Air quality assessment of poultry and swine houses in Chonburi Province

ABSTRACT

The increased consumption of animal products has led to a proliferation of animal husbandry operations, particularly in agricultural countries. Animal husbandry facilities or livestock farming directly impact the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the environment, giving rise to various issues such as odors, contamination of water and air sources with pathogens, and potential contamination of meat products originating from these facilities. This research aims to assess the impacts on the physical (temperature, relative humidity and air velocity), chemical (carbon dioxide, total volatile organic compounds and particulate matter), and biological air quality assessment (amount and type of bioaerosols) aspects resulting from pig and poultry farming. The findings will serve as valuable data for managing and addressing these aforementioned issues. It was found that both in poultry and swine houses generated total suspended particles (TSP) and PM10 (Particulate Matter with a diameter of 10 µm or less). Analysis of poultry house exhaust revealed elevated concentrations of TSP and PM10 exceeding established health benchmarks. Chickens tend to produce a higher concentration of VOCs (2.07 ± 0.57 ppm) compared to swine (0.82 ± 0.53 ppm). Staphylococcus epidermidis was predominant bacteria in both swine and poultry houses while Cladosporium sp was the most prevalent fungi in poultry houses. These results in this study are very useful for developing targeted mitigation strategies, products, devices to address specific pollutants produced by each type of livestock, reducing overall environmental impact and improving air quality within and around animal husbandry facilities.

Implications: This research highlights how the growing demand for meat is affecting the environment, especially in farming areas. By studying the effects of pig and poultry farming on things like air and water quality, the study shows the challenges these farms pose, like bad smells and pollution. They found that both types of farms release a lot of tiny particles and smelly chemicals into the air, but there are differences between them. Understanding these findings can help us develop ways to reduce the pollution from these farms and make the air cleaner for everyone.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Faculty of Public Health and Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, for providing laboratory equipment. Additionally, they would like to acknowledge the National Research Council of Thailand for their financial support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data supporting the results of this study are available at reasonable request from the corresponding author (Dr. Kampanart Huanbutta).

Additional information

Funding

This work was financially supported by (i) Burapha University (BUU), (ii) Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI), and (iii) National Science Research and Innovation Fund (NSRF) (Fundamental Fund : Grant no. 022/2566).

Notes on contributors

Rotruedee Chotigawin

Rotruedee Chotigawin is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Thailand. She specializes in environmental health and public health, focusing on bioaerosols, air pollution management, solid waste management, and health impact assessment. Her expertise also includes climate change and sustainability management, as well as photocatalytic reactions for environmental health. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Health from Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

Tistaya Semangoen

Tistaya Semangoen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Technology at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Thailand. She earned her Bachelor’s degree with honors in Medical Technology from Chiangmai University and earned a Ph.D. in Immunology from the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University. Her research focuses on natural plant extracts, specifically exploring their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, and their potential applications in treating diseases such as kidney stones and cancer.

Nattida Chailerd

Nattida Chailerd serves as a Research Assistant in the Department of Medical Technology at the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Thailand. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Medical Sciences from Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Burapha University, Thailand.

Tanikan Sangnim

Tanikan Sangnim is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Burapha University, Thailand. She earned her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Silpakorn University, supported by the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program. Her research interests include novel drug delivery systems and health product formulation.

Paradee Asa

Paradee Asa, an Assistance Professor at Faculty of Public health, Burapha University, Thailand, specializes in environmental health and public health, microbiology and sanitation, and food safety. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Science from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand.

Taddao Pahasup-Anan

Taddao Pahasup-Anan is a lecturer at School of Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, Thailand. Her expertise lies in environmental health and environmental science. She earned a Ph.D. in Environmental Management from Chulalongkorn University.

Kampanart Huanbutta

Kampanart Huanbutta, an Associate Professor at the College of Pharmacy, Rangsit University, Thailand, specializes in 3D printing of pharmaceuticals, elderly-friendly medications, flow chemistry, film-forming systems, colonic drug delivery, advanced solid dosage forms, and pharmaceutical excipients. He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy with honors and a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Technology from Silpakorn University, supported by the Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program, and completed postdoctoral research at the University of Porto, Portugal, through an Erasmus Mundus grant.