An Approach to the Ammonia Inventory in the Poultry Production in Colombia: Antioquia Case

Abstract

The understanding of the inventory and control of ammonia (NH₃) emissions to the atmosphere is very important, due to ecological effects of emissions when deposited in soils biodiversity and by its direct relation with NH₃ concentrations. High levels of NH₃ in the air also have a negative effect on health and productivity of animals and people. This research had as objective to estimate the ammonia inventory in Antioquia State of Colombia, generate in poultry broiler production. Thirty facilities that have been working with natural or mechanical ventilation were chose. The daily ammonia factors (fNH₃) in facilities working with natural ventilation, was used the Saraz Method for Determination of Ammonia emissions (SMDAE) and for mechanical ventilation was used the equation proposed by wheeler. The results shown the potential to generate ammonia emission per sub region, where the natural ventilation facilities have been generating 8.41 KT NH₃ year^-1 and mechanical ventilation 0.14 KT NH₃ year^-1. The ammonia emission factors (fNH₃) estimated in this study are very close to the results that were found in other studies in countries like Brazil.