of ammonia exposure, ammonia concentration in the plasma, brain, liver and muscle were 3.3-fold, 5.6-fold, 3.5-fold and 4.2-fold, respectively, those of the control values. Plasma, brain, liver and muscle ammonia concentrations increased to 2.2-fold, 3.3-fold, 2.5-fold and 2.9-fold, respectively, those of control values in response to 48 h of aerial exposure. Within the given treatment (ammonia or aerial exposure), there was no change in plasma, brain and liver urea concentrations between exposure durations. The plasma ALT activity was significantly affected by exposure time during aerial exposure, while the liver ALT activity was not affected by ammonia or aerial exposure. Exposure to NH 4 Cl or air had no effect on either plasma or liver AST activity. Our results suggested that P. dabryanus could accumulate quite high level of internal ammonia because of the high ammonia tolerance in its cells and tissues, and NH 3 volatilization would be a possible ammonia detoxification strategy in P. dabryanus. Urea synthesis was not an effective mechanism to deal with environmental or internal ammonia problem. The significant increase of ALT activity in plasma during aerial exposure, indicating that alanine synthesis through certain amino acid catabolism may be subsistent in P. dabryanus.

Ammonia concentrations in canine whole blood, EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood, and plasma measured by use of a point-of-care ammonia meter.

PubMed

Odunayo, Adesola; Tobias, Karen M; Okafor, Chika C; Flatland, Bente

2017-11-01

OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of canine whole blood (WB) for measurement of ammonia concentration by use of a point-of-care ammonia meter and to compare results of measuring ammonia concentrations in WB, EDTA-anticoagulated WB, and plasma. ANIMALS 40 client-owned dogs. PROCEDURES A blood sample (2 mL) was obtained from each dog. One drop of WB was immediately applied to a test strip for evaluation with an ammonia meter. The remainder of the blood sample was placed in an EDTA-containing tube, and 1 drop of EDTA-anticoagulated WB was applied to a test strip. The remaining EDTA-anticoagulated WB sample was centrifuged, and the plasma was harvested and placed on ice. One drop of plasma was applied to a test strip; the remainder of the plasma sample was transported on ice and used for ammonia measurement with a reference laboratory instrument. All samples were tested within 1 hour after sample collection. Results were evaluated to detect significant differences in ammonia concentration. RESULTS Ammonia concentrations did not differ significantly between WB and EDTA-anticoagulated WB and between plasma samples measured with the meter and reference laboratory instrument. However, median ammonia concentration was significantly higher in plasma than in WB or EDTA-anti-coagulated WB. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Anticoagulant-free WB was a valid sample for measurement by use of the ammonia meter. Plasma samples had higher ammonia concentrations than did WB samples. Results for each sample type should be interpreted by use of specimen- and method-specific reference intervals.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Ammonia - Detailed Conceptual Diagram

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to the ammonia module, when to list ammonia as a candidate cause, ways to measure ammonia, simple and detailed conceptual diagrams for ammonia, literature reviews and references for the ammonia module.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Ammonia - Simple Conceptual Diagram

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Introduction to the ammonia module, when to list ammonia as a candidate cause, ways to measure ammonia, simple and detailed conceptual diagrams for ammonia, literature reviews and references for the ammonia module.

Surface-atmosphere exchange of ammonia over peatland using QCL-based eddy-covariance measurements and inferential modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zöll, Undine; Brümmer, Christian; Schrader, Frederik; Ammann, Christof; Ibrom, Andreas; Flechard, Christophe R.; Nelson, David D.; Zahniser, Mark; Kutsch, Werner L.

2016-09-01

Recent advances in laser spectrometry offer new opportunities to investigate ecosystem-atmosphere exchange of environmentally relevant trace gases. In this study, we demonstrate the applicability of a quantum cascade laser (QCL) absorption spectrometer to continuously measure ammonia concentrations at high time resolution and thus to quantify the net exchange between a seminatural peatland ecosystem and the atmosphere based on the eddy-covariance approach. Changing diurnal patterns of both ammonia concentration and fluxes were found during different periods of the campaign. We observed a clear tipping point in early spring with decreasing ammonia deposition velocities and increasingly bidirectional fluxes that occurred after the switch from dormant vegetation to CO2 uptake but was triggered by a significant weather change. While several biophysical parameters such as temperature, radiation, and surface wetness were identified to partially regulate ammonia exchange at the site, the seasonal concentration pattern was clearly dominated by agricultural practices in the surrounding area. Comparing the results of a compensation point model with our measurement-based flux estimates showed considerable differences in some periods of the campaign due to overestimation of non-stomatal resistances caused by low acid ratios. The total cumulative campaign exchange of ammonia after 9 weeks, however, differed only in a 6 % deviation with 911 and 857 g NH3-N ha-1 deposition being found by measurements and modeling, respectively. Extrapolating our findings to an entire year, ammonia deposition was lower than reported by Hurkuck et al. (2014) for the same site in previous years using denuder systems. This was likely due to a better representation of the emission component in the net signal of eddy-covariance fluxes as well as better adapted site-specific parameters in the model. Our study not only stresses the importance of high-quality measurements for studying and assessing land

Ammonia Transporters and Their Role in Acid-Base Balance

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Acid-base homeostasis is critical to maintenance of normal health. Renal ammonia excretion is the quantitatively predominant component of renal net acid excretion, both under basal conditions and in response to acid-base disturbances. Although titratable acid excretion also contributes to renal net acid excretion, the quantitative contribution of titratable acid excretion is less than that of ammonia under basal conditions and is only a minor component of the adaptive response to acid-base disturbances. In contrast to other urinary solutes, ammonia is produced in the kidney and then is selectively transported either into the urine or the renal vein. The proportion of ammonia that the kidney produces that is excreted in the urine varies dramatically in response to physiological stimuli, and only urinary ammonia excretion contributes to acid-base homeostasis. As a result, selective and regulated renal ammonia transport by renal epithelial cells is central to acid-base homeostasis. Both molecular forms of ammonia, NH3 and NH4+, are transported by specific proteins, and regulation of these transport processes determines the eventual fate of the ammonia produced. In this review, we discuss these issues, and then discuss in detail the specific proteins involved in renal epithelial cell ammonia transport. PMID:28151423

A morphological method for ammonia detection in liver

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez-de-Juan, Virginia; López de Davalillo, Sergio; Fernández-Ramos, David; Barbier-Torres, Lucía; Zubiete-Franco, Imanol; Fernández-Tussy, Pablo; Simon, Jorge; Lopitz-Otsoa, Fernando; de las Heras, Javier; Iruzubieta, Paula; Arias-Loste, María Teresa; Villa, Erica; Crespo, Javier; Andrade, Raúl; Lucena, M. Isabel; Varela-Rey, Marta; Lu, Shelly C.; Mato, José M.; Delgado, Teresa Cardoso

2017-01-01

Hyperammonemia is a metabolic condition characterized by elevated levels of ammonia and a common event in acute liver injury/failure and chronic liver disease. Even though hepatic ammonia levels are potential predictive factors of patient outcome, easy and inexpensive methods aiming at the detection of liver ammonia accumulation in the clinical setting remain unavailable. Thus, herein we have developed a morphological method, based on the utilization of Nessler´s reagent, to accurately and precisely detect the accumulation of ammonia in biological tissue. We have validated our method against a commercially available kit in mouse tissue samples and, by using this modified method, we have confirmed the hepatic accumulation of ammonia in clinical and animal models of acute and chronic advanced liver injury as well as in the progression of fatty liver disease. Overall, we propose a morphological method for ammonia detection in liver that correlates well with the degree of liver disease severity and therefore can be potentially used to predict patient outcome. PMID:28319158

A morphological method for ammonia detection in liver.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-de-Juan, Virginia; López de Davalillo, Sergio; Fernández-Ramos, David; Barbier-Torres, Lucía; Zubiete-Franco, Imanol; Fernández-Tussy, Pablo; Simon, Jorge; Lopitz-Otsoa, Fernando; de Las Heras, Javier; Iruzubieta, Paula; Arias-Loste, María Teresa; Villa, Erica; Crespo, Javier; Andrade, Raúl; Lucena, M Isabel; Varela-Rey, Marta; Lu, Shelly C; Mato, José M; Delgado, Teresa Cardoso; Martínez-Chantar, María-Luz

2017-01-01

Hyperammonemia is a metabolic condition characterized by elevated levels of ammonia and a common event in acute liver injury/failure and chronic liver disease. Even though hepatic ammonia levels are potential predictive factors of patient outcome, easy and inexpensive methods aiming at the detection of liver ammonia accumulation in the clinical setting remain unavailable. Thus, herein we have developed a morphological method, based on the utilization of Nessler´s reagent, to accurately and precisely detect the accumulation of ammonia in biological tissue. We have validated our method against a commercially available kit in mouse tissue samples and, by using this modified method, we have confirmed the hepatic accumulation of ammonia in clinical and animal models of acute and chronic advanced liver injury as well as in the progression of fatty liver disease. Overall, we propose a morphological method for ammonia detection in liver that correlates well with the degree of liver disease severity and therefore can be potentially used to predict patient outcome.

Evidence of novel plant-species specific ammonia oxidizing bacterial clades in acidic South African fynbos soils.

PubMed

Ramond, Jean-Baptiste; Lako, Joseph D W; Stafford, William H L; Tuffin, Marla I; Cowan, Don A

2015-08-01

Ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) are essential in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen as they catalyze the rate-limiting oxidation of ammonia into nitrite. Since their first isolation in the late 19th century, chemolithoautotrophic AOBs have been identified in a wide range of natural (e.g., soils, sediments, estuarine, and freshwaters) and man created or impacted habitats (e.g., wastewater treatment plants and agricultural soils). However, little is known on the plant-species association of AOBs, particularly in the nutrient-starved fynbos terrestrial biome. In this study, we evaluated the diversity of AOBs in the plant canopy of three South African fynbos-specific plant species, namely Leucadendron xanthoconus, Leucospermum truncatulum and Leucadendron microcephalum, through the construction of amoA-gene clone libraries. Our results clearly demonstrate that plant-species specific and monophyletic AOB clades are present in fynbos canopy soils. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Improving The Efficiency Of Ammonia Electrolysis For Hydrogen Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palaniappan, Ramasamy

Given the abundance of ammonia in domestic and industrial wastes, ammonia electrolysis is a promising technology for remediation and distributed power generation in a clean and safe manner. Efficiency has been identified as one of the key issues that require improvement in order for the technology to enter the market phase. Therefore, this research was performed with the aim of improving the efficiency of hydrogen production by finding alternative materials for the cathode and electrolyte. 1. In the presence of ammonia the activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) followed the trend Rh>Pt>Ru>Ni. The addition of ammonia resulted in lower rates for HER for Pt, Ru, and Ni, which have been attributed to competition from the ammonia adsorption reaction. 2. The addition of ammonia offers insight into the role of metal-hydrogen underpotential deposition (M-Hupd) on HER kinetics. In addition to offering competition via ammonia adsorption it resulted in fewer and weaker M-Hupd bonds for all metals. This finding substantiates the theory that M-Hupd bonds favor HER on Pt electrocatalyst. However, for Rh results suggest that M-Hupd bond may hinder the HER. In addition, the presence of unpaired valence shell electrons is suggested to provide higher activity for HER in the presence of ammonia. 3. Bimetals PtxM1-x (M = Ir, Ru, Rh, and Ni) offered lower overpotentials for HER compared to the unalloyed metals in the presence of ammonia. The activity of HER in the presence of ammonia follows the trend Pt-Ir>Pt-Rh>Pt-Ru>Pt-Ni. The higher activity of HER is attributed to the synergistic effect of the alloy, where ammonia adsorbs onto the more electropositive alloying metal leaving Pt available for Hupd formation and HER to take place. Additionally, this supports the theory that the presence of a higher number of unpaired electrons favors the HER in the presence of ammonia. 4. Potassium polyacrylate (PAA-K) was successfully used as a substitute for aqueous KOH for ammonia

Regeneration of ammonia borane from polyborazylene

DOEpatents

Sutton, Andrew; Gordon, John C; Ott, Kevin C; Burrell, Anthony K

2013-02-05

Method of producing ammonia borane, comprising providing a reagent comprising a dehydrogenated material in a suitable solvent; and combining the reagent with a reducing agent comprising hydrazine, a hydrazine derivative, or combinations thereof, in a reaction which produces a mixture comprising ammonia borane.

Critical litter moisture maximizes ammonia generation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The natural breakdown of litter (bedding material mixed with deposits of feces, feathers, spilled feed and water) generates ammonia in poultry houses. Good management practices can reduce ammonia concentrations in poultry houses. Findings from a recent publication indicate there is a critical litt...

Review of Options for Ammonia/Ammonium Management

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nash, C. A.

This report is a review of literature supporting practical ammonia/ammonium destruction processes. Melter research supporting Hanford Low Activity Waste (LAW) glass production has shown that significant amounts of ammonia will be in the melter offgas condensate. Further work with secondary waste forms indicates the potential need to remove the ammonia, perhaps by an oxidative process. This review finds likely practical chemical methods to oxidize ammonia in aqueous solution at moderate temperatures and atmospheric pressure, using easily obtained reagents. Leading candidates include nitrite oxidation to produce nitrogen gas, various peroxide oxidative processes, and air stripping. This work reviews many other processesmore » and provides reasoning to not consider those processes further for this application.« less

Ammonia Movement in the Small Intestine: Preferential Transport by the Ileum *

PubMed Central

Mossberg, Sanford M.; Ross, George

1967-01-01

Isolated, surviving sacs of everted small intestine were used to characterize ammonia transport in the golden hamster. Jejunal and ileal sacs incubated aerobically in ammonia-free test solution liberated the same quantity of ammonia as did sacs that were filled and immediately emptied of their contents, indicating no significant evolution of metabolic ammonia. Under aerobic conditions, ileal sacs transferred a solution of high ammonia content from the mucosal surface to the serosal surface against a concentration gradient. This transport was not glucose dependent and exhibited first-order Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Inhibition of absorption occurred with anaerobiosis, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and sodium cyanide. In jejunal segments ammonia was not transported against an adverse chemical gradient. Ileal ammonia absorption was accompanied by bicarbonate secretion and acidification of the serosal solution. Both bicarbonate movement and pH gradients were abolished by inhibitors of ammonia transport. In the jejunum, the absence of ammonia movement occurred in association with minimal bicarbonate secretion and no appreciable change in serosal pH. Despite the creation of hydrogen ion gradients tending to augment or to retard ammonia absorption by nonionic diffusion, ammonia movement was unaffected, i.e., relative acidification of serosal contents did not augment ammonia absorption, and relative alkalinization of serosal fluid caused no inhibition of ammonia transport. In the absence of bicarbonate ion, ammonia transport did not occur. The significance of these findings is discussed with consideration of both ionic and nonionic mechanisms of ammonia movement. It is suggested that ammonia is absorbed in the ileum by active ionic transport. PMID:6021202

76 FR 78225 - Notice of Appointment of Members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-16

..., Institute of Food Technologists and Vice President of Research & Dean of the School of Graduate Studies..., filing of petitions and applications and agency #0;statements of organization and functions are examples... Secretary Notice of Appointment of Members to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and...

Effect of ammonia-generating diet on ovine serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea levels, serum oestrogen and progesterone concentrations and granulosa cell functions.

PubMed

Nandi, S; Mondal, S; Pal, D T; Gupta, P S P

2016-04-01

This study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of ammonia-generating diet on serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea levels, serum oestrogen and progesterone concentrations and granulosa cell growth and secretion parameters in ewes (Ovis aries). Ewes were fed with 14% CP diet (control) or ammonia-generating diet or ammonia-generating diet plus soluble sugar. The serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea level, serum oestrogen and progesterone levels and granulosa cell (obtained from ovaries of slaughtered ewes) growth parameters and secretory activities were estimated. Ammonia-generating diet (high-protein diet) increased the serum ammonia and urea concentration. Supplementation of soluble sugar significantly reduced the ammonia concentration in serum with comparable levels as in control group; however, the urea level in the same group was higher than that observed in control group. Supplementation of soluble sugar significantly reduced the follicular fluid ammonia concentration; however, the level was significantly higher compared to control group. Supplementation of soluble sugar brought down the follicular fluid urea level comparable to that observed in control group. Oestrogen and progesterone levels remained unchanged in ewes fed with different types of diet. Oestrogen and progesterone secretion were significantly lowered from granulosa cells recovered from ewes fed with high ammonia-generating diet. Low metabolic activity and high incidence of apoptosis were observed in granulosa cells obtained from ovaries of ewes fed with ammonia-generating diet. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The Ammonia Smoke Fountain: An Interesting Thermodynamic Adventure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alexander, M. Dale

1999-01-01

Describes a new demonstration that uses an apparatus like the ammonia-fountain apparatus but with modifications designed to produce ammonium-chloride smoke. This demonstration is easy to perform, interesting to observe, and allows demonstration of the solubility of ammonia in water, the basic nature of ammonia, the acidic nature of hydrogen…

Mechanism of poliovirus inactivation by ammonia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ward, R.L.

1978-05-01

Poliovirus inactivation by ammonia causes a slight reduction in the sedimentation coefficients of viral particles, but has no detectable effect on either the electrophoretic pattern of viral capsid proteins or the isoelectric points of inactivated particles. These virions still attach to cells, but are unable to repress host translation or stimulate the synthesis of detectable amounts of viral RNA. Although ammonia has no detectable effect on naked poliovirus RNA, it causes cleavage of this RNA when still within viral particles. Therefore, the RNA genome appears to be the only component of poliovirus significantly affected by ammonia.

National Children's Center for Rural and Agricultural Health and Safety

MedlinePlus

... Network Grain Safety Model Policy: Youth Employment in Agriculture Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines North American Guidelines for ... Sept. 20 Teaching fall and electrical safety in agriculture: free webinar, Sept. 13 Agricultural Youth Work Guidelines ...

Development of water quality criteria of ammonia for protecting aquatic life in freshwater using species sensitivity distribution method.

PubMed

Park, Tae-Jin; Lee, Jong-Hyeon; Lee, Myung-Sung; Park, Chang-Hee; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Moon, Seong-Dae; Chung, Jiwoong; Cui, Rongxue; An, Youn-Joo; Yeom, Dong-Hyuk; Lee, Soo-Hyung; Lee, Jae-Kwan; Zoh, Kyung-Duk

2018-09-01

Ammonia is deemed one of the most important pollutants in the freshwater environment because of its highly toxic nature and ubiquity in surface water. This study thus aims to derive the criteria for ammonia in freshwater to protect aquatic life because there are no water quality criteria for ammonia in Korea. Short-term lethal tests were conducted to perform the species sensitivity distribution (SSD) method. This method is widely used in ecological risk assessment to determine the chemical concentrations to protect aquatic species. Based on the species sensitivity distribution method using Korean indigenous aquatic biota, the hazardous concentration for 5% of biological species (HC 5 ) value calculated in this study was 44mg/L as total ammonia nitrogen (TAN). The value of the assessment factor was set at 2. Consequently, the criteria for ammonia were derived as 22mg/L at pH7 and 20°C. When the derived value was applied to the monitoring data nationwide, 0.51%, 0.09%, 0.18%, 0.20%, and 0.35% of the monitoring sites in Han River, Nakdong River, Geum River, Youngsan River, and lakes throughout the nation, respectively, exceeded this criteria. The Ministry of Environment in Korea has been considering introducing water quality standard of ammonia for protecting aquatic life. Therefore, our results can provide the basis for introducing the ammonia standard in Korea. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Branchial ammonia excretion in the Asian weatherloach Misgurnus anguillicaudatus.

PubMed

Moreira-Silva, J; Tsui, T K N; Coimbra, J; Vijayan, M M; Ip, Y K; Wilson, J M

2010-01-01

The weatherloach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, is a freshwater, facultative air-breathing fish that lives in streams and rice paddy fields, where it may experience drought and/or high environmental ammonia (HEA) conditions. The aim of this study was to determine what roles branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, H(+)-ATPase, and Rhcg have in ammonia tolerance and how the weatherloach copes with ammonia loading conditions. The loach's high ammonia tolerance was confirmed as was evident from its high 96 h LC(50) value and high tissue tolerance to ammonia. The weatherloach does not appear to make use of Na(+)/NH(4)(+)-ATPase facilitated transport to excrete ammonia when exposed to HEA or to high environmental pH since no changes in activity were observed. Using immunofluorescence microscopy, distinct populations of vacuolar (V)-type H(+)-ATPase and Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreactive cells were identified in branchial epithelia, with apical and basolateral staining patterns, respectively. Rhesus C glycoprotein (Rhcg1), an ammonia transport protein, immunoreactivity was also found in a similar pattern as H(+)-ATPase. Rhcg1 (Slc42a3) mRNA expression also increased significantly during aerial exposure, although not significantly under ammonia loading conditions. The colocalization of H(+)-ATPase and Rhcg1 to the similar non-Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase immunoreactive cell type would support a role for H(+)-ATPase in ammonia excretion via Rhcg by NH(4)(+) trapping. The importance of gill boundary layer acidification in net ammonia excretion was confirmed in this fish; however, it was not associated with an increase in H(+)-ATPase expression, since tissue activity and protein levels did not increase with high environmental pH and/or HEA. However the V-ATPase inhibitor, bafilomycin, did decrease net ammonia flux whereas other ion transport inhibitors (amiloride, SITS) had no effect. H(+)-ATPase inhibition also resulted in a consequent elevation in plasma ammonia levels and a decrease in the net acid

Ultrafast dynamics of electrons in ammonia.

PubMed

Vöhringer, Peter

2015-04-01

Solvated electrons were first discovered in solutions of metals in liquid ammonia. The physical and chemical properties of these species have been studied extensively for many decades using an arsenal of electrochemical, spectroscopic, and theoretical techniques. Yet, in contrast to their hydrated counterpart, the ultrafast dynamics of ammoniated electrons remained completely unexplored until quite recently. Femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy on metal-ammonia solutions and femtosecond multiphoton ionization spectroscopy on the neat ammonia solvent have provided new insights into the optical properties and the reactivities of this fascinating species. This article reviews the nature of the optical transition, which gives the metal-ammonia solutions their characteristic blue appearance, in terms of ultrafast relaxation processes involving bound and continuum excited states. The recombination processes following the injection of an electron via photoionization of the solvent are discussed in the context of the electronic structure of the liquid and the anionic defect associated with the solvated electron.

7 CFR 3434.5 - Agriculture-related fields.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Agriculture-related fields. 3434.5 Section 3434.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE HISPANIC-SERVING AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES CERTIFICATION PROCESS § 3434.5 Agriculture...

7 CFR 3434.5 - Agriculture-related fields.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Agriculture-related fields. 3434.5 Section 3434.5 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE HISPANIC-SERVING AGRICULTURAL COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES CERTIFICATION PROCESS § 3434.5 Agriculture...

Growth of ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in cattle manure compost under various temperatures and ammonia concentrations.

PubMed

Oishi, Ryu; Tada, Chika; Asano, Ryoki; Yamamoto, Nozomi; Suyama, Yoshihisa; Nakai, Yutaka

2012-05-01

A recent study showed that ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) coexist in the process of cattle manure composting. To investigate their physiological characteristics, liquid cultures seeded with fermenting cattle manure compost were incubated at various temperatures (37°C, 46°C, or 60°C) and ammonium concentrations (0.5, 1, 4, or 10 mM NH (4) (+) -N). The growth rates of the AOB and AOA were monitored using real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis targeting the bacterial and archaeal ammonia monooxygenase subunit A genes. AOB grew at 37°C and 4 or 10 mM NH (4) (+) -N, whereas AOA grew at 46°C and 10 mM NH (4) (+) -N. Incubation with allylthiourea indicated that the AOB and AOA grew by oxidizing ammonia. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and subsequent sequencing analyses revealed that a bacterium related to Nitrosomonas halophila and an archaeon related to Candidatus Nitrososphaera gargensis were the predominant AOB and AOA, respectively, in the seed compost and in cultures after incubation. This is the first report to demonstrate that the predominant AOA in cattle manure compost can grow and can probably oxidize ammonia under moderately thermophilic conditions.

Ammonia as a respiratory gas in water and air-breathing fishes.

PubMed

Randall, David J; Ip, Yuen K

2006-11-01

Ammonia is produced in the liver and excreted as NH(3) by diffusion across the gills. Elevated ammonia results in an increase in gill ventilation, perhaps via stimulation of gill oxygen chemo-receptors. Acidification of the water around the fish by carbon dioxide and acid excretion enhances ammonia excretion and constitutes "environmental ammonia detoxification". Fish have difficulties in excreting ammonia in alkaline water or high concentrations of environmental ammonia, or when out of water. The mudskipper, Periphthalmodon schlosseri, is capable of active NH(4)(+) transport, maintaining low internal levels of ammonia. To prevent a back flux of NH(3), these air-breathing fish can increase gill acid excretion and reduce the membrane NH(3) permeability by modifying the phospholipid and cholesterol compositions of their skin. Several air-breathing fish species can excrete ammonia into air through NH(3) volatilization. Some fish detoxify ammonia to glutamine or urea. The brains of some fish can tolerate much higher levels of ammonia than other animals. Studies of these fish may offer insights into the nature of ammonia toxicity in general.

Hydrogen bonding in the benzene-ammonia dimer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodham, David A.; Suzuki, Sakae; Suenram, Richard D.; Lovas, Frank J.; Dasgupta, Siddharth; Goddard, William A., III; Blake, Geoffrey A.

1993-01-01

High-resolution optical and microwave spectra of the gas-phase benzene-ammonia dimer were obtained, showing that the ammonia molecule resides above the benzene plane and undergoes free, or nearly free, internal rotation. To estimate the binding energy (De) and other global properties of the intermolecular potential, theoretical calculations were performed for the benzene-ammonia dimer, using the Gaussian 92 (Fritsch, 1992) program at the MP2/6-31G** level. The predicted De was found to be at the lowest end of the range commonly accepted for hydrogen bonding and considerably below that of C6H6-H2O, consistent with the gas-phase acidities of ammonia and water. The observed geometry greatly resembles the amino-aromatic interaction found naturally in proteins.

Energy Efficient Operation of Ammonia Refrigeration Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mohammed, Abdul Qayyum; Wenning, Thomas J; Sever, Franc

Ammonia refrigeration systems typically offer many energy efficiency opportunities because of their size and complexity. This paper develops a model for simulating single-stage ammonia refrigeration systems, describes common energy saving opportunities, and uses the model to quantify those opportunities. The simulation model uses data that are typically available during site visits to ammonia refrigeration plants and can be calibrated to actual consumption and performance data if available. Annual electricity consumption for a base-case ammonia refrigeration system is simulated. The model is then used to quantify energy savings for six specific energy efficiency opportunities; reduce refrigeration load, increase suction pressure, employmore » dual suction, decrease minimum head pressure set-point, increase evaporative condenser capacity, and reclaim heat. Methods and considerations for achieving each saving opportunity are discussed. The model captures synergistic effects that result when more than one component or parameter is changed. This methodology represents an effective method to model and quantify common energy saving opportunities in ammonia refrigeration systems. The results indicate the range of savings that might be expected from common energy efficiency opportunities.« less

Agricultural Biotechnology Technician. National Voluntary Occupational Skill Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Future Farmers of America Foundation, Madison, WI.

The skill standards in this document were developed as a result of meetings between representatives of the agricultural industry and educational institutions to determine the skills and educational preparation required of an agricultural biotechnology technician, verified by technicians working in laboratories, greenhouses, animal facilities, and…

Cerebrovascular, cardiovascular and strength responses to acute ammonia inhalation.

PubMed

Perry, Blake G; Pritchard, Hayden J; Barnes, Matthew J

2016-03-01

Ammonia is used as a stimulant in strength based sports to increase arousal and offset fatigue however little is known about its physiological and performance effects. The purpose of this study was twofold (1) establish the physiological response to acute ammonia inhalation (2) determine whether the timing of the physiological response corresponds with a performance enhancement, if any. Fifteen healthy males completed two trials. Trial one investigated the beat-to-beat middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCAv), heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) response to ammonia inhalation. During trial two, participants performed a maximal single mid-thigh pull (MTP) at various time points following ammonia inhalation in a randomised order: MTPs were conducted immediately, 15, 30 and 60 s following ammonia inhalation. A MTP with no ammonia inhalation served as the control. During this trial maximal MTP force, rate of force development (RFD) and electromyography (EMG) activity were recorded. MCAvmean increased and peaked on average by 6 cm s(-1) (P < 0.001), 9.4 ± 5.5 s following ammonia inhalation. Similarly, HR was increased by 6 ± 11 beats per minute 15 s following ammonia inhalation (P < 0.001). MAP remained unchanged following inhalation (P = 0.51). The use and timing of ammonia inhalation had no effect on maximal force, RFD or EMG (all P > 0.2) compared to control. MCAv was elevated despite no increase in MAP occurring; this is indicative of a cerebrovascular vasodilation. Despite the marked cerebrovascular and cardiovascular response to ammonia inhalation no ergogenic effect was observed during the MTP, irrespective of the timing of administration.

Micrometeorological measurements of ammonia and total reactive nitrogen exchange over semi-natural peatland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brümmer, Christian; Richter, Undine; Schrader, Frederik; Kutsch, Werner

2015-04-01

Intensive agriculture generates a substantial atmospheric burden for nitrogen-limited ecosystems such as peatlands when the latter are located in close vicinity to arable sites and animal houses. The exchange of reactive nitrogen compounds between these bog ecosystems and the atmosphere is still not very well understood due to the lack of suitable measurement techniques. With recent advancements in laser spectrometry, we used a quantum cascade laser spectrometer as well as a custom-built total reactive atmospheric nitrogen (ΣNr) converter (TRANC) coupled to a fast-response chemiluminescence detector to measure NH3 and ΣNr concentrations, respectively. The analyzers' high temporal resolution allowed for determination of the respective nitrogen exchange within eddy covariance-based setups. Field campaigns were conducted at a northwestern German peatland site that is surrounded by an area of highly fertilized agricultural land and intensive livestock production (~1 km distance). The field site is part of a natural park with a very small remaining protected zone of less than 2 km x 2 km. Ammonia and ΣNr concentrations were highly variable between 2 to 110 ppb and 10 to 120 ppb, respectively. Peak values coincided with main fertilization periods on the neighboring agricultural land in early spring and fall. The trend in weekly averaged ΣNr concentrations from TRANC measurements was in good agreement with results from KAPS denuder filter systems when the latter were combined with the missing and apparently highly variable NOx contribution. Wind direction and land use in the closer vicinity clearly regulated whether ΣNr concentrations were NH3 or NOx-dominated. Ammonia uptake rates between 40 ng N m-2 s-1 and near-neutral exchange were observed. The cumulative net uptake for the period of investigation was ~700 g N ha-1 resulting in a dry net deposition of ~4 kg N ha-1 when extrapolated to an entire year, whereas KAPS denuder measurements in combination with dry

Nitrification resilience and community dynamics of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria with respect to ammonia loading shock in a nitrification reactor treating steel wastewater.

PubMed

Cho, Kyungjin; Shin, Seung Gu; Lee, Joonyeob; Koo, Taewoan; Kim, Woong; Hwang, Seokhwan

2016-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the nitrification resilience pattern and examine the key ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) with respect to ammonia loading shocks (ALSs) in a nitrification bioreactor treating steel wastewater. The perturbation experiments were conducted in a 4-L bioreactor operated in continuous mode with a hydraulic retention time of 10 d. Three sequential ALSs were given to the bioreactor (120, 180 and 180 mg total ammonia nitrogen (TAN)/L. When the first shock was given, the nitrification process completely recovered after 14 d of further operation. However, the resilience duration was significantly reduced to ∼1 d after the second and third ALSs. In the bioreactor, Nitrosomonas aestuarii dominated the other AOB species, Nitrosomonas europaea and N. nitrosa, throughout the process. In addition, the population of N. aestuarii increased with ammonia utilization following each ALS; i.e., this species responded to acute ammonia overloadings by contributing to ammonia oxidation. This finding suggests that N. aestuarii could be exploited to achieve stable nitrification in industrial wastewaters that contain high concentrations of ammonia. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Final Report UCLA-Thermochemical Storage with Anhydrous Ammonia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lavine, Adrienne

In ammonia-based thermochemical energy storage (TCES), ammonia is dissociated endothermically as it absorbs solar energy during the daytime. When energy is required, the reverse reaction releases energy to heat a working fluid such as steam, to produce electricity. Ammonia-based TCES has great advantages of simplicity, low cost reactants, and a strong industrial base in the conventional ammonia industry. The concept has been demonstrated over three decades of research at Australian National University, achieving a 24-hour demonstration of a complete system. At the start of this project, three challenges were identified that would have to be addressed to show that themore » system is technically and economically viable for incorporation into a CSP plant with an advanced, high temperature power block. All three of these challenges have now been addressed: 1. The ammonia synthesis reaction had not, to our knowledge, been carried out at temperatures consistent with modern power blocks (i.e., ~650°C). The technical feasibility of operating a reactor under high-temperature, near-equilibrium conditions was an unknown, and was therefore a technical risk. The project has successfully demonstrated steam heating to 650°C and energy recovery to steam at the 5 kWt level. 2. The ammonia system has a relatively low enthalpy of reaction combined with gas phase reactants. This is not a direct disadvantage since the reactants themselves are low cost. The challenge lies in storing the required volume of reactants cost effectively. Therefore, a second key goal was to show, through techno-economic analysis, that underground storage technologies can be used to store the energy-rich gas at a cost that is consistent with the SunShot cost goal. We have identified two promising technologies for gas storage: storage in salt caverns has an estimated cost of 1(USD)/kWht and storage in drilled shafts could be on the order of 7(USD)/kWht. Together these two options answer the technical

Fiber-Optic Ammonia Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Michael T.

2003-01-01

Reversible, colorimetric fiber-optic sensors are undergoing development for use in measuring concentrations of ammonia in air at levels relevant to human health [0 to 50 parts per million (ppm)]. A sensor of this type includes an optical fiber that has been modified by replacing a portion of its cladding with a polymer coat that contains a dye that reacts reversibly with ammonia and changes color when it does so. The change in color is measured as a change in the amount of light transmitted from one end of the fiber to the other. Responses are reversible and proportional to the concentration of ammonia over the range from 9 to 175 ppm and in some cases the range of reversibility extends up to 270 ppm. The characteristic time for the response of a sensor to rise from 10 to 90 percent of full scale is about 25 seconds. These sensors are fully operational in pure carbon dioxide and are not adversely affected by humidity. This work was done by Michael T. Carter

Extensive nitrification and active ammonia oxidizers in two contrasting coastal systems of the Baltic Sea.

PubMed

Happel, Elisabeth; Bartl, Ines; Voss, Maren; Riemann, Lasse

2018-06-19

Nitrification is important in nitrogen (N) cycling of aquatic environments, but knowledge about its regulation and importance is sparse. Here we examined nitrification and ammonia oxidizers in the Baltic Sea. We investigated two sites with different catchment characteristics (agricultural and forest), the Bay of Gdánsk (south) and the Öre Estuary (north), and measured pelagic nitrification rates and abundance, composition, and expression of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) genes. Highest nitrification rates were found in the nutrient rich Bay of Gdańsk. Interestingly, abundances of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) were orders of magnitude lower than reported from other sites. Although AOA were most abundant at both sites, the highest expression levels were from AOB. Interestingly, few AOA and AOB taxa dominated amoA gene expression, with a Nitrosomarinus related phylotype showing widespread expression. AOA and AOB communities differed between sites and depths, respectively, with the composition in rivers being distinct. A storm event, causing an even depth distribution of nitrification and particles in the Bay of Gdańsk, indicated that the presence of particles stimulate nitrification. The study highlights coastal regions as dynamic sites of extensive pelagic nitrification, which may affect local food web dynamics and loss of N mediated by denitrification. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Seeking Solutions for Tomorrow's Challenges. Proceedings of the Annual National Agricultural Education Research Meeting (13th, Dallas, Texas, December 5, 1986).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahler, Alan A., Ed.

This proceedings volume contains a total of 39 papers. The following 28 selected titles are cited as those most clearly relevant to education: "A National Study of Teacher Educators and State Supervisors in Agricultural Education" (Foster, Horner); "A Profile of the Effective Vocational Agriculture Teacher" (Rheault, Miller); "Analysis of Needs:…

HEALTH AND EXPOSURE RESEARCH FOR THE AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY: THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

The Agricultural Health Study (AHS) is a collaborative effort between the National Cancer Institute, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. The AHS is the...

Temperature dependence of feedyard ammonia emissions: The Arrhenius equation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ammonia emissions from beef cattle feedyards exhibit an annual pattern-like temperature. This suggests that ammonia emissions may obey the Arrhenius temperature relationship. Our objective was to determine the Arrhenius relationship between mean monthly ammonia emissions from cattle feedyards and me...

21 CFR 573.180 - Anhydrous ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... source of nonprotein nitrogen in cattle feed in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1), (2), or (3) as follows: (1)(i) The food additive anhydrous ammonia is applied as a component of an aqueous premix containing 16 to 17 percent ammonia, with molasses, minerals, and not less than 83 percent crude protein. The...

21 CFR 573.180 - Anhydrous ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... source of nonprotein nitrogen in cattle feed in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1), (2), or (3) as follows: (1)(i) The food additive anhydrous ammonia is applied as a component of an aqueous premix containing 16 to 17 percent ammonia, with molasses, minerals, and not less than 83 percent crude protein. The...

21 CFR 573.180 - Anhydrous ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... source of nonprotein nitrogen in cattle feed in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1), (2), or (3) as follows: (1)(i) The food additive anhydrous ammonia is applied as a component of an aqueous premix containing 16 to 17 percent ammonia, with molasses, minerals, and not less than 83 percent crude protein. The...

21 CFR 573.180 - Anhydrous ammonia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... source of nonprotein nitrogen in cattle feed in accordance with paragraphs (a)(1), (2), or (3) as follows: (1)(i) The food additive anhydrous ammonia is applied as a component of an aqueous premix containing 16 to 17 percent ammonia, with molasses, minerals, and not less than 83 percent crude protein. The...

Agricultural Research Service: biodefense research.

PubMed

Gay, C G

2013-01-01

The National Animal Health Program at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), includes research programs dedicated to the defense of animal agriculture against the treat of biological agents with the potential of significant economic harm and/or public health consequences. This article provides a summary of the program and identifies its relevance to national initiatives to protect livestock and poultry as well as global food security. An introduction to setting research priorities and a selection of research accomplishments that define the scope of the biodefense research program is provided.

Comparison of ammonia emissions determined using different sampling methods

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dynamic, flow-through flux chambers are sometimes used to estimate ammonia emissions from livestock operations; however, ammonia emissions from the surfaces are affected by many factors which can be affected by the chamber. Ammonia emissions estimated using environmental flow-through chambers may be...

46 CFR 98.25-5 - How anhydrous ammonia may be carried.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. 98.25-5 Section 98... Anhydrous Ammonia in Bulk § 98.25-5 How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. (a) Anhydrous ammonia shall be..., except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) When anhydrous ammonia is to be...

46 CFR 98.25-5 - How anhydrous ammonia may be carried.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. 98.25-5 Section 98... Anhydrous Ammonia in Bulk § 98.25-5 How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. (a) Anhydrous ammonia shall be..., except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) When anhydrous ammonia is to be...

46 CFR 98.25-5 - How anhydrous ammonia may be carried.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. 98.25-5 Section 98... Anhydrous Ammonia in Bulk § 98.25-5 How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. (a) Anhydrous ammonia shall be..., except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) When anhydrous ammonia is to be...

46 CFR 98.25-5 - How anhydrous ammonia may be carried.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. 98.25-5 Section 98... Anhydrous Ammonia in Bulk § 98.25-5 How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. (a) Anhydrous ammonia shall be..., except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) When anhydrous ammonia is to be...

46 CFR 98.25-5 - How anhydrous ammonia may be carried.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. 98.25-5 Section 98... Anhydrous Ammonia in Bulk § 98.25-5 How anhydrous ammonia may be carried. (a) Anhydrous ammonia shall be..., except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section. (b) When anhydrous ammonia is to be...

Low-ammonia niche of ammonia-oxidizing archaea in rotating biological contactors of a municipal wastewater treatment plant

PubMed Central

Sauder, Laura A; Peterse, Francien; Schouten, Stefan; Neufeld, Josh D

2012-01-01

The first step of nitrification is catalysed by both ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and archaea (AOA), but physicochemical controls on the relative abundance and function of these two groups are not yet fully understood, especially in freshwater environments. This study investigated ammonia-oxidizing populations in nitrifying rotating biological contactors (RBCs) from a municipal wastewater treatment plant. Individual RBC stages are arranged in series, with nitrification at each stage creating an ammonia gradient along the flowpath. This RBC system provides a valuable experimental system for testing the hypothesis that ammonia concentration determines the relative abundance of AOA and AOB. The results demonstrate that AOA increased as ammonium decreased across the RBC flowpath, as indicated by qPCR for thaumarchaeal amoA and 16S rRNA genes, and core lipid (CL) and intact polar lipid (IPL) crenarchaeol abundances. Overall, there was a negative logarithmic relationship (R2 = 0.51) between ammonium concentration and the relative abundance of AOA amoA genes. A single AOA population was detected in the RBC biofilms; this phylotype shared low amoA and 16S rRNA gene homology with existing AOA cultures and enrichments. These results provide evidence that ammonia availability influences the relative abundances of AOA and AOB, and that AOA are abundant in some municipal wastewater treatment systems. PMID:22639927

Managing Ammonia Emissions From Screwworm Larval Rearing Media.

PubMed

Sagel, Agustin; Phillips, Pamela; Chaudhury, Muhammad; Skoda, Steven

2016-02-01

Mass production, sterilization, and release of screwworms (Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)) that were competitive in the field significantly contributed to the successful application of the sterile insect technique for eradication of screwworms from continental North America. Metabolic byproducts resulting from protein-rich diets required for larval screwworms lead to ammonia liberation, sometimes at high levels, within the mass rearing facility. Until recently a sodium polyacrylate gel bulking agent was used for the larval media and adsorbed much of the ammonia. A need to replace the gel with an environmentally "friendly" bulking agent, while not increasing ammonia levels in the rearing facility, led to a series of experiments with the objective of developing procedures to reduce ammonia emissions from the larval media bulked with cellulose fiber. Additives of ammonia-converting bacteria, potassium permanganate, and Yucca schidigera Roezl ex Otrgies powder extract, previously reported to reduce ammonia levels in organic environments, were evaluated. Ammonia-converting bacteria did not have a positive effect. Addition of Y. schidigera powder extract (∼1% of total volume), potassium permanganate (∼250 ppm), and a combination of these two additives (at these same concentrations) kept ammonia at equivalent levels as when larval media was bulked with gel. Potassium permanganate also had sufficient antimicrobial properties that the use of formaldehyde in the diet was not necessary. Further testing is needed, at a mass rearing level, before full implementation into the screwworm eradication program. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2015. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Simultaneous removal of ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursors from high ammonia water by zeolite and powdered activated carbon.

PubMed

Xue, Runmiao; Donovan, Ariel; Zhang, Haiting; Ma, Yinfa; Adams, Craig; Yang, John; Hua, Bin; Inniss, Enos; Eichholz, Todd; Shi, Honglan

2018-02-01

When adding sufficient chlorine to achieve breakpoint chlorination to source water containing high concentration of ammonia during drinking water treatment, high concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) may form. If N-nitrosamine precursors are present, highly toxic N-nitrosamines, primarily N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), may also form. Removing their precursors before disinfection should be a more effective way to minimize these DBPs formation. In this study, zeolites and activated carbon were examined for ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal when incorporated into drinking water treatment processes. The test results indicate that Mordenite zeolite can remove ammonia and five of seven N-nitrosamine precursors efficiently by single step adsorption test. The practical applicability was evaluated by simulation of typical drinking water treatment processes using six-gang stirring system. The Mordenite zeolite was applied at the steps of lime softening, alum coagulation, and alum coagulation with powdered activated carbon (PAC) sorption. While the lime softening process resulted in poor zeolite performance, alum coagulation did not impact ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal. During alum coagulation, more than 67% ammonia and 70%-100% N-nitrosamine precursors were removed by Mordenite zeolite (except 3-(dimethylaminomethyl)indole (DMAI) and 4-dimethylaminoantipyrine (DMAP)). PAC effectively removed DMAI and DMAP when added during alum coagulation. A combination of the zeolite and PAC selected efficiently removed ammonia and all tested seven N-nitrosamine precursors (dimethylamine (DMA), ethylmethylamine (EMA), diethylamine (DEA), dipropylamine (DPA), trimethylamine (TMA), DMAP, and DMAI) during the alum coagulation process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Whole-Genome Sequence of Bradyrhizobium elkanii Strain UASWS1016, a Potential Symbiotic Biofertilizer for Agriculture

PubMed Central

Crovadore, Julien; Calmin, Gautier; Chablais, Romain; Cochard, Bastien; Schulz, Torsten

2016-01-01

Bradyrhizobium elkanii UASWS1016 has been isolated from a wet oxidation sewage plant in Italy. Fully equipped for ammonia assimilation, heavy metal resistances, and aromatic compounds degradation, it carries a large type IV secretion system, specific of plant-associated microbes. Deprived of toxins, it could be considered for agricultural and environmental uses. PMID:27795259

Ammonia pollution characteristics of centralized drinking water sources in China.

PubMed

Fu, Qing; Zheng, Binghui; Zhao, Xingru; Wang, Lijing; Liu, Changming

2012-01-01

The characteristics of ammonia in drinking water sources in China were evaluated during 2005-2009. The spatial distribution and seasonal changes of ammonia in different types of drinking water sources of 22 provinces, 5 autonomous regions and 4 municipalities were investigated. The levels of ammonia in drinking water sources follow the order of river > lake/reservoir > groundwater. The levels of ammonia concentration in river sources gradually decreased from 2005 to 2008, while no obvious change was observed in the lakes/reservoirs and groundwater drinking water sources. The proportion of the type of drinking water sources is different in different regions. In river drinking water sources, the ammonia level was varied in different regions and changed seasonally. The highest value and wide range of annual ammonia was found in South East region, while the lowest value was found in Southwest region. In lake/reservoir drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were not varied obviously in different regions. In underground drinking water sources, the ammonia levels were varied obviously in different regions due to the geological permeability and the natural features of regions. In the drinking water sources with higher ammonia levels, there are enterprises and wastewater drainages in the protected areas of the drinking water sources.

Nitric acid and ammonia emissions from a mid-latitude prescribed wetlands fire

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lebel, P. J.; Cofer, W. R., III; Levine, J. S.; Vay, S. A.; Roberts, P. D.

1988-01-01

The first simultaneous measurements of gaseous nitric acid and ammonia in the smoke plume of a wetlands biomass burn were obtained. The measurements were made using tungsten oxide-coated diffusion denuder tubes from a helicopter during a prescribed burn on November 9, 1987, at the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located at the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mean NH3 and HNO3 mixing ratios measured in the smoke plume were 19 ppbv and 14 ppbv, respectively, both significantly higher than background mixing ratios. Nitric acid correlated well with carbon dioxide produced by the combustion. The mean CO2-normalized emission ratio for HNO3 was found to be 0.00012. Ammonia, however, dit not correlate well with CO2, suggesting a more complex relationship between combustion and production/release of NH3.

Isolation of 'Candidatus Nitrosocosmicus franklandus', a novel ureolytic soil archaeal ammonia oxidiser with tolerance to high ammonia concentration.

PubMed

Lehtovirta-Morley, Laura E; Ross, Jenna; Hink, Linda; Weber, Eva B; Gubry-Rangin, Cécile; Thion, Cécile; Prosser, James I; Nicol, Graeme W