HAMPTON, VA — Pancopia, Inc. has received a Southeast Region Excellence in Technology Transfer Project of the Year 2019 award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium (FLC) for the development of an odor and ammonia capping system for swine lagoons using high-performance nitrifying bacteria.
Pancopia was a co-recipient of the FLC commercialization award with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, which has been a partner in the development, patenting, and licensing of the organisms used in this innovative technology.
Addressing a Critical Industry Challenge
Gaseous emissions from swine lagoons present persistent challenges for producers and surrounding communities. Ammonia emissions contribute to odor concerns, air-quality issues, and operational constraints, driving the need for practical, cost-effective mitigation strategies.
The technology makes engineered use of natural biological processes, specifically a high-performance nitrifying bacterial composition developed by USDA scientists to accelerate the conversion of ammonia to a form that eliminates odors and reduces harmful emissions. The system is designed to provide effective ammonia reduction with lower energy and operating requirements compared to many previously evaluated approaches.
"This award recognizes years of collaborative research with our USDA partners," said Bill Cumbie, Pancopia's CEO. "We've developed an approach that works with nature rather than against it, and that makes all the difference in terms of cost and effectiveness."
Innovative Approach
A significant advance came when the high-performance nitrifying bacteria was placed in media scaffolds in floating units in lagoons. Using computational fluid dynamics, the floating units provide treatment to just an upper layer of the swine lagoon—a biological "cap" that reduces energy consumption dramatically compared to treating all the effluent. This approach significantly reduces costs compared to plastic lagoon covers or other methods previously attempted.
USDA has supported the development of this technology through a Phase I SBIR grant. With over 3,000 swine lagoons in North Carolina alone, an effective ammonia control system addresses both environmental and economic needs.
About the Federal Laboratory Consortium
The FLC is a federal network of over 300 agencies, laboratories, and research centers across the United States that focuses on commercialization strategies for accelerating the movement of technologies from research to the marketplace. For more about the FLC, please visit https://www.federallabs.org.
About Pancopia
Pancopia, Inc. is an environmental technology company headquartered in Hampton, Virginia. The company accelerates natural processes to recover water and nutrients in animal agriculture, helping farms unlock value inside their largest waste streams while reducing operating costs. Pancopia partners with NASA, USDA, and leading universities including Old Dominion University, Virginia Tech, Bucknell, Texas Tech, and Purdue. For more information, visit www.pancopia.com.
Media Contact:
William Cumbie
Pancopia, Inc.
bill@pancopia.com
Hampton, Virginia
