EFFECTS OF REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCT (KEROSENE) FLAME AND FUMES ON HAEMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BROILER CHICKENS

摘要

Petroleum (crude oil) is a remarkably varied substance both in its use and composition. It is often dark, straw coloured, tar black or sometimes green in outlook. Crude oil is the chief source of hydrocarbons and when fractionally distilled, the various components are often collected over a range of boiling points (Ababio, 1993). The main fractional distillates of petroleum include natural gas, light petroleum (petroleum ether), ligroin (light naphtha), petrol (gasoline), paraffin (kerosene), gas oil, lubricating oil and asphalt (bitumen).Refined petroleum product (kerosene) is a mixture of hydrocarbons that contains 12-18 carbon atoms per molecule and it boils between 190 - 250°C. It is a fairly volatile liquid which is used as a fuel for lighting lamps (illumination), heating or cooking, fuel for automobiles driving.modern jets and aeroplanes, burning bush, grasses and wood (incineration) (Murray, l972;Jumoke, 1999). Kerosene is also a good solvent for grease and paints. It is also used as an insect repellant because of its odour. Developing countries with epileptic electricity supply use kerosene in lanterns and stoves for heating and brooding chicks and other livestock. When kerosene burns, it produces a flame which could be blue, luminous flame or yellow sooty flame, depending onthe type of burner used. Fumes from sooty kerosene flame are laden with Volatile Organic Carbon (VOC) and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), which irritate the respiratory tract when inhaled either by man or livestock.