WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE AMMONIA SERIOUSLY

Ammonia is a colourless gas with a powerful odour. High ammonia levels can negatively impact air quality, health, soil and water bodies. As a result, the regulator increasingly requires operators to assess and manage their ammonia emissions. In this article, we explore the issues with ammonia, as well as looking at what you can do to mitigate it.

Air Quality

Excessive ammonia emissions can have negative impacts on air quality. When released into the air, ammonia can react with other pollutants to form fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone. Both of these are air pollutants known to have detrimental health impacts. Moreover, ammonia is a precursor to other air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can further contribute to poor air quality.

The Impact of Ammonia on Health

High levels of ammonia in the air can cause respiratory problems, including asthma and bronchitis. Measuring ammonia levels helps to assess the risk to worker and public health, and also help you to decide when and where action is needed.

Acidification of Soils and Water Bodies

Ammonia can react with other pollutants in the atmosphere to form acid rain. This can have a detrimental impact on soil quality and the health of flora and aquatic ecosystems. Acid rain can damage crops and forests and make water bodies too acidic for some aquatic organisms to survive.

Eutrophication

Eutrophication is the process of excessive nutrients in water bodies leading to harmful algal blooms and oxygen depletion. In turn, this can lead to the loss of aquatic biodiversity. In some cases, it can even pose a risk to health by rendering water unsafe for human consumption. As a result, most operators have permit conditions to regulate their industrial activities that emit ammonia, such as wastewater treatment.

HOW TO MEASURE AMMONIA EMISSIONS

Measuring ammonia helps you understand your emissions’ impact on your community and the environment. It also provides valuable information you can use to comply with all relevant air quality regulations and guidelines. Your choice of measurement will depend on your specific application. For ammonia measurements concerning air quality, you may consider sampling and analysis, followed by mathematical modelling. You could also conduct remote monitoring using infrared cameras or laser-based sensors.

Ammonia Sampling, Analysis and Modelling

Our experienced team conduct UKAS accredited sampling.

At Silsoe Odours, our experienced sampling team can collect air samples. We then test them for ammonia concentration on site or in our specialist analytical laboratory. We will report the results in units of concentration – specifically parts per million or milligrams per litre. This kind of analysis offers high levels of precision and accuracy. Typically, clients find this kind of data helpful to demonstrate permit compliance to the regulator or in legal proceedings.

In addition, the results of ammonia sampling can be used for air quality modelling. You can use the sampling data to input into air quality models in order to understand the possible impact of your ammonia emissions on the surrounding community and environment. As a result, you can identify areas where control measures may be needed.

Optical Gas Imaging

Ammonia is emitted from waste, manure and soils. We can measure emissions from these sources in a variety of specialist ways, including Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectoscopy (TDLAS), which is capable of measuring the very low concentrations usually found in the atmosphere.

Nuisance Odour

In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive specifies safe exposure limits for ammonia gas as 25ppm for an eight-hour time-weighted average (TWA) and 35ppm for a 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL). Ammonia is often cited as an important nuisance-causing odorant. However, its odour detection threshold is around 2.6ppm. As a result, even for emissions from a source at the 15-minute short-term exposure limit (STEL) of 35ppm, the gas will be diluted quickly and in a short distance, of a few metres, to below the detection level.

YOUR AMMONIA AND AIR QUALITY RESPONSIBILITIES

Several guidance documents and legislations are in place to help you reduce ammonia emissions, mainly from industrial and agricultural activities. These include legally binding targets to reduce emissions, as well as practical guidelines on operating in an environmentally responsible manner. Take care to adopt the best practices outlined and adhere to your environmental responsibilities and permits. Doing so can help reduce ammonia emissions, improve air and water quality, and safeguard human health and the environment.

SPEAK TO AN AIR QUALITY CONSULTANT

In conclusion, you should ensure you regularly measure ammonia levels in order to minimise air quality problems. At Silsoe Odours, our consultants can provide ammonia testing services to fit your specific requirements. In the first instance, give us a call on 01525 860222. Alternatively, you can email us at info@silsoeodours.co.uk or click the button below. You can also follow us on social media, on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.