Effects of TDS and Br on the accumulation of water-borne potentially hazardous chemical constituents As and Pb in broilers

Abstract

The occurrence of potentially hazardous chemical constituents (PHCC) in subterranean water and the divergent potential for bioaccumulation in different production systems, made it necessary to investigate the effect of alleviator treatment on the accumulation of PHCC in broiler tissues. Local poultry producers are faced with the opportunities to expand their poultry products to overseas countries, therefore, the quality measures must be in place to comply with strict quality control systems like the European Union standards. The effect of water quality on the health and production parameters in broilers and layers has recently been questioned as to its compliance with both the export and local markets. The effects of water quality constituents (WQC) are a function of the type and character of the WQC, the intake rates and exposure to WQC, the type of animal and its physiology and the demands of the environment. Where the livestock and humans use the same water source, the livestock can be an effective indicator species of the risk posed to humans. The study evaluated the effectiveness of TOS and Br as possible alleviators of PHCC accumulation in broiler tissues grown under intensive production system. Broilers received four types of treatment: control (<500 mg/L IDS; < 0.005 mg/L Br + As + Pb), elevated elements (As=0.1 mg/L; Br=1 mg/L; Pb=0.1mg/L), elevated elements + 1500 mg/L TOS and control + 1500 mg/L TOS in drinking water from one day to 42 days old. The accumulation of PHCC in broiler tissue did not exceed maximum allowable concentrations (EU - MAC) during a short period of exposure. The groups that received TOS retained the lowest PHCC accumulation. These results suggest that TOS plus bromide in broilers' drinking water could alleviate arsenic and lead accumulation in broilers' tissues. However, the alleviation was not always significant in all the tissues.