Reducing Phosphorus Runoff and Inhibiting Ammonia Loss from Poultry Manure with Aluminum Sulfate

Abstract

Applications of aluminum sulfate (AIz(SO4)3 ¯ 14H20), commonly referred to as alum, to poultry litter have been shown to decrease P runoff from lands fertilized with litter and to inhibit NH3 volatilization. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of alum applications in commercial broiler houses on: (i) NH3 volatilization (inhouse), (ii) poultry production, (iii) litter chemistry, (iv)runof f following litter application. Two farms were used for this study: one had six poultry houses and the other had four. The litter in half of the houses at each farm was treated with alum; the other houses were controls. Alum was applied at a rate of 1816 kg/house, which corresponded to 0.091 kg/bird. Each year the houses were cleaned in the spring and the litter was broadcast onto paired watersheds in tall fescue at each farm. Results from this study showed that alum applications lowered the litter pH, particularly during the first 3 to 4 wk of each growout. Reductions in litter pH resulted in less NHṽ olatilization, which led to reductions in atmospheric NH~ in the alumtreated houses. Broilers grown on alum-treated litter were significantly heavier than controls (1.73 kg vs. 1.66 kg). Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations in runoff from pastures fertilized with alumtreated litter averaged 73% lower than that from normal litter throughout a 3-yr period. These results indicate that alum-treatment of poultry litter is a very effective best management practice that reduces nonpoint source pollution while it increases agricultural productivity. p IOULTRY LITTER APPLICATIONS to pastures have been shown to result in relatively high P runoff, even when litter is applied at recommended rates (Edwards and Daniel, 1993). Most of the P in the runoff is in the soluble form (Edwards and Daniel, 1993), which is the form most available for algal uptake (Sonzogni et al., 1982). Concerns have arisen over this, since P is normally the limiting nutrient for eutrophication (Schindlet, 1977). Recent research has shown that alum additions to poultry litter can decrease P solubility in the litter by orders of magnitude (Moore and Miller, 1994). Shreve et al. (1995) found that P runoff from tall rescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plots fertilized with alum-treated litter was 87% lower than plots fertilized with normal litter. The rescue plots receiving alum-treated litter had significantly higher yields and higher N contents than normal litter, indicating that alum had increased N availability in the litter. We hypothesized that the increase in N availability was due to a decrease in NH3 volatilization. This was confirmed in laboratory studies conducted by Moore et al. (1995, 1996), which showed alum amendments to poultry litter could reduce NH3 volatilization losses by as much as 99%, compared with normal litter.

Effect of aluminum sulfate on litter composition and ammonia emission in a single flock of broilers up to 42 days of age

“…On average, the alum-treated litter showed a higher EC than the control litter (5.54 v. 3.63 dS/m). The results obtained for EC in this study were in line with those of previous studies (Moore et al, 2000;Choi and Moore, 2008), the salts associated with the increased conductivity presumably being ammonium sulfate, calcium sulfate and potassium sulfate.…”

“…0.05). The pH fluctuation pattern observed in the present study is similar to that described by Moore et al (2000), where alum lowered the litter pH during the first 4 weeks, at least. The time course of pH reduction is related to the rate of alum applied.…”

“…Past studies have shown alum-treated litters to have a slightly higher N concentration than the controls (Moore et al, 2000;Moore and Edwards, 2005;Choi and Moore, 2008). The increase in total N content is explained by acidification of the litter, which, in turn, converts NH 3 to NH 4 1 , and thus reduces gaseous losses of N (Moore et al, 1995 and1996).…”

“…Aluminum sulfate [Al 2 (SO 4 ) 3 ], as an amendment for poultry litter, acidifies the litter to convert the volatile NH 3 to NH 4 -N, which is not volatile. There have been several studies about the use of alum and its benefits: alum reduces NH 3 emissions from poultry houses and decreases the loss of P and trace metals in runoff from litter-amended soils (Moore et al, 2000;Moore and Edwards, 2007). Most research has been conducted in the United States, where standard industry practice is to reuse litter for 1, 2 or even more years of production (Sims and Luka-McCafferty, 2002).…”

Drinking water treatment residuals as an amendment to alkaline soils: Effects on the growth of corn and phosphorus extractability

“…Gandhaupudi, et al, (2005) indicated that addition of DWTR to poultry litter reduced the soluble phosphorus lost to aqueous streams. Moore, et al, (2000) observed a 73% reduction in soluble phosphorus concentrations in runoff from pastures fertilized with DWTR-treated poultry litter compared to pastures receiving untreated poultry litter. Based on our study and previous studies, the application of phosphorus fertilizer or biosolids containing high P concentration may overcome phosphorus limitations brought about by DWTR application, but this concept needs more research and experiments.…”