Could ozonation technology really work for mitigating air emissions from animal feeding operations?

Among various mitigation technologies for ammonia (NH3) emission control at animal feeding operations (AFOs), room ozonation technology is the most controversial. This paper aims to present full perspectives of ozonation techniques through a literature review and a series of laboratory experiments. In the literature review, ozone chemistry was summarized to address (1) ozone and NH3 reactions, (2) ozone and odor reactions, (3) ozone and particulate matter reactions, and (4) ozone and microorganism reactions. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted in a dual large outdoor aerosol smog chamber (270 m3). NH3 and fine particle number concentrations from ozone-treated and control experiments were compared. The experimental results indicated that (1) ozone has no significant effect on NH3 emissions/concentrations or NH3 decay of an outdoor chamber; and (2) with ozone treatment, high concentration of particles in the "high-risk" respiratory fraction (in submicron range) are generated.