Evaluation of workers' exposure to dust, ammonia and endotoxin in poultry industries at the province of Isfahan, Iran

This study was conducted to assess various environmental exposure measurements (total dust, ammonia and endotoxin) of poultry workers at the province of Isfahan, Iran. The results show that the workers who worked in enclosed systems of parent stock barns have the highest exposure to total and respirable dust: 21.3 +/- 3.2 and 4.6 +/- 0.9 mg/m3, respectively. In comparison with different ages of chicken, the highest concentration of total and respirable dust were 5.4 +/- 0.7 and 3.3 +/- 0.7 mg/m3 in the 45th day. In the above mentioned situation, the results of endotoxin concentrations were 20.6 +/- 1.1, 23.6 +/- 2.2, 21.3 +/- 1.2 and 26.8 +/- 1.8 ng/m3, respectively. Ammonia concentrations had the highest rate in enclosed systems of laying hens in winter and the 45th day of chicken age, measuring 33.2 +/- 5.2 and 20.2 +/- 3.0 mg/m3, respectively.