Effects of treatment of nitrate and nitrite containing drinking water with reverse osmosis system on the performance of broiler chickens

Water is an essential element for the survival of all living organisms, as fundamental as oxygen. The healthy continuation of physiological, metabolic, and behavioral processes largely depends on the availability of sufficient and high-quality water. In broiler production, maintaining the continuity of drinking water quality is crucial, and in situations where there is no alternative to contaminated water sources, the continuous provision of clean water becomes necessary, highlighting the need for water treatment methods. Nitrate (NO₃⁻) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) pollution in water sources can increase due to factors such as organic and inorganic nitrogen-based fertilization and wastewater leakage. As a result, physiological and microbiological effects may negatively impact animal performance during the rearing period. High nitrate levels can also reduce feed efficiency and body weight gain. Therefore, the use of water treatment technologies to remove nitrate and nitrite and improve water quality may be required. Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most widely used high-efficiency membrane filtration methods. RO membranes retain 80–99% of dissolved ions in water, significantly purifying it and eliminating bacterial and contaminant-related pollutants. In this study, the effects of using RO-treated water and nitrate-nitrite contaminated groundwater as drinking water on broiler performance were investigated. A total of 64 broiler chicks were used in 4 control and 4 treatment pens. The treatment group received RO-treated water, while the control group was given contaminated water. No significant differences were observed in terms of growth performance indicators such as body weight, feed consumption, and water intake (P>0.05). According to the results, the use of RO-treated water as drinking water for broilers during both standard (6-week) and extended (8-week) rearing periods had no adverse effects and can be used safely. However, further studies are recommended under conditions where pathogenic factors are present.