US 2016/0228594 Al  1  Aug.  11,  2016  ORGANIC ACID OR WEAK ACID ADDITION  TO ALUM TO INHIBIT AMMONIA  VOLATILIZATION FROM POULTRY LITTER  PRIORITY DATA  FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE  BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE  SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  [0001]  This patent application is a non-provisional appli› cation claiming priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No.  62/114,190, filed on Feb. 10, 2015, which is hereby incorpo› rated by reference herein.  [0002]  The present disclosure generally relates to control of  ammonia that is volatilized from animal waste products, and  conversion of ammonia to land fertilizers.  [0003]  Animal litter or manure, particularly from farm ani› mals such as poultry and pigs, contains ammonia and phos› phates. The ammonia given off into the atmosphere adversely  affects farm workers and even the animals themselves. When  large amounts of ammonia are present in the atmosphere of  animal enclosures, the result is lower weight gain and higher  mortality rates for the animals.  [0004]  The nature of a chicken house is such that a strong  amount of urea and other compounds that break down into  ammonia are generated. The ammonia is unhealthy to the  chickens and the people that work in these conditions. For  people, there are regulatory limits on exposure that require  that either breathing apparatus is worn or strong ventilation is  installed. For chickens, studies have shown that high levels of  ammonia retard growth and can cause blindness, respiratory  issues and can even cause bums on the young birds’ feet. This  condition causes a decrease in output in these farms but also  creates growing conditions that are cruel. In order to deal with  this, fans are installed in the houses to remove the ammonia  but in the winter this can create other problems including high  energy usage, and the heaters must also work to keep the  animals warm.  [0005]  Alum, such as aluminum sulfate, has been used to  reduce the pH, and thus the ammonia generation, of manure  and animal bedding material. Alum, either in solid or liquid  form, will lower the pH of the manure by hydrolysis and will  convert ammonia to ammonium ions. Ammonium ions will  react with sulfates to form ammonium sulfate which will  precipitate in the litter, reducing ammonia emissions; the  ammonium sulfate is also a water-soluble nitrogen fertilizer  and can be used as such after the litter is removed. The use of  alum for this purpose has an added advantage in that the  soluble phosphates present precipitate in the presence of alu› minum and thus the soluble phosphate content of manure is  also reduced by this treatment. Soluble phosphates are known  to seep into ground water or are carried in surface runoff  water.  [0006]  Several years ago alum was introduced as a floor  treatment in poultry houses as it reacts readily with the free  ammonia precipitating a white ammonia sulfate. This reduces  the ammonia level at its source. Unfortunately, the speed at  which the alum dissolves is slow, so alum has been coupled  with the use of sulfuric acid (a feed chemical to make alum)  which allows the reaction (precipitation) to occur at a much  faster rate initially due to the free acid. For example, Pure7™  [0015]  Other variations provide a composition for use in  reducing ammonia generation in animal enclosures, the com› position comprising metal sulfate and from about 0.01 wt%  to about 25 wt% inorganic acid or a combination of inorganic  acids (on a dry basis and based on the metal sulfate in non› hydrated form), wherein the inorganic acid or a combination  of inorganic acids has an average pKa of about 1 or higher.  [0014]  Optionally, the composition further comprises an  inorganic acid having a pKa of about 3 or higher. In some  embodiments, the composition does not include any acids  having a pKa of less than 2 or less than 3.  [0013]  The organic acid or a combination of organic acids  may be selected from the group consisting of acetic acid,  acetoacetic acid, citric acid, formic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic  acid, benzoic acid, propionic acid, 3-hydroxypropanoic acid,  carbonic acid, glycolic acid, glyoxylic acid, glyceric acid,  acrylic acid, adipic acid, malonic acid, methymalonic acid,  succinic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, itaconic acid, mesa› conic acid, glutaric acid, and combinations or salts thereofln  certain embodiments, the organic acid or a combination of  organic acids includes acetic acid.  [0012]  In various embodiments, the organic acid or a com› bination of organic acids has an average pKa of about 3 .5 or  higher, about 4 or higher, or about 4.5 or higher.  [0011]  In some embodiments, the composition comprises  from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt % organic acid or a  combination of organic acids.  [001 OJ  In some variations, the present disclosure provides a  composition for use in reducing ammonia generation in ani› mal enclosures, the composition comprising metal sulfate  and from about 0.01 wt% to about 25 wt% organic acid or a  combination of organic acids ( on a  dry  basis and based on the  metal sulfate in non-hydrated form), wherein the organic acid  or a combination of organic acids has an average pKa of about  3  or higher.  [0009]  In view of the aforementioned needs in the art, there  remains a need for improved compositions that inhibit ammo› nia volatilization from poultry litter and other animal enclo› sures.  [0008]  Unfortunately, as described in the above patents, the  amount of acid needed to initiate the reaction is around 7-9%.  This amount of sulfuric acid causes the pH of the liquid being  transported to the houses and being applied to be well below  2.0. Materials with pH below 2.0 are considered hazardous  (40 CFR §261.22) and as such farmers must take special  precautions when using it.  If any spills occur, the material  must be handled under Department of Transportation hazard› ous materials rules.  [0007]  In U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,697, a method for inhibiting  ammonia volatilization in animal manure, particularly poul› try litter for long time periods (3-6 weeks) is disclosed. The  method comprises the steps of adding alum (aluminum sul› fate) to poultry litter ( comprising poultry manure, bedding  material, spilled food and feathers) and mixing. Alum is  added in sufficient quantities to reduce the pH of alum/poultry  litter base composition. Other patents describing conven› tional approaches (alum or alum with sulfuric acid) include  U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,914,104, 5,961,968, 5,928,403, and 6,468,  518.  (Affinity Chemical, Dallas, Tex.) is a product on the market  that is used to control the amount of ammonia that is volatil› ized in a chicken house. 