Iodine as an alleviator of bromine toxicity in thyroid, liver and kidney of broiler chickens

The study pursued the hypothesis that bromine (Br) in drinking water at levels >0.01 mg Br/L may have detrimental effects on the liver, kidneys and thyroid and the thyroid hormones T-3 and T-4 and that iodine (I) may alleviate the potential hazardous effect of Br. The research was done with mixed Ross broiler chickens over a 42-day post-hatch growth period. The trial design was six treatments. T1: 0 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; T2: 1 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; T3: 3 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; T4: 0 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L; T5: 1 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L; and T6: 3 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L delivered via drinking water and three replicates per treatment with 30 birds per replicate. The effect of Br on T-3 and T-4 levels overall was non-significant, but T-3 and T-4 levels decreased between Weeks 4 and 6 with a significant effect at Week 6 on T-3. Br had an overall effect on the thyroid gland (P=0.0457), liver (P=0.0025) and kidney (P=0.0032), and had accumulated in these three organs. Histopathological assessment showed explicit damage to the livers that received the Br treatments. Iodine (0.07 mg/L) ameliorated the negative effects of high Br (3 mg/L Br) concentration and ingestion. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.