DRINKING-WATER CONTAMINANTS (ARSENIC, CADMIUM, LEAD, BENZENE, AND TRICHLOROETHYLENE) .2. EFFECTS AN REPRODUCTIVE-PERFORMANCE, EGG QUALITY, AND EMBRYO TOXICITY IN BROILER BREEDERS

Broiler breeder hens were used to determine the effect of drinking wat er containing a low concentration of a chemical mixture (arsenic, 0.8 ppm; benzene, 1.3 ppm; cadmium, 5.1 ppm; lead, 6.7 ppm; and trichloroe thylene, 0.65 ppm) and a high (10 times greater than the low concentra tion of the chemical mixture) levels of the chemical mixture. These ch emicals are present in ground water near hazardous waste sites. Water consumption significantly decreased in chickens provided the high conc entration of the chemical mixture, whereas feed consumption was not af fected in any treatment. There was a linear relationship between incre asing concentration of the chemical mixture in drinking water and decr easing body weight of hens. The low concentration of the chemical mixt ure significantly decreased egg production and egg weight, and increas ed percentage embryonic mortality. These results suggest that reproduc tive function in hens is sensitive to adverse effects of contaminated drinking water.