Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Lakehead University
$38,600.00
Detection and quantification of nitrous oxide gas from agriculture fields
FY 2013-14
Summary
Agricultural activities are major sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a greenhouse gas. Current technology used to quantify the emission of N2O from fertilizer application in agricultural fields is complex and very expensive. Agrium, a fertilizer company, has developed an innovative polymer-coated urea nitrogen fertilizer, Environmentally Smart Nitrogen (ESN), which meters the release of nitrogen based on soil temperature and moisture. The fertilizer has improved crop production efficiency compared to a conventional urea fertilizer. Agrium considers that a real-time, hand-held system capable of monitoring the emission of N2O in agricultural fields under a variety of soil and climate conditions will increase the adoption and development of controlled-released nitrogen products. A real-time monitoring system would provide an accurate measurement of the concentration and flux of the emitted gas. Based on these measurements, the company can pursue a strategy of reformulating its products to reduce N2O emissions and/or change its instructions for applying fertilizer based on soil and climate conditions. With an accurate method for measuring emissions, the company can help Canada meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and potentially increase its market share. The research group will assist the company in achieving this goal by developing a compact, cost-effective real-time sensor to provide quantitative measurements of the emissions of nitrous oxide gas using fiber laser technology. Further, the above development will aid the fertilizer industry's world wide program of 4R (right fertilizer source, right rate, right time and right replacement) Nutrient Stewardship management, which improves farm management, and finally reduces emission of green house gas. This project will provide training to one graduate student, one postdoctoral fellow and one technician/summer student. The research personnel will receive interdisciplinary training in the areas of laser physics (photonics), spectroscopic analysis, and soil chemistry, thereby increasing Canada's human resource capacity in areas of highly technical research.
Program
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
434203-2012
Name nom
Das, Gautam
Department département
Physics
Organization id
25
Institution établissement
Lakehead University
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2013
Competition year année de concours
2012
Award amount
38600
Program id
CRDPJ
Program name en
Collaborative Research and Development Grants
Program name fr
Subventions de recherche et développement coopérative
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1209
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Agriculture
Area of application fr
Agriculture
Research subject code
3112
Research subject group en
Physics
Research subject group fr
Physique
Research subject en
Photonics
Research subject fr
Photonique
Partie
2
Nb partie
3
Application title
Detection and quantification of nitrous oxide gas from agriculture fields
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Agricultural activities are major sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), which is a greenhouse gas. Current technology used to quantify the emission of N2O from fertilizer application in agricultural fields is complex and very expensive. Agrium, a fertilizer company, has developed an innovative polymer-coated urea nitrogen fertilizer, Environmentally Smart Nitrogen (ESN), which meters the release of nitrogen based on soil temperature and moisture. The fertilizer has improved crop production efficiency compared to a conventional urea fertilizer. Agrium considers that a real-time, hand-held system capable of monitoring the emission of N2O in agricultural fields under a variety of soil and climate conditions will increase the adoption and development of controlled-released nitrogen products. A real-time monitoring system would provide an accurate measurement of the concentration and flux of the emitted gas. Based on these measurements, the company can pursue a strategy of reformulating its products to reduce N2O emissions and/or change its instructions for applying fertilizer based on soil and climate conditions. With an accurate method for measuring emissions, the company can help Canada meet its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and potentially increase its market share. The research group will assist the company in achieving this goal by developing a compact, cost-effective real-time sensor to provide quantitative measurements of the emissions of nitrous oxide gas using fiber laser technology. Further, the above development will aid the fertilizer industry's world wide program of 4R (right fertilizer source, right rate, right time and right replacement) Nutrient Stewardship management, which improves farm management, and finally reduces emission of green house gas. This project will provide training to one graduate student, one postdoctoral fellow and one technician/summer student. The research personnel will receive interdisciplinary training in the areas of laser physics (photonics), spectroscopic analysis, and soil chemistry, thereby increasing Canada's human resource capacity in areas of highly technical research.
