Journal article
Evaluation of a sprinkler cooling system on inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations in broiler chicken production
Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, Vol.14(1), pp.40-48
01/02/2017
DOI: 10.1080/15459624.2016.1211285
PMCID: PMC7021219
PMID: 27869548
Abstract
Workers are exposed to dust in broiler chicken production during daily work activities. Poultry dust may contain inflammatory agents (e.g., endotoxin) and inhalation exposure has been associated with pulmonary symptoms. Current practice to reduce worker exposure to poultry dust is the use of respiratory protection (e.g., elastomeric face-piece respirator with a P100 and ammonia chemical cartridge). Limited research has been conducted to evaluate engineering controls to reduce dust and ammonia concentrations in broiler chicken production; therefore, the purpose of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of a water sprinkling system to reduce inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations in a broiler chicken house.
Inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations were measured daily for the production cycle of a flock of broiler chickens (63 days). Inhalable dust was measured gravimetrically using an inhalable sampler and ammonia was measured by a direct reading sensor. Sampling was performed on a stationary mannequin inside two broiler chicken houses. One house used a sprinkler cooling system to deliver a water mist throughout the house and the second house was an untreated control. The sprinkler system activated after day 5 of chicken placement, releasing water periodically from 6 am to 10 pm. The amount of sprinkling increased at day 10 and day 15 as recommended by the manufacturer.
Geometric mean (GM) inhalable dust concentrations measured in the treatment house (5.5 mg/m
3
) were not different (p = 0.33) than those found in the control house (6.0 mg/m
3
). The GM ammonia concentrations were also not different (p = 0.34) across the treatment and control house [10.6 ppm (GSD: 1.80); GM 9.51 ppm (GSD: 1.77)], respectively. The use of cost effective engineering, administrative and personal exposure controls are needed in the poultry industry to effectively reduce worker's exposure to hazardous concentrations of dust and ammonia.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Evaluation of a sprinkler cooling system on inhalable dust and ammonia concentrations in broiler chicken production
- Creators
- S William Ischer - Department of Occupational Environmental Health, University of IowaM.B Farnell - Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State UniversityG.T Tabler - Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State UniversityM Moreira - Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State UniversityP.T O'Shaughnessy - Department of Occupational Environmental Health, University of IowaM.W Nonnenmann - Department of Occupational Environmental Health, University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of occupational and environmental hygiene, Vol.14(1), pp.40-48
- DOI
- 10.1080/15459624.2016.1211285
- PMID
- 27869548
- PMCID
- PMC7021219
- NLM abbreviation
- J Occup Environ Hyg
- ISSN
- 1545-9624
- eISSN
- 1545-9632
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/02/2017
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9983997304702771
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