Is the biochar an effective floating cover for manure storage to reduce ammonia emissions, adsorbing nitrogen at the same timeƒ

Abstract

During the manure storage, ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) emissions play an important role in the optimization of manure management of a farm. Different cover types were studied over the years: natural or composite materials; permanent or not. Quite recently, there has been a growing interest in biochar cover application on the storage tanks. Differently from other types of organic cover, biochar is able to capture target nutrients; nevertheless, more studies are needed to understand the mechanism of release when applied to the field together with manure as fertilizer. The aim of this study was to assess biochar absorbing capability while reducing ammonia (NH3) and methane (CH4) emissions simulating storage conditions. Results show that biochar is a promising floating cover for manure storage, which reduces emissions acting as a physical barrier.