Study on the Effectiveness Two Field-Portable Near-Infrared Instruments for the Measurement of Metals and Minor Elements in Hog Manure

Project: MLMMI 00-02-03

Objective

1. To test the effectiveness of the instruments.
2. To determine the concentrations of about 28 heavy metals and minor elements.
3. To assist in the assessment of the fertilizer potential of hog manure and in environmental protection.

Performer

D. Malley,
PDK Projects Inc.

Details

Status: Completed
Started: 2000-11-01
Completed: 2001-07-09

Funding Partners: who have contributed to MLMMI in support of this project:
Manitoba Pork Council and industry groups - $31,050

Amount Funded: $31,050.00
Performer Funded: $24,320.00
Total Cost: $55,370.00

Activity

First interim report received February 20, 2001.
Final report due May 2, 2001.
Request received and granted on April 30, 2001 for extension to July 1, 2001.
Final report received July 9, 2001.

Summary

The overall purpose of this project was to develop a field protocol for testing two field-portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrophotometers as on-site, free-standing (not in-line), measurement tools for nutrients in hog manure at the time of application of manure to agricultural land. This project is a developmental step between the analysis of hog manure in the laboratory using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and the deployment of NIR instruments in the manure stream for real-time measurement of composition of manure during application to land. The field-portable instruments included the Textron Systems Corp (USA)/Case NH (USA) ProSpectra™ Spectrometer and the Carl Zeiss (Germany) Corona® Spectrometer.

The first step in this project was the design and construction of a mobile laboratory mounted on the bed of a 1/4-ton pick-up truck. Considerations in designing and building this system included reliable power supply for the instruments and laptop computers, security of the equipment against movement during transit and against theft, protection from the elements, and worker safety.

Secondly, the project involved sampling of manure at 13 application operations during
September to November 2000. A total of 121 manure samples were collected. Using
conventional physical and chemical methods, the samples were analyzed for moisture, pH, density, conductivity, nutrients, metals and minor elements.

Thirdly, the project involved operating the two field-portable NIR instruments on the mobile laboratory for the scanning of the manure samples. As well, all of the samples were scanned with a laboratory instrument, the Foss NIRSystems Inc. (USA) Model 6500 visible/near-infrared scanning spectrophotometer. The NIR spectral data from the 6500 and field-portable instruments were statistically correlated with the chemical data on the same samples to develop calibrations, or statistical models, for each constituent on each instrument. The success of calibrations was evaluated statistically as a measure of the performance of the instruments and their suitability for on-site manure analysis. Successful calibrations can be used with the respective instruments in the field to predict composition of future manure samples.

This is the third of six reports describing the results from the overall project. It reports the concentrations of minor elements and metals in the manure samples collected in fall 2000. It also reports the results from developing calibrations for each of these onstituents from the spectra obtained with the Model 6500 NIR instrument in the laboratory. Finally, it provides calibration results for a separate set of manure samples from another study collected in 1999 for the Agricultural Research Development Initiative (ARDI) Project 98-124 and scanned with the 6500. The calibration results for fall 2000, ARDI 1999 and ARDI 1998 samples are compared.

Moisture was predicted very successfully. Based on calibrations for the three years of data, successful calibrations were developed for Cu and Cd and moderately successful calibrations were developed for Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Mo, S, and Sn. Based on two of three sets, the 3 elements Al, Ba, Be, Cr, Ni, Se, Sr and Ti were predicted successfully or moderately successfully. Calibrations were inconsistent for Co, K, Na, Pb, and Si. Of these elements in this report, S is the most important as a nutrient. The metals Cu, Cr, and Zn are important as micronutrients. When they are in high concentrations in the manure and at risk of accumulating in soil, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, and Zn are important as potentially-toxic metals. The most important elements that were not reliably predicable by NIRS were K and B.

Acknowledgments

This hog manure field demonstration project received funding from the Manitoba
Livestock Manure Management Initiative Inc. as project 00-02-03 for the purpose of exploring the application of field-portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometers for the analysis of minor elements and metals in hog manure.

The development of the mobile near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) laboratory and the analysis of nutrients using the field-portable NIR instruments was funded by the TEAM (Technology Early Action Measures) component of the Climate Change Action Fund) and Western Economic Diversification through the Hog Manure Management Strategic Initiative of CETAC-West, Calgary.

We gratefully acknowledge the in-kind support of Textron Systems Corp, Wilmington MA, including Sean Dempsey and of Case NH, including Monte Weller for making a prototype model of the ProSpectra™ available for this study. We thank David Mays of D Squared Technologies for technical assistance and advice.

The authors are indebted to G. Plohman, G. Racz, J. Hicks, and Norwest Labs who made available hog manure samples and analytical data from two years of sampling, 1998 and 1999, under the Agricultural Research Development Initiative (ARDI) Project 98-124. The project by these workers is entitled “Long-term effects of hog manure on soil quality and productivity”.

Foss NIRSystems Inc. (Silver Spring, MD) is acknowledged for in-kind support with instrumentation, software, supplies, and technical support.

The photo on the cover shows the mobile NIR lab set up for operation in the field. Photo is the property of PDK Projects, Inc.

Documents

Final Report (Part 1)
Final Report (Part 2)
Final Report (Part 3)

Manitoba Pork represents 624 Manitoba hog farms