Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn

A mixing fan and spraying system is commonly used to control the indoor environment of naturally ventilated dairy barns worldwide. However, its impact on particulate matter (PM) concentration and variation is still unclear due to the lack of year-round field data. To systematically characterize the...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Yujian Lu, Xiao Yang, Lei E, Zhiwei Fang, Yongzhen Li, Chao Liang, Zhengxiang Shi, Chaoyuan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/4/902
_version_ 1797606752538066944
author Yujian Lu
Xiao Yang
Lei E
Zhiwei Fang
Yongzhen Li
Chao Liang
Zhengxiang Shi
Chaoyuan Wang
author_facet Yujian Lu
Xiao Yang
Lei E
Zhiwei Fang
Yongzhen Li
Chao Liang
Zhengxiang Shi
Chaoyuan Wang
author_sort Yujian Lu
collection DOAJ
description A mixing fan and spraying system is commonly used to control the indoor environment of naturally ventilated dairy barns worldwide. However, its impact on particulate matter (PM) concentration and variation is still unclear due to the lack of year-round field data. To systematically characterize the PM dynamics under different environmental controls (namely, EC1: No Fans and No Spraying; EC2: Fans; EC3: Fans and Spraying), a year-round continuous monitoring of PM less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) and total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations, as well as indoor environmental factors, was carried out inside a naturally ventilated dairy barn using an IoT-based sensor monitoring network. Results showed that the hourly mean TSP and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations were 94.7 μg m<sup>−3</sup> and 49.8 μg m<sup>−3</sup>, respectively. EC2 had a higher TSP content (116.6 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) than EC1 (98.0 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) and EC3 (81.9 μg m<sup>−3</sup>). EC1 had the greatest PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration (57.1 μg m<sup>−3</sup>), followed by EC2 (48.3 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) and EC3 (44.7 μg m<sup>−3</sup>). EC1 showed clear TSP and PM<sub>2.5</sub> fluctuations during the daily operations at 07:00 to 08:00 and 18:00 to 19:00, while irregular peaks in EC2 and a relatively steady diurnal variation in EC3 were found. Daily Tsp concentrations in the three ECs did not exceed 300 μg m<sup>−3</sup>. However, 17.8%, 11.5%, and 4.8% of the observed days in EC1, EC2, and EC3 had daily mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations above the healthy threshold (75 μg m<sup>−3</sup>), mostly from 07:00 to 08:00 and 22:00–07:00. In conclusion, the mixing fan and spraying system had significant effects on PM concentration and variation, and more protection procedures should be taken for farm workers to prevent long-term health risk exposure, to EC1 in particular.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T05:19:31Z
format Article
id doaj.art-06d5e386ec944d608d1d9290c8ff00fd
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2077-0472
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T05:19:31Z
publishDate 2023-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Agriculture
spelling doaj.art-06d5e386ec944d608d1d9290c8ff00fd2023-11-17T17:55:07ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722023-04-0113490210.3390/agriculture13040902Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy BarnYujian Lu0Xiao Yang1Lei E2Zhiwei Fang3Yongzhen Li4Chao Liang5Zhengxiang Shi6Chaoyuan Wang7Department of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaDepartment of Agricultural Structure and Bioenvironmental Engineering, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaA mixing fan and spraying system is commonly used to control the indoor environment of naturally ventilated dairy barns worldwide. However, its impact on particulate matter (PM) concentration and variation is still unclear due to the lack of year-round field data. To systematically characterize the PM dynamics under different environmental controls (namely, EC1: No Fans and No Spraying; EC2: Fans; EC3: Fans and Spraying), a year-round continuous monitoring of PM less than 2.5 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>) and total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations, as well as indoor environmental factors, was carried out inside a naturally ventilated dairy barn using an IoT-based sensor monitoring network. Results showed that the hourly mean TSP and PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations were 94.7 μg m<sup>−3</sup> and 49.8 μg m<sup>−3</sup>, respectively. EC2 had a higher TSP content (116.6 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) than EC1 (98.0 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) and EC3 (81.9 μg m<sup>−3</sup>). EC1 had the greatest PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentration (57.1 μg m<sup>−3</sup>), followed by EC2 (48.3 μg m<sup>−3</sup>) and EC3 (44.7 μg m<sup>−3</sup>). EC1 showed clear TSP and PM<sub>2.5</sub> fluctuations during the daily operations at 07:00 to 08:00 and 18:00 to 19:00, while irregular peaks in EC2 and a relatively steady diurnal variation in EC3 were found. Daily Tsp concentrations in the three ECs did not exceed 300 μg m<sup>−3</sup>. However, 17.8%, 11.5%, and 4.8% of the observed days in EC1, EC2, and EC3 had daily mean PM<sub>2.5</sub> concentrations above the healthy threshold (75 μg m<sup>−3</sup>), mostly from 07:00 to 08:00 and 22:00–07:00. In conclusion, the mixing fan and spraying system had significant effects on PM concentration and variation, and more protection procedures should be taken for farm workers to prevent long-term health risk exposure, to EC1 in particular.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/4/902environmental controlIoTmixing fansparticulate matterspraying system
spellingShingle Yujian Lu
Xiao Yang
Lei E
Zhiwei Fang
Yongzhen Li
Chao Liang
Zhengxiang Shi
Chaoyuan Wang
Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
Agriculture
environmental control
IoT
mixing fans
particulate matter
spraying system
title Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
title_full Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
title_fullStr Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
title_full_unstemmed Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
title_short Characterizing a Year-Round Particulate Matter Concentration and Variation under Different Environmental Controls in a Naturally Ventilated Dairy Barn
title_sort characterizing a year round particulate matter concentration and variation under different environmental controls in a naturally ventilated dairy barn
topic environmental control
IoT
mixing fans
particulate matter
spraying system
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/13/4/902
work_keys_str_mv AT yujianlu characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT xiaoyang characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT leie characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT zhiweifang characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT yongzhenli characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT chaoliang characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT zhengxiangshi characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn
AT chaoyuanwang characterizingayearroundparticulatematterconcentrationandvariationunderdifferentenvironmentalcontrolsinanaturallyventilateddairybarn