Research Note: The use of ammonia gas for Salmonella control in poultry litters

Abstract

A new poultry litter disinfection methodology against pathogenic Salmonella spp. serovars using gaseous ammonia is proposed in this study. In the laboratory, the poultry litter was disposed into plastic containers and experimentally contaminated with 3 Salmonella spp. serovars separately. Positive and negative control groups were tested. With a system of hoses, 1% gaseous ammonia was injected into the containers in cycles for 48 h. Samples of the poultry litter were collected and submitted to bacteriological analysis. For the second part, we selected a broiler poultry farm with positive litters for Salmonella heidelberg in 2 houses. The littler was treated by gaseous ammonia in a concentration of 2,411 ppm and wrapped with a plastic cover for 48 h during the sanitary break. After the treatment, a new broiler batch was housedand swab samples were collected in the 25-day-old. After the action of the gaseous compound, there was no reisolation of the serovars, and the batches housed on the ammonia-treated litter no longer showed positive results for Salmonella . The total elimination of the pathogenic microorganisms by the new method suggests that the controlled use of ammonia gas in poultry litter may represent a viable disinfection technique.

Antimicrobial Efficacy of Un-Ionized Ammonia (NH3) against Salmonella Typhimurium in Buffered Solutions with Variable pH, NH3Concentrations, and Urease-Producing Bacteria

“…Several studies have demonstrated the antimicrobial effects of NH 3 on Salmonella in poultry litter and solutions ( 19 , 28 , 31 , 33 – 35 ). However, previous work in poultry litter has often been performed using NH 3 gas.…”

“…The alkaline pH of the buffer solutions likely served as an added stressor against Salmonella . Previous studies in poultry litter and manure have used various levels of NH 3 gas to demonstrate its antimicrobial effects on Salmonella ( 28 , 31 , 33 ). However, these concentrations of NH 3 gas may not be feasibly generated as a result of natural ammonia production in commercial poultry litter.…”

“…Typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes could be reduced by 2.5 to 4.0 log CFU/g in poultry manure dried to 10% moisture and treated with 1% NH 3 gas for 24 h ( 31 ). Mendonça et al ( 33 ) used 2,411 ppm NH 3 gas to successfully decontaminate poultry litter in broiler houses contaminated with S . Heidelberg.…”

Effects of water activity, ammonia and Corynebacterium urealyticum on the survival of Salmonella Typhimurium in sterile poultry litter

“…showed that S. Typhimurium could be reduced by 8 log CFU g −1 in poultry manure dried to 10% moisture and treated with 1% ammonia gas for 72 h at 20°C. In another study, Mendonça et al (2021) used ammonia gas (2411 ppm) to decontaminate poultry litter in broiler houses contaminated with S. Heidelberg. Studies on poultry litter composting have also suggested that ammonia production may contribute to the reduction of Salmonella (Erickson et al, 2014;Shepherd et al, 2010;Singh et al, 2012).…”

“…pH, water activity) (Eriksson De Rezende et al, 2001; Payne et al, 2002, 2007). Water activity (a w ), pH, microflora and ammonia are factors that have been shown to influence the survival of Salmonella in poultry litter and manure (Alexander et al, 1968; Bucher et al, 2020; Erickson et al, 2004; Himathongkham et al, 1999; Himathongkham & Riemann, 1999; Mendonça et al, 2021; Payne et al, 2002, 2007; Soliman et al, 2009; Turnbull & Snoeyenbos, 1973). Poultry litter surveys have reported a w levels ranging from 0.77–1.00 (Carr et al, 1994, 1995; Chinivasagam et al, 2012; Hayes et al, 2000; Opara et al, 1992; Payne et al, 2006).…”