Objective: To study farm compost polluted water that may induce pharyngo-esophageal, gastric and liver carcinoma in chickens.
Methods: 280 chickens were randomized into 4 groups: experiment group 100 chickens fed with compost water + NaNO(2) by stomach tube. The other 180 were evenly randomized into 3 control groups (60 each), fed with compost water, NaNO(2) and tap water in the same way. The farm compost was prepared with corn stalks, rice straws, excreta of men and livestock. The compost water, after being nitrosified and acidified, was fed through stomach tube 5 - 7.5 ml/session, twice a week. Besides, a solution consisting of the respective formula of each group added with 3 - 4 L water with pH adjusted to 3 - 4 by 1N HCL was given ad lib to all chickens in each group for 26.5 months.
Results: In the experiment group, there were pharyngo-esophageal carcinoma 16 (16.3%), gastric adenocarcinoma 5 (10.4%) and liver carcinoma 3 (6.3%), in contrast to none in the 3 control groups, showing significant differences (P < 0.01, P < 0.01, P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Successful simulation of the layout of esophageal carcinoma high morbidity area and the mimic of chicken gastric fluid strongly support our compost etiological hypothesis that the nitrosified and acidified compost water are carcinogenic, very well causing esophageal, gastric and liver carcinoma.