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Noise as an Extrinsic Variable in the Animal Research Facility
Jeremy G Turner1, John R Manker1
1Turner Scientific Monitoring, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Summary
Animal research facilities present significant noise challenges due to HVAC systems, hard surfaces, and equipment. Addressing acoustic variability can improve animal welfare and research reproducibility.
Area of Science:
- Laboratory Animal Science
- Acoustic Engineering
- Biomedical Research
Background:
- Animal research facilities are inherently noisy due to high air exchange rates, hard, reverberant surfaces, and husbandry tasks.
- Equipment like ventilated caging and biosafety cabinets contribute to background noise, including ultrasound.
- The resulting acoustic environment is unnatural and stressful for animals, potentially confounding research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the impact of noise in animal research facilities.
- To emphasize the need for understanding and controlling acoustic variables.
- To improve animal welfare and research reproducibility.
Main Methods:
- Review of noise sources in animal housing.
- Analysis of acoustic properties of facility construction.
- Identification of husbandry and equipment-related noise contributors.
Main Results:
- Noise levels are elevated by HVAC, reverberant materials, and daily tasks.
- Modern equipment adds to the acoustic challenges, including ultrasound.
- Acoustic variability poses a significant confounder for research reproducibility.
Conclusions:
- Understanding acoustic variables is crucial for improving animal welfare.
- Controlling noise can enhance the reliability and reproducibility of animal studies.
- Addressing noise aligns with the 3Rs goals (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) in biomedical research.
