The effect of different pen cleaning techniques and housing systems on indoor concentrations of particulate matter, ammonia and greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O)

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of two pen cleaning techniques for pig fattening houses on the indoor concentrations of particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5 and PM10), ammonia (NH3) and greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), using a multi-pollutant approach. Both cleaning techniques were tested in a conventional housing system and in a low-ammonia-emission housing system. In total, four compartments from the conventional housing system and four from the low-ammonia-emission housing system were sampled during two consecutive fattening periods between August 2011 and June 2012. Two compartments from each housing system were only cleaned dry, while the other two received a more intensive cleaning. Indoor concentrations of NH3, CO2, CH4, N2O and PM were measured continuously.

Overall, the low-ammonia-emission housing system showed no reduction in indoor pollutant concentrations compared to the conventional system, except for CH4. The additional wet cleaning and disinfection step in the more intensive cleaning protocol did not result in consistently lower indoor concentrations for the studied pollutants.