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Review
. 2024 Jul 8;24(13):4423.
doi: 10.3390/s24134423.

Automatic Monitoring Methods for Greenhouse and Hazardous Gases Emitted from Ruminant Production Systems: A Review

Weihong Ma  1   2   3 , Xintong Ji  1   2 , Luyu Ding  2   3 , Simon X Yang  4 , Kaijun Guo  1 , Qifeng Li  2   3
Affiliations
Review

Automatic Monitoring Methods for Greenhouse and Hazardous Gases Emitted from Ruminant Production Systems: A Review

Weihong Ma et al. Sensors (Basel). .

Abstract

The research on automatic monitoring methods for greenhouse gases and hazardous gas emissions is currently a focal point in the fields of environmental science and climatology. Until 2023, the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by the livestock sector accounts for about 11-17% of total global emissions, with enteric fermentation in ruminants being the main source of the gases. With the escalating problem of global climate change, accurate and effective monitoring of gas emissions has become a top priority. Presently, the determination of gas emission indices relies on specialized instrumentation such as breathing chambers, greenfeed systems, methane laser detectors, etc., each characterized by distinct principles, applicability, and accuracy levels. This paper first explains the mechanisms and effects of gas production by ruminant production systems, focusing on the monitoring methods, principles, advantages, and disadvantages of monitoring gas concentrations, and a summary of existing methods reveals their shortcomings, such as limited applicability, low accuracy, and high cost. In response to the current challenges in the field of equipment for monitoring greenhouse and hazardous gas emissions from ruminant production systems, this paper outlines future perspectives with the aim of developing more efficient, user-friendly, and cost-effective monitoring instruments.

Keywords: automatic gas monitoring; greenhouse and hazardous gas; ruminant production system.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Constituents of gases emitted to the atmosphere by ruminants and their proportions [12].
Figure 2
Figure 2
Processes of gas production (mainly CO2, CH4, and NH3) from feed decomposition in ruminants (mainly in the rumen).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Pathways by which ruminants convert feed into gas for expulsion from the body [21].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Summary of methodologies for monitoring greenhouse and hazardous gases.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Electrochemical detector detection principle.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Detection Principle of GC (Gas Chromatography).
Figure 7
Figure 7
Principles of greenhouse gas monitoring using FTIR detectors.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Schematic representation of the effect of satellite monitoring of CH4 images [64].
Figure 9
Figure 9
Principles of greenhouse gas monitoring using NDIR detectors.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Methane emission plume observed by a SWIR camera, where darker colors indicate higher methane concentrations.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Schematic diagram of the structure of the respiratory chamber and the life of the sheep in the respiratory chamber.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Mobile open-circuit indirect calorimetry equipment cart. (1) Head hood, (2) fan, (3) mass flowmeter, (4) gas cooler, (5) gas analyzer (oxygen, carbon dioxide, and methane), and (6) box for system control and data acquisition panel [94].
Figure 13
Figure 13
Greenfeed machine model diagram [86].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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