Next-Generation Detection: Portable Greenhouse Gas Tool Offers Enhanced Accuracy and Efficiency

Dr. Tobias Laengle, AAFC Senior Biologist with the Pest Management Centre and co-project lead, led the training session at AAFC's St. John's Research and Development Centre.

Hands-On Training for Future Scientists

Earlier this spring, two graduate students at Memorial University of Newfoundland's (MUN) Grenfell Campus participated in a hands-on training session with a cutting-edge greenhouse gas measuring tool called an FTIR gas analyzer. 

What Is the FTIR Gas Analyzer?

The portable Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy gas analyzer, also known by its acronym, FTIR, is used for environmental monitoring in the field. It uses infrared light to provide real-time gas identification without needing laboratory analysis. The technology is revolutionizing how scientists monitor greenhouse emissions in real time.

Researchers Empowering Students

Dr. Linda Jewell, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and science co-leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Living Lab, noted the excitement that students experience:

"As an undergraduate, you sometimes hear about these kinds of technologies in a lecture or a textbook, but you don’t often get to use them. Using one in real life makes something like greenhouse gases much more understandable.”

From Hands-on Sampling to Real-Time Results

The traditional method of measuring soil greenhouse gas emissions involves manual air sampling using a closed chamber, a syringe, and then analyzing the gas collected in a laboratory. An FTIR gas analyzer can be more effective because it draws a sample continuously from the chamber and measures gas concentrations in real time. Some analyzers can measure 50 gases at once, which is important for environmental monitoring and emissions research.

Supporting Climate-Smart Agriculture

Dr. Jewell explained that the analyzer helps researchers understand the influence of different farming practices—such as cover crops or climate-resilient pest management—on greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers can make informed decisions based on on-farm information and facilitate collaborative innovation through the Newfoundland and Labrador Living Lab.

Helping in the decision-marking for farming practices

Dr. Tobias Laengle, AAFC Senior Biologist with the Pest Management Centre and co-project lead, led the training session at AAFC's St. John's Research and Development Centre. He explained that climate-smart agriculture is all about using the tools available, like an FTIR gas analyser, to detect greenhouse gas footprint of different agricultural practices to sustainably manage crop health and productivity.

 "For example, a grower might need to choose between managing weeds or terminating a perennial cover crop with either an herbicide application or by using tillage. An FTIR gas analyzer helps measure the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from tilling a field compared to the release of greenhouse gases after applying herbicides. This data, together with information on the overall greenhouse gas footprint from tractor use and the manufacturing and transport of herbicides of both practices, along with knowledge on the potential off-site impact of herbicide application (depending on soil properties, topography and proximity to vulnerable habitats) all play a part in determining the ideal option."

Understanding Soil and Nutrient Dynamics

Dr. Laengle explains that soil health and nutrient cycling in agricultural ecosystems can have an effect on greenhouse gases in several ways. Soil microorganisms break down the nutrients found in fertilizers before they are used by the crop.

Through this process, greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide (N₂O), can be released into the air. In some cases, soil microorganisms can mineralize and decrease other greenhouse gases, like methane. Water movement also plays an important role in nutrient cycling and greenhouse gas emissions.

When nitrates and other agricultural compounds move into ground or nearby surface water, they can emit greenhouse gases and have environmental impacts far away from the farm. Measuring and modelling fertilizer and pesticides movement into water systems can help scientists understand these complex processes and identify the least impactful agricultural practices.  

Co-Developing Sustainable Solutions with Living Labs

Using devices like the FTIR gas analyzer helps scientists and producers work together to co-develop practical and environmentally friendly farming practices.

The availability of high-tech equipment supports student learning and enhances the region's research capabilities. The training at AAFC's St. John's Research and Development Centre took place as part of ongoing collaborations between the St. John’s Research and Development Centre and MUN Grenfell Campus because they are project partners in the NL Living Lab.

If you want to learn more about the NL Living Lab project, check out our website at www.acsnl.ca or look for updates about the innovations and research being developed on our social media channels.

Newfoundland and Labrador Living Lab, led by the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture, is part of AAFC’s Agricultural Climate Solutions – Living Labs (ACS-LL) nationwide network of 14 living labs. Each living lab brings together producers, scientists and other sector stakeholders to co-develop and test innovative solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon in real-world conditions.