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Agriculture

Ammonia Emissions from Large-Scale Pig Farms Have Significant Impact on Atmospheric Environment

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

New research published in Atmospheric Environment: X by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China has shed light on the substantial contribution of ammonia (NH3) emissions from large-scale pig farms to haze formation and air quality degradation in China. The study found that livestock farming, particularly large-scale pig farming, is a major source of NH3 emissions, with a significant portion coming from piglet houses, nursery houses, fattening houses, gestation houses, and farrowing houses.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that livestock farming accounts for more than 50% of China's annual NH3 emissions, with large-scale pig farms being a major anthropogenic source.
  • The year-round intensive monitoring of NH3 emissions from a representative large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta showed that NH3 emissions peaked in summer at 3.95 kg NH3·year-1·head-1 and were lowest in winter at 1.53 kg NH3·year-1·head-1.
  • The growth stage and season had a significant impact on NH3 emissions, with the average annual emission factors for different types of pig houses varying from 0.24 to 5.61 kg NH3·year-1·head-1.
  • Temperature was found to be the key driver of NH3 emissions, with a mean Spearman's r = 0.66, P < 0.001.
  • The farm-level annual NH3 emission factor was determined to be 2.45 kg NH3·year-1·head-1, highlighting the critical summer period for targeted mitigation.
  • The findings provide a scientific basis for refining regional emission inventories and developing stage- and season-specific abatement strategies to support PM2.5 control and the sustainable transformation of intensive pig production in the Yangtze River Delta.
  • The study was led by Nan Shan and involved researchers from the Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China, and other institutions.
  • The research was published in Atmospheric Environment: X, a peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier.

Statistics:

  • NH3 emissions from large-scale pig farms accounted for more than 50% of China's annual NH3 emissions.
  • The year-round monitoring of NH3 emissions from a representative farm found that NH3 emissions peaked in summer at 3.95 kg NH3·year-1·head-1.
  • Temperature was the key driver of NH3 emissions, with a mean Spearman's r = 0.66, P < 0.001.
  • The farm-level annual NH3 emission factor was 2.45 kg NH3·year-1·head-1.
  • The study found that NH3 emissions were lowest in winter at 1.53 kg NH3·year-1·head-1.

Sources:

  • Seasonal characteristics on the ammonia emissions of a typical large-scale pig farm in the Yangtze River Delta, China. Atmospheric Environment: X, 2025, 27():100354.
  • Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China
  • Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China
  • Elsevier (publisher of Atmospheric Environment: X)

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