Estimating ammonia losses during the composting of farmyard manure, using closed dynamic chambers

摘要

Few studies have been made in to quantify ammonia volatilization occurring during the composting of cattle farmyard manure (FYM), although the mass balances show that nitrogen losses during such composting may represent 10 to 40 % of the total nitrogen. Ammonia emissions were measured for 25 days using three closed dynamic chambers arranged on top of the FYM windrow. The greatest fluxes were observed during the first few hours, rising to 0.9 to 1.3 g N m~(-2) h~(-1). Ammonia emissions greatly decreased, and were insignificant two days after the beginning of the experiment Ammonia emissions resumed in two chambers on days 4, 5 and 8, and were greatly stimulated after turning the heap turning, on day 11.