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The article analyses the sources of ammonia (NH3) emissions in Latvia and the trends from 2005 to 2018 with the focus on agricultural production. The study is based on the annual Latvia's Informative Inventory Report 1990 - 2018 submitted under the Convention on Long - Range Transboundary Air Pollution Annex I data. It is crucial to decrease NH3 emissions due to their toxic nature to the ecosystems and health of living beings as NH3 not only contributes to acidification of water ecosystems, but also to formation of secondary particles. There is a trend of increase of NH3 emissions from agriculture production in the study period (+12% comparing 2018 to 2005) opposed to the need to reach the national goal to decrease NH3 emissions to the reference accounted in 2005 (1% NH3 reduction). There is decrease of NH3 emissions for about 5% from agriculture comparing 2018 and 2017 due to rapid decrease of farming animals. The largest increase of NH3 emissions in the latest years in Latvia is observed from the use of inorganic fertilizers (+57%), because there is increase of the incorporated nitrogen (N) to soils. The lowest use of inorganic fertilizers was in 1995 (11.5 kt N) in the inventory period 1990 - 2018. There is decrease of emissions from the whole manure management cycle about 6% comparing 2018 to 2005. However, manure management is still the biggest source of NH3 emissions (73% from agricultural NH3 emissions), therefore, with the highest potential to decrease national NH3 emissions as there are plenty of options to limit NH3 from manure in all stages of livestock breeding and manure management (feeding, livestock housing, manure storage and application to soils). To reach the goal of NH3 emissions reduction these all measures need to be accountable by developing a national model for estimation of annual NH3 emissions, which should be based on detailed statistical data about manure management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction is one of goals of environmental policy in climate change context. The accuracy of Soil flux measurements is one of scientific challenges during last decades. The soil flux measurement methodology using gas chromatography is described and commonly used. However cavity ring down spectroscopy is relatively new technology and there is need to research optimal chamber configuration and measurement time. The aim of this study is to evaluate three types of static chamber configurations: with air compensation tube, with air circulation gap and without air compensation. To limit sunlight impact chambers were covered. Measurements were done during one day period in the same research plot changing only chamber configuration with Picarro G2508 cavity ring - down spectrometer. Research plot is non-agricultural grassland without nitrogen input on mineral soil resulting low concentration measurements. Statistical analyses were done for the concentration fluctuations slope of three gasses CO2, N2O and CH4 using linear regression and determination coefficient graphical analyse. Analyse of results show that there is differences of soil flux results between chamber configurations. The chamber configuration with air compensation tube show more stable soil flux results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia as one of the air pollutant mostly originated from agricultural activities, such as manure and soil management. There is a need for precise and reliable quantification of ammonia emissions which is easy applicable on field or laboratory conditions. Cavity ring-down spectroscopy device Picarro G2508 measures ammonia (NH3) concentrations along greenhouse gasses, namely nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide and water vapour content. The aim of the study is to develop methodology for NH3 measurements for Picarro G2508 in laboratory conditions as well as to conclude the peak concentrations of ammonia emission in time resolution of 5 days measurement period. Measurements were done in laboratory with Picarro G2508 in closed chamber system with recirculation by using 3 types of mineral soils and 2 types of organic soils with disturbed structure dried in room temperature and sieved). Two soil moisture conditions were simulated both saturated and oversaturated. Water were added in the beginning of experiment and there were no additional water input during experiment. Urea and ammonia nitrate were used as nitrogen fertilizers and added to sample right before the first measurement was carried out. The time of measurement have to be established before each experiment according to expected ammonia emission intensity and water vapour. During the second and third measurement day NH3 concentrations were the highest in mineral soil samples with addition of urea mineral fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The climate and environmental interests are regulated by huge amount of legislative rules. Each country have to make national inventory of GHG and air pollutants, however the guidelines for calculations are developed by different organizations: EMEP/EEA for air pollutant emission inventory guide and IPCC for national greenhouse gas inventory. Also the state can develop own methodology to calculate emissions based on national research. This often leads to inconsistency of calculation results. The aim of this study is to describe principles of calculation tool designed for GHG and air pollutants emissions inventory by using free statistical software possibilities to reach consistent reporting of both GHG and air pollutants emissions. The tool for national inventory of GHG and air pollutants emissions were build with joint active data input, separate EMEP/EEA air pollutant emission and IPCC GHG calculation algorithms and possibility to interchange of sub-results, also several data output possibilities were generated for both inventories to reach requirements of quality control and assurance procedures. The developed tool show significantly higher accuracy for inventory outcomes due to joint active data input and interchange of sub- results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]