Toxic Gases Flashcards
What are the local responses to toxic gases?
- Iritation
- inflammation
- edema
- necrosis
- fibrosis
- emphysema
What are farm sources of toxic gases?
- Uncontrolled decomposition of feeds (eg - NO2 from silage)
- Anaerobic decomposition of animal wastes inside confinement buildings
- NH3, CO2, CH4, H2S
- Incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (CO)
- Accidental/intended release of anhydrous NH3
What is the source of Nitrogen Dioxide?
- Fermentation of corn/forages high in nitrate
- NO2 is formed in the first 2 weeks after the ensiling.
- Incomplete Reduction of NO3
- Highest concentration in the first 48 hrs of ensiling
What are the characteristics of NO2
- Brownish in color
- Pungent irritating odor
- Heavier than air - accumulates in low areas
What happens to NO2 when exposed to H2O in the air?
- forms nitric acid
- direct toxicant and strong irritant to eyes, respiratory tract and lungs
What is Silo Fillers Disease?
- Nitrogen Dioxide toxicosis
What is the MOA of NO2
- Direct irritant - forms HNO3
- Oxidant ⇢ lipid peroxidation
What are the effects of NO2
- Ocular and upper airway irritation, coughing, chocking at > 50 ppm
- Pulmonary edema, tachycardia, fever, dyspnea, hypoxia are delayed effects
- Chronic bronchitis or emphysema
- “Silo Fillers disease”
- Rapid progression, may be fatal
What are the clinical signs of NO2 exposure
- Reddened mucous membranes
- Lacrimation
- Salivation
- ⇣ Food and water intake
- coughing, paning
- Dyspnea - flyid sounds in chest
- Hypoxia
- Fever
- Pneumonia
What lung lesions are common to NO2 exposure?
- Edema
- Hyperemia + hemorrhage
- Emphysema
- Bronchiolar inflammation
How is NO2 exposure diagnosed and treated?
- Dx - clinical signs, history, few tox tests
- Rx - Move to ventilated places
What are the characteristics of Methane gas?
- Lighter than air
- Odorless
- Explosive at 5% in the atmosphere
- Toxicity by displacing O2
- very high levels (rare) ⇢ asphyxiation
What are the sources of Methane gas?
- Natural Gas:
- 85% methane
- 9% ethane
- 3% propane
- 2% nitrogen
- 1% butane
What are the characteristics of CO2
- Odorless
- Heavier than air
- 0.03% (300 ppm) in atmosphere
- 1540 ppm - recommended maximal concentration in environmental air for swine
- 10% distress, increased respiratory rate
- 25% coma
What are the characteristics of Ammonia (NH3)
- Lighter than air
- Colorless
- Sharp pungent odor
- 5ppm very slight
- 20pp, easily detected
- 6-35ppm found in confinement units
What are the sources for NH3
- Fertilizers - NH3 rarely a problem
- NH4NO3, NH42CO3, NH43PO4
- Manure - slurry pits
- chicken or horses
What are the effects of NH3 at 50 ppm?
- Chronic stressor
- Exacerbated respiratory disease
- Reduces pulmonary bacterial clearance
- Feed intake, growth rate decreased by ≥10%
What are the effects of NH3 at 100 ppm?
- Strong odor
- Eye and respiratory irritation
- Salivation, lacrimation, corneal damage
What are the effects of NH3 in poultry?
- 20 ppm - decreased egg production
- 50 ppm - increased incidence of respiratory disease
- 60-75 ppm - corneal injury (keratoconjunctivitis)
What are the clinical signs of NH3 exposure?
- Reddened mucous membranes
- Keratoconjunctival lesions
- Lacrimation
- Nasal discharge (⇡ pulmonary infection)
- Sniffling, sneezing, coughing
- Pulmonary edema, congestion
- Dyspnea - fluid sounds
- hypoxia
- Electrolyte and A/B imbalance
- Decreased egg production in birds