Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026
14:34
Biocontained Carcass Composting for Control of Infectious Disease Outbreak in Livestock
Published on: May 6, 2010
11.3K
Effect of water-retaining agent on nitrogen conversion in cattle manure composting process
Shuai Xu1, Aidi Zhang1, Yalei Wang1
1College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China.
Summary
Adding a water-retaining agent to cattle manure composting effectively reduces ammonia emissions. Optimal results were achieved with 300 g/m³ of agent, decreasing ammonia loss and increasing nitrate nitrogen content.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Agricultural Science
- Soil Science
Background:
- Livestock manure composting generates ammonia volatilization, causing environmental pollution.
- Nitrogen transformation and ammonia emissions are key factors in manure composting efficiency and environmental impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of varying water-retaining agent dosages on nitrogen transformation and ammonia emissions during cattle manure composting.
- To determine the optimal dosage of water-retaining agent for mitigating ammonia volatilization and retaining nitrogen.
Main Methods:
- Cattle manure windrow composting was conducted with six different dosages of a water-retaining agent (0 to 500 g/m³).
- Measurements included moisture content, nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, ammonia volatilization, and total nitrogen loss.
- Statistical analysis was used to evaluate the dosage-dependent effects.
Main Results:
- Appropriate dosages (100-300 g/m³) of the water-retaining agent retained moisture, stabilized the microenvironment for nitrifying bacteria, and promoted ammonium to nitrate conversion.
- The optimal dosage (300 g/m³) resulted in a 16.97% increase in moisture, 22.03% increase in nitrate nitrogen, 15.06% decrease in ammonia volatilization, and 10.32% decrease in total nitrogen loss compared to the control.
- Excessive dosages (400-500 g/m³) inhibited nitrifying bacteria, leading to increased ammonia volatilization and nitrogen loss.
Conclusions:
- The water-retaining agent demonstrates a significant dosage-dependent effect on cattle manure composting.
- An optimal dosage of 300 g/m³ effectively reduces ammonia emissions and nitrogen loss while enhancing nitrogen retention.
- This study provides a theoretical basis and technical support for clean livestock manure composting and efficient nitrogen management.
Related Concept Videos
01:49The Nitrogen Cycle
60.2K
Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...
60.2K
02:08Gene Conversion
10.6K
Other than maintaining genome stability via DNA repair, homologous recombination plays an important role in diversifying the genome. In fact, the recombination of sequences forms the molecular basis of genomic evolution. Random and non-random permutations of genomic sequences create a library of new amalgamated sequences. These newly formed genomes can determine the fitness and survival of cells. In bacteria, homologous and non-homologous types of recombination lead to the evolution of new...
10.6K
02:08Gene Conversion
3.1K
3.1K
01:20Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism
11.4K
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
11.4K
01:36Conversion of Units
36.4K
Sometimes, there is a need to convert from one unit to another one. For instance, reading a cookbook in which quantities are expressed in units of liters or ounces may require conversion of quantities to cups. Or, when looking up directions on how to get to a location, we may be interested to know how many miles we are going to walk. In this case, we would have to convert units of feet or meters to miles.
The first step in the unit conversion is to list the given units and the units required...
The first step in the unit conversion is to list the given units and the units required...
36.4K
02:34Water and Mineral Acquisition
35.7K
Specialized tissues in plant roots have evolved to capture water, minerals, and some ions from the soil. Roots exhibit a variety of branching patterns that facilitate this process. The outermost root cells have specialized structures called root hairs that increase the root surface, thus increasing soil contact. Water can passively cross into roots, as the concentration of water in the soil is higher than that of the root tissue. Minerals, in contrast, are actively transported into root cells.
35.7K