Seasonal variation and temperature-dependent emission of volatile organic compounds from a commercial swine shed in Japan

Abstract

To quantify and characterize the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from swine sheds—a major source of atmospheric pollutants—this study investigated VOC concentrations and emission rates in a commercial swine facility in Okinawa, Japan, across four seasons. Average VOC concentrations at the exhaust outlet Ranged from 480 to 750 µg m⁻³ with limited seasonal variation. Volatile fatty acids (VFAs), particularly acetic acid (31–38%), consistently dominated the VOC profile, followed by p-cresol, acetaldehyde, acetone, and ethanol. VFAs also made the largest contributions to both the OH radical reactivity (OHR) and ozone formation potential (OFP), indicating their significance in secondary pollutant formation. VOC emission rates (ERs) Ranged from 1.1 to 2.8 mg h⁻¹ kg⁻¹ and exhibited an exponential increase with temperature. The derived temperature–ER regression model was consistent with previous findings from other swine facilities, suggesting its broader applicability. Using this model, we estimated that annual VOC emissions from Japanese commercial swine sheds amount to approximately 10,000 tons, equivalent to 1.8% of the nation’s total VOC emissions. These findings highlight the livestock sector as a non-negligible contributor to national VOC inventories and suggest that mitigation strategies should account for animal husbandry emissions.

Graphical Abstract