Sensor of ammonia emission from animal manure

Long lasting, inexpensive, and maintenance free systems are not currently available for the continuous sensing of ammonia emission from animal manure. Development of these sensors will provide information for the regulation of ventilation and manure management/amendment to protect animal and worker health and the environment. The purpose of the project is to complete the development of such a sensor, verify economic and safety benefits it potentially brings to the poultry producers, and make preparations for turning it into a viable commercial product. Potential commercial applications of the proposed technology include monitoring ammonia levels inside/outside of animal feeding facilities to support ventilation and manure management/amendment, safety monitoring in chemical industry, industrial refrigerators where ammonia is intensely used as a coolant, distributed wired or wireless networks of sensors of ammonia (with easily achievable higher sensitivity) along fence lines of animal feeding and manure storage/management facilities and industrial sites. The sensors can be added to the existing weather stations. The product will satisfy the need of EPA, USDA, and other agencies for continuous monitoring ammonia emissions at industrial and agricultural sites, identifying facilities producing excessive amount of ammonia, tracing the transfer of ammonia over large areas and its impact on the environment.