Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist Cheryl Spence reports the results of a study in which "dusting" hog manure with borax powder–the same substance used in laundry detergents–helps to neutralize the malodorous microbes, which include sulfate-reducing (SR) and other anaerobic bacteria.
The researchers treated manure pits beneath swine nursery rooms with a powder containing either 1 or 2 percent borax once a week for six weeks. Other swine nursery rooms were left untreated so the team could compare gas emissions and indoor air quality.
The team’s analyses of bacteria and air showed the borax treatments reduced SR populations by 99 percent after the first week, and hydrogen sulfide levels by 80 percent after six weeks.
Borax offers a promising addition to the "bag of tools" researchers are evaluating for manure-odor management because the mineral is naturally occurring, fairly safe to handle, and readily available, notes Spence, with NCAUR’s Fermentation Biotechnology Research Unit.
Source:
ARS News Release