Noise and Vibration in the Animal Vivarium and Research Labs as Threats to the 3Rs Goals of Refinement and Reduction

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Sources of vibration, noise, and ultrasonic noise in the animal facility include fluorescent lighting, computers, ventilated caging systems, bedding change stations, construction, etc. Noise and vibration serve as very efficient stressors for research animals, especially rodents, thereby serving as a potential stressor and a confounding variable for virtually every area of biomedical and behavioral research. A major concern with both noise and vibration in animal facilities is that neither is well controlled, managed, or even monitored/measured. Therefore, scientists and those charged with caring for lab animals are typically not aware of the impact these variables can have on their work. For example, much of the noise in our facilities is in the ultrasonic range, which we human observers cannot hear, and the noise meters we typically use cannot measure. This presentation will demonstrate how measuring and mitigating noise and vibration problems in the vivarium can Refine our animal models and Reduce the number of animals used.