Oxidized and Reduced Biogenic Nitrogen Compound Emissions into the Rural Troposphere: Characterization and Modeling

摘要

Nitrogen compound emissions are known to have profound effects on air quality. Consequences associated with increased emissions of oxidized and reduced nitrogen species are known to be increased tropospheric ozone production, fine particulate aerosol production, nitrate contamination of drinking water, eutrophication and acidification of soil and water bodies. It is well recognized that soil emissions can contribute a substantial percent of the total inventory for both the oxidized and reduced species, but great uncertainty still exists in this inventory. Using a dynamic flow-through chamber technique in conjunction with a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory, this research attempts to characterize and model these oxidized and reduced biogenic nitrogen compound emissions into the rural troposphere. North Carolina has relatively recently witnessed the increased use of both municipal waste biosolids and the land application of swine waste effluent; two processes which both contribute nitrogen to the ecosystem. The first of these processes involves the land application of municipal waste biosolids as a cost effective way to dispose of these nutrient rich byproducts of the wastewater treatment process. During the last three decades extensive research has been conducted on nitric oxide emissions from agricultural soils and consequently an extensive database has been developed which is used to relate these emissions to various environmental parameters. Biosolid amended soils, however remain a land-use type which are comparatively much less studied.