Dual-function treatment approach for ammonia mitigation in poultry facilities
Faculty Mentor
Mohammadamin Ezazi, Ph.D.
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
On-going
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Abstract
The exposure to the gaseous ammonia has long been a challenge in poultry industry. Extended exposure to ammonia is not only detrimental to the poultry health leading to economic losses, but it also poses respiratory and other health risks to the facility workers and the nearby community. Besides these direct health impacts, ammonia also attracts insects that can cause infectious diseases. Several methods have been implemented to mitigate ammonia such as biofiltration, chemical oxidation, and conventional ventilation. Although these methods are effective, they may suffer from some limitations such as reduced effectiveness under environmental conditions (e.g., changing humidity and temperature), costly replacement of filtration media, generation of hazardous byproducts (e.g., acids), and the release of ammonia to the atmosphere.
In this work, we attempted to partly address these challenges by developing an air purifying reactor system that enables ammonia mitigation through combined mechanisms of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. Activated carbon powder, both obtained commercially and derived from the carbonized feathers were used as the adsorption media, and metal phosphate powder served as the visible light-responsive photocatalyst for potential degradation of the adsorbed ammonia molecules. The mixture of these powders, applied as consecutive composite surfaces, was utilized within the reactor equipped with inlet and outlet fans to enable air circulation. The reactor was tested in a large, enclosed chamber that was equilibrated with the ammonia-rich air inside a full-size broiler house. The test results indicate that the reactor is able to reduce ammonia concentrations from initial ≈25.5-28.5 ppm to ≈0-0.5 ppm.
Overall, the outcomes of this research indicate that the developed reactor can offer a promising and energy-efficient approach to mitigate ammonia in poultry facilities.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Fahim, Abdullah Al, "Dual-function treatment approach for ammonia mitigation in poultry facilities" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 18.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/18
Dual-function treatment approach for ammonia mitigation in poultry facilities
Russell Union Ballroom
The exposure to the gaseous ammonia has long been a challenge in poultry industry. Extended exposure to ammonia is not only detrimental to the poultry health leading to economic losses, but it also poses respiratory and other health risks to the facility workers and the nearby community. Besides these direct health impacts, ammonia also attracts insects that can cause infectious diseases. Several methods have been implemented to mitigate ammonia such as biofiltration, chemical oxidation, and conventional ventilation. Although these methods are effective, they may suffer from some limitations such as reduced effectiveness under environmental conditions (e.g., changing humidity and temperature), costly replacement of filtration media, generation of hazardous byproducts (e.g., acids), and the release of ammonia to the atmosphere.
In this work, we attempted to partly address these challenges by developing an air purifying reactor system that enables ammonia mitigation through combined mechanisms of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. Activated carbon powder, both obtained commercially and derived from the carbonized feathers were used as the adsorption media, and metal phosphate powder served as the visible light-responsive photocatalyst for potential degradation of the adsorbed ammonia molecules. The mixture of these powders, applied as consecutive composite surfaces, was utilized within the reactor equipped with inlet and outlet fans to enable air circulation. The reactor was tested in a large, enclosed chamber that was equilibrated with the ammonia-rich air inside a full-size broiler house. The test results indicate that the reactor is able to reduce ammonia concentrations from initial ≈25.5-28.5 ppm to ≈0-0.5 ppm.
Overall, the outcomes of this research indicate that the developed reactor can offer a promising and energy-efficient approach to mitigate ammonia in poultry facilities.
