Effect of a new tungsten trioxide-based bactericide on the environment of piggeries and piglet health

This study investigated the effects of WO3-based photocatalytic bactericide on the piggery environment, microorganisms in pig manure, and weaned piglets. After spraying WO3-based photocatalytic bactericide, the NH3 concentration in the piggery decreased by 31.25% within 1 h and then returned to pre-spraying concentration after 24 h. The airborne aerobic bacteria level in the piggery before spraying was 3.99 x 105 colony-forming unit (CFU)/m3, which dropped to 2.45 x 10(5) CFU/m(3) 1 h after spraying, with a bactericidal rate of 38.58%. The airborne aerobic bacteria level was 3.3 x 10(5) CFU/m(3) 24 h after spraying, with a bactericidal rate of 17.32%, and was 3.61 x 10(5) CFU/m(3) 48 h after spraying, with a bactericidal rate of 9.44%. After 1 h of spraying, concentrations of the total suspended particulate (TSP), particulate matter (PM) 10, and PM 2.5 decreased by 31.1%, 43.0%, and 32.5%, respectively. The abundance of some potentially pathogenic bacteria in TSP and PM 2.5, such as Staphylococcus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus, was significantly reduced by 16sDNA sequencing for some time after spraying the bactericide (p < 0.05). At certain times following the application of the bactericide, the levels of pathogenic bacteria, such as Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, and Stenotrophomonas on piggery walls were significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Overall, this study provided a research direction for improving the environmental quality of piggery and promoting the healthy growth of weaned piglets as well as the future development and application of new photocatalytic products. (C) 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.