Trend of ammonia emissions from livestock sector in Latvia

Abstract

The article analyses the sources of ammonia (NH 3 ) emissions in Latvia and the trends from 2005 to 2018 with the focus on agricultural production. The study is based on the annual Latvia's Informative Inventory Report 1990 -2018 submitted under the Convention on Long -Range Transboundary Air Pollution Annex I data. It is crucial to decrease NH 3 emissions due to their toxic nature to the ecosystems and health of living beings as NH 3 not only contributes to acidification of water ecosystems, but also to formation of secondary particles. There is a trend of increase of NH 3 emissions from agriculture production in the study period (+12% comparing 2018 to 2005) opposed to the need to reach the national goal to decrease NH 3 emissions to the reference accounted in 2005 (1% NH 3 reduction). There is decrease of NH 3 emissions for about 5% from agriculture comparing 2018 and 2017 due to rapid decrease of farming animals. The largest increase of NH 3 emissions in the latest years in Latvia is observed from the use of inorganic fertilizers (+57%), because there is increase of the incorporated nitrogen (N) to soils. The lowest use of inorganic fertilizers was in 1995 (11.5 kt N) in the inventory period 1990 -2018. There is decrease of emissions from the whole manure management cycle about 6% comparing 2018 to 2005. However, manure management is still the biggest source of NH 3 emissions (73% from agricultural NH 3 emissions), therefore, with the highest potential to decrease national NH 3 emissions as there are plenty of options to limit NH 3 from manure in all stages of livestock breeding and manure management (feeding, livestock housing, manure storage and application to soils). To reach the goal of NH 3 emissions reduction these all measures need to be accountable by developing a national model for estimation of annual NH 3 emissions, which should be based on detailed statistical data about manure management practices.

Forecasting negative consequences of manure handling practices: case of outer air

“…The agricultural industry is an economic activity with a significant impact on atmospheric air [1][2][3][4]. The main aerial pollutants from agricultural enterprises are ammonia (NH3), nitrogen oxide and dioxide, nitrous oxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, methanol, carbon dioxide, hydroxybenzene, ethyl formate, propanal, hexanoic acid, dimethyl sulfide, methanethiol, methylamine, and fur dust [5].…”

Diffuse nutrient loading from agricultural lands along the Luga river, Leningrad region

“…Agriculture is seen as the main contributor to the excessive nutrients loads to the Baltic Sea. In its progression, as any other type of productive activity, it interacts with the natural environment and affects its componentsair, water and soil [3][4][5][6][7][8].…”