Abstract
Background:
The implementation of green technologies is continually gaining attention worldwide and was considered to remove water pollutants and treat municipal water before its disposal.
Aim:
Evaluation of the laboratory antimicrobial actions and chelating activities, and the field influence of Eichhornia crassipes on performance, biochemical and immunoglobulin concentrations, and intestinal microbiota in overwhelmed broiler chickens.
Methods:
We assessed the laboratory antimicrobial actions of E. crassipes 1% suspension against bacterial (E. coli O157: H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium) and fungal (Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans) microorganisms using a 96-well minimal inhibitory concentration, and the chelating activities of E. crassipes against calcium sulfate and copper sulfate. Also, we designed randomly four equal groups out of 200 one-day-old Ross® 308 chicks on a deep litter system. Three groups (G1, G2, and G3) were supplied daily with E. crassipes suspension 1% from the 3rd day until the end of the experiment, while the 4th group (G4) received non-treated tap water. Broilers of G1-3 were challenged with calcium sulfate (75 mg.L-1), copper sulfate (200 mg.L-1), and S. Typhimurium (1.5 × 106 CFU.ml-1) polluted water respectively on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 35th days of age. We collected 1914 samples by the end of the study, these samples included 90 E. crassipes pollutants and 480 E. crassipes microbial mixes, 192 sera, 192 intestinal swabs, and 960 tissues.
Results:
E. crassipes treated water reveals highly significant (p < 0.01) improvements in water quality assessments and a highly significant (p < 0.01) increase in dissolved oxygen levels compared to tap water. E. crassipes 1% achieved a 100% adsorption capability for calcium and copper sulfate after 1-h and 100% bactericidal (E. coli O157: H7 and S. Typhimurium) and fungicidal (A. niger and C. albicans) actions after 1, 2, 2, and 2-h, respectively. Broilers treated with 1% E. crassipes revealed highly significant (p < 0.01) improvements in performance indices, carcasses characteristics, biochemical and immunological parameters, and highly significant (p < 0.01) decreases of cortisol hormone and bacteriological parameters in all treated broiler groups compared to the control.
Conclusion:
E. crassipes 1% reveals a significant improvement in drinking water quality, as well as produces high adsorptive and antimicrobial actions. E. crassipes 1% improved performance traits, carcass quality, and intestinal microbiota in overwhelmed broilers.

Key words: Antimicrobial, Broiler chickens, Eichhornia crassipes, Immunity, Performance