Environmental Study of Poultry Confinement Buildings

Abstract
Environmental measurements were made in three poultry confinement buildings in order to characterize gas and particulate contaminants. Levels of total and respirable dust averaged 4.4 and 0.24 mg/m3, respectively. Particle size distribution as measured by cascade impactors was similar in the three confinement houses with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of about 15 µm and a geometric standard deviation of about 2.2. Ammonia levels measured in the active areas of the buildings averaged about 25 ppm. Ammonia concentration was quite high, however, in an unused and unventilated portion of one of the buildings (). CO2 levels ranged from 0.05–0.1%. Levels of CO, H2S, NO2, NOx, CH4, mercaptan, formaldehyde, and hydrocarbons were all below the limit of detection for indicator tubes. Concentrations of airborne bacteria and fungi were on average about 1.5×105 and 1.0×104 colony-forming units/m3, respectively. Endotoxin analysis was also performed on the total and respirable dust samples. Endotoxih levels (express...

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