Hunting with lead: Association between blood lead levels and wild game consumption

Iqbal, Shahed; Blumenthal, Wendy; Kennedy, Chinaro; Yip, Fuyuen; Pickard, Stephen P.; Flanders, W. Dana; Loringer, Kelly; Kruger, Kirby; Caldwell, Kathleen L.; Brown, Mary Jean

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2009.08.007

Cited by 109 publications

(73 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Lead fragments in gut piles from these and other game animals present risks to scavengers (Krone 2011). The ingestion of lead fragments from rifle-killed meat by humans is the latest component of this growing awareness of serious lead exposure (Dobrowolska and Melosik 2008;Kosnett 2009;Iqbal et al 2009;Knott et al 2010;Pain et al 2010), a risk that can be prevented by use of lead-free rifle ammunition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lead-Free Hunting Rifle Ammunition: Product Availability, Price, Effectiveness, and Role in Global Wildlife Conservation

Thomas

2013

AMBIO

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Proposals to end the use of lead hunting ammunition because of the established risks of lead exposure to wildlife and humans are impeded by concerns about the availability, price, and effectiveness of substitutes. The product availability and retail prices of different calibers of lead-free bullets and center-fire rifle ammunition were assessed for ammunition sold in the USA and Europe. Lead-free bullets are made in 35 calibers and 51 rifle cartridge designations. Thirty-seven companies distribute internationally ammunition made with lead-free bullets. There is no major difference in the retail price of equivalent lead-free and lead-core ammunition for most popular calibers. Lead-free ammunition has set bench-mark standards for accuracy, lethality, and safety. Given the demonstrated wide product availability, comparable prices, and the effectiveness of high-quality lead-free ammunition, it is possible to phase out the use of lead hunting ammunition world-wide, based on progressive policy and enforceable legislation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lead-Free Hunting Rifle Ammunition: Product Availability, Price, Effectiveness, and Role in Global Wildlife Conservation

Thomas

2013

AMBIO

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“…Indeed, regular consumption of meat from game animals hunted with Pb ammunition has been associated with increased human blood Pb levels (Bjerregaard et al, 2004;Iqbal et al, 2009); and recently, the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition recommended that children under six years old and pregnant women do not eat meat from animals killed with Pb ammunition because of the potential for negative effects on the developing central nervous system (AESAN, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reducing Pb poisoning in birds and Pb exposure in game meat consumers: The dual benefit of effective Pb shot regulation

Mateo

Vallverdú-Coll

López-Antia

et al. 2014

Environment International

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The use of lead (Pb) ammunition in the form of shot pellets has been identified as a Pb exposure risk in wildlife and their human consumers. We explore the hypothesis that Pb shot ban enforcement reduces the risk of avian Pb poisoning as well as Pb exposure in game meat consumers. We assessed compliance with a partial ban on Pb shot commencing in 2003 by examination of 937 waterbirds harvested by hunters between 2007 and 2012 in the Ebro delta (Spain). Prevalence of Pb shot ingestion was determined, as were Pb concentrations in liver and muscle tissue to evaluate the potential for Pb exposure in game meat consumers. Hunted birds with only embedded Pb shot (no steel) declined from 26.9% in 2007-08 to b2% over the following three hunting seasons after ban reinforcement. Pb shot ingestion in mallards decreased from a pre-ban value of 30.2% to 15.5% in the post-ban period. Liver Pb levels were predominantly defined by the presence of ingested shot, whereas muscle levels were defined by the presence of both ingested and embedded shot. Only 2.5% of mallard muscle tissue had Pb levels above European Union regulations for meat (0.1 μg/g wet weight) in the 2008-09 season, when Pb shot ingestion prevalence was also at a minimum (5.1%). Effective restrictions in Pb ammunition use have a dual benefit since this reduces Pb exposure for game meat consumers due to embedded ammunition as well as reducing Pb poisoning in waterbirds.

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“…When wild game animals are killed with lead projectiles, hundreds of lead fragments are dispersed throughout the carcass and packages of processed wild game are reported to contain lead fragments (Hunt et al 2009). There is also a correlation between subsistence hunters using lead projectiles and elevated levels of lead in the blood (Tsuji et al 2008;Iqbal et al 2009;Fachehoun et al 2015). Since there is no safe level of lead exposure (Canfield et al 2003;WHO 2009), this lead exposure through hunting may be a significant public health concern and one that is avoidable (Buenz 2016).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumption of wild-harvested meat from New Zealand feral animals provides a unique opportunity to study the health effects of lead exposure in hunters

Buenz

Parry

Peacey

2016

Ambio

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Hunting with lead: Association between blood lead levels and wild game consumption

Cited by 109 publications

References 30 publications

Lead-Free Hunting Rifle Ammunition: Product Availability, Price, Effectiveness, and Role in Global Wildlife Conservation

Lead-Free Hunting Rifle Ammunition: Product Availability, Price, Effectiveness, and Role in Global Wildlife Conservation

Reducing Pb poisoning in birds and Pb exposure in game meat consumers: The dual benefit of effective Pb shot regulation

Consumption of wild-harvested meat from New Zealand feral animals provides a unique opportunity to study the health effects of lead exposure in hunters

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