A NEW DISINFECTION TECHNIQUE FOR COMMERCIAL POULTRY FACILITIES

THE UNITED STATES POULTRY INDUSTRY PROCESSES APPROXIMATELY 7.5 BILLIN HATCHING EGGS THROUGH INCUBATING FACILITIES EACH YEAR. EFFECTIVE HATCHERY SANITATION PRACTICES TO ACHIEVE A HIGH LEVEL OF CHICK HATCHABILITY AND BROILER PERFORMANCE ARE OF PRIME CONCERN TO THE POULTRY INDUSTRY. FUMIGATION WITH FORMALDEHYDE HAS BEEN THE METHOD OF CHOICE TO SANITIZE POULTRY HATCHERIES. THE ENVIORNMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY HAS RECENTLY MOVED TO REGULATE THE USE OF FORMALDEHYDE UNDER THE TOXIC SUBSTANCES CONTROL ACT, DUE TO THE CHEMICAL'S POSSIBLE CARCINOGENICITY. THIS HAS CREATED AN URGENT NEED FOR ALTERNATIVE DISINFECTION PROCEDURES FOR EGG HATCHERY FACILITIES. TECHNICAL EVALUATIONS HAVE SHOWN THAT GASEOUS OZONE HAS THE POTENTIAL OF SERVING AS AN ALTERNATIVE FUMIGANT FOR POULTRY HATCHERIES. OZONE IS EASY TO HANDLE; MOREOVER, THE HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING ITS USE ARE MUCH LESS SERIOUS THAN THOSE OF ALTERNATIVE DISINFECTANTS. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SEVERAL TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGES TO ADOPTING OZNE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO FORMALDEHYDE IN THE POULTRY INDUSTRY (E.G., THE CAPITAL COSTS ARE HIGH). THESE DIFFICULTIES CENTER AROUND THE CORONA DISCHARGE PROCESS WHICH IS THE METHOD THAT IS ALMOST ALWAYS USED FOR COMMERCIAL OZONE GENERATION. THE AIM OF THIS PROPOSAL IS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH INTO DISINFECTING POULTRY HATCHERIES USING ELECTROCHEMICALLY GENERATED OZONE GAS. THIS PROCESS WILL PROVIDE SEVERAL KEYTECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES TO THE USER. THE PRIMARY FOCUS IS TO EXAMINE THE BIOCIDAL PROPERTIES OF OZONE GENERATED FROM THIS UNIQUE SOURCE, BOTH IN CONTROLLED LABORATORY CONDITIONS AND IN STANDARD POULTRY HATCHERIES.