Offensive odors naturally follow the existence of large livestock facilities. These odors create numerous problems for the livestock producer. First, odors are a point of contention between the facility and the general public, with the result of this contention often being a law suit. Second, processes that attempt to control these odors are costly, and third, the chemical vapors that cause the odors can be a serious health hazard to both the livestock and the people who work at the facility. A key to handling the odor problem at livestock facilities is the ability to monitor the chemical vapors that cause the odor. Much research has been directed at developing this ability. However, the methods that are currently being promoted are costly, time consuming, and require many hours or even days before analysis results are obtained. The objective of the proposed program is to demonstrate the feasibility of monitoring these chemical vapors using an optical sensor. This objective will be achieved by extensive field tests of an open-path Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrometer system at a swine production facility.Applications:Successful determination of optical characteristics of the chemical vapors generated at a livestock facility will allow the development of a small, low cost optical sensor to specifically monitor livestock facilities. This monitor will allow: (1) regulatory officials to objectively set acceptable levels of the chemical vapors of interest, (2) the facility to determine the positive or negative effects of odor control measures, and (3) the facility to monitor concentrations of hazardous vapors to protect both the livestock and employees. These benefits will result in significant dollars saved by regulatory agencies and livestock producers.
