Total suspended particulate (TSP) concentrations, ammonia (NH 3) concentrations, and ventilation rates were measured in four commercial, tunnel-ventilated broiler houses in June through December of 2000 in Brazos County, Texas. TSP and NH 3 concentrations ranged from 7,387 to 11,387 mg m-3 and 2.02 to 45 ppm, respectively. Ammonia concentration exhibited a correlation with the age of the birds. Mass median diameters (MMD) of the TSP samples were between 24.0 and 26.7 mm aerodynamic equivalent diameter. MMD increased with bird age. The mass fraction of PM 10 in the TSP samples was between 2.72% and 8.40% with a mean of 5.94%. Ventilation rates were measured between 0.58 and 89 m 3 s-1. Measured concentrations of PM 10 and ammonia were multiplied by the measured ventilation rates to calculate emission rates for PM 10 and ammonia. Ammonia emission rates varied from 38 to 2105 g hr-1. TSP emission rates and PM 10 emission rates ranged from 7.0 to 1673 g hr-1 and 0.58 to 99 g hr-1 , respectively. Emission rates for ammonia and particulate matter increased with the age of the birds. Most of the PM in the commercial broiler houses was large enough to be captured by the human or poultry respiratory system prior to being inhaled into the lungs.

Emissions rates for particulate matter less than 10 mm (PM 10) and ammonia (NH 3) from commercial tunnel-ventilated broiler houses in central Texas were analyzed using linear regressions to develop emission rates as a function of bird weight for broilers on litter. Interior ambient temperature and relative humidity were not found to be significant factors affecting emissions. From the regression equations, emission rates for PM 10 and NH 3 for average weight birds in these facilities were estimated. Over a 7-week grow-out period, the average bird weight was estimated to be 1.03 kg, the average emission rate for PM 10 was 26.5 mg PM 10 bird-1 day-1 , and the average emision rate for NH 3 was 632 mg bird-1 day-1. The emission factor was defined as the total emission in mass per bird for the grow-out period. For typical production conditions and management, the emission factor for PM 10 was 1.3 g PM 10 bird-1 , and for NH 3 the emission factor was 31 g NH 3 bird-1. These results were compared to values found in the literature. For a facility comprised of four tunnel-ventilated broiler houses with 27,5000 birds per house and a 2-week idle time between 7-week grow-out periods, the emission inventory was calculated to be 828.2 kg PM 10 year-1 and 19,780 kg NH 3 year-1. The annual emissions for PM 10 were below those required to be reported under the Federal Clean Air Act, and there is currently no requirement for NH 3 under this legislation.

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