The Effect of Negative Air Ionization Exposure on Ontogenetic Development of Chicken

Most of the benefic effects of negative air ions (NAI) quoted in the literature until the end of the 20 century were obtained with high doses of NAI, but at these doses a phased action was noted: favorable at the beginning, then unfavorable on extended exposures. In Romania, experimental studies on animal or human subjects were made mostly with moderate doses of air ions, close to those in the nature, and the duration of ionization was limited. In order to clear out some methodological issues regarding the air ionization use, we proposed to make a stepped set of investigations, on the hen egg submitted to incubation. The first goal of our study follows to evaluate the role of NAI on the development of the chicken embryo, in average concentration, but with extended exposure. The second goal is to detect the effects of negative air ionization in high doses on the incubated eggs, as well as to accentuate the periods of chicken eggs’ ontogenetic development periods, when air ionization acts stronger, or with more benefits. In the first experiment, the eggs were submitted to moderate air ionization day and night (in continuous application), during all the incubation period (21 http://lejpt.academicdirect.org 76 The Effect of Negative Air Ionization Exposure on Ontogenetic Development of Chicken Valeria LAZA and Sorana D. BOLBOACĂ 77 days). In the second experiment the eggs were ionized with high doses of negative air ions, in different period of ontogenetic development. Continuous ionization (day and night) with moderate doses of NAI, during entire period of eggs incubation (21 days), supports the idea of phased action of air ions in moderate doses: favorable at the beginning and unfavorable later, if the exposure to air ions is extended. The application of higher doses of air ions appeared to be positive in the eggs development and hatching, but only if the exposure was made in the second half of incubation, after the chicken development was finished.