Monitoring particulate matter levels and climate conditions in commercial cage laying duck houses

Abstract

<b><sc>Abstract.</sc></b> The particulate matter (PM) from poultry operations that prevails inside the houses affects human and animal health, welfare, and productivity, while emissions contribute to environmental pollution. Recently, most air quality studies have focused on broiler and layer hen houses, but minimal works have been conducted on commercial cage-laying duck houses. Cage-laying duck facilities with a daily manure removal system are an increasingly common housing system with many applications in large-scale duck farms in China. The objectives of this study were to determine the variation of particulate matter levels of different sizes (PM₁₀–PM_2.5–PM₁) concentrations inside a commercial cage laying duck house and identify relationships between ambient conditions and PM concentrations. The concentration of particulate matter from a commercial cage laying duck house was recorded during 86 days (18/07–17/08, 18/09-17/10, and 01/12-26/12) in 2021, while temperature and relative humidity were observed during the experimental period. The results showed that daily mean indoor PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁concentrations were 34.6–587.4, 19.6–215.2, and 5.7–44.3 μg/m³ during the experimental period. The concentration of particulate matter was increased during the cold winter days due to poor ventilation. The maximum daily average value of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ concentration equaled 237.3±80.4,103.3±32.8 and 25.7±7.4 μg/m³, respectively in winter. The average value of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ concentration equaled to145.7±122.2, 69.0±43.3, and 18.5±9.0 μg/m³ in summer, and 103.5±73.8, 49.9±29.4, 13.6±6.3μg/m³ in autumn. In winter, the average PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ inside the duck house had a significantly greater mean value than in the summer and autumn during the experimental period.