Lead in Birds

Franson, J. Christian; Pain, Deborah J.

doi:10.1201/b10598-17

Cited by 77 publications

(130 citation statements)

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“…We used an exposure threshold of femur lead concentrations <10 mg/kg dry weight as indicative of low exposure (reviewed in Franson and Pain 2011), 10 to 20 mg/kg dry weight as elevated, and concentrations >20 mg/kg dry weight as severe (bone lead concentrations >20 mg/kg dry wt have been observed after lethal poisonings in raptors; Rodriguez‐Ramos Fernandez et al 2011; Jenni et al 2015). However, the long‐term accumulation of lead in bone, the potential for recirculation of lead from bone to blood, and the difficulty of sampling bone from living birds complicate the inference of physiological responses to these concentration thresholds.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Frequency of Lead Exposure in the Population of an Endangered Australian Top Predator, the Tasmanian Wedge‐Tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)

Pay

Katzner

Hawkins

et al. 2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Lead poisoning, mainly through incidental ingestion of lead ammunition in carcasses, is a threat to scavenging and predatory bird species worldwide. In Australia, shooting for animal control is widespread, and a range of native scavenging species are susceptible to lead exposure. However, the prevalence of lead exposure in Australia's scavenging and predatory birds is largely unknown. We evaluated the degree to which the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax fleayi), an endangered Australian raptor and facultative scavenger, showed evidence of lead exposure. We detected lead in 100% of femur and liver tissues of 109 eagle carcasses opportunistically collected throughout Tasmania between 1996 and 2018. Concentrations were elevated in 10% of 106 liver (>6 mg/kg dry wt) and 4% of 108 femur (>10 mg/kg dry wt) samples. We also detected lead in 96% of blood samples taken from 24 live nestlings, with 8% at elevated concentrations (>10 μg/dL). Of the liver samples with elevated lead, 73% had lead 207/206 isotope ratios within the published range of lead-based bullets available in Tasmania. These first comprehensive data on lead exposure of an Australian raptor are comparable to those for raptor studies elsewhere that identify lead-based ammunition exposure as a conservation threat. Our findings highlight the importance of further research and efforts to address lead contamination throughout the Tasmanian ecosystem and in other Australian regions.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Frequency of Lead Exposure in the Population of an Endangered Australian Top Predator, the Tasmanian Wedge‐Tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)

Pay

Katzner

Hawkins

et al. 2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Data taken from Komoroske et al (2011), Gaus et al (2012); Camacho et al (2014a), and Villa et al (2017). Horizontal lines indicate thresholds defined as follows: As toxicity in humans (500 ng/g; Saha et al 1999); Cd toxicity in avian species (260 ng/g; Wayland and Scheuhammer 2011); Pb, 200 ng/g is background level in avian species and 500 ng/g is clinical poisoning in avian species (Stout et al 2010; Franson and Pain 2011); Ni, 3 to 7 ng/g is background concentration in humans (Gaus et al 2012); Se weight loss in avian species (900 ng/g; O'Toole and Raisbeck 1997; Stout et al 2010); and V, 0.05 ng/g is background concentration in humans (Gaus et al 2012). Gray‐shaded areas are concentrations documented in green sea turtles from the Howick Islands, a relatively undisturbed region in Australia used as a reference population (Villa et al 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trace Element Concentrations in Blood and Scute Tissues from Wild and Captive Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Shaw

Lynch

Balazs³

et al. 2020

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Sea turtles are exposed to trace elements through water, sediment, and food. Exposure to these elements has been shown to decrease immune function, impair growth, and decrease reproductive output in wildlife. The present study compares trace element concentrations in green turtles in captivity at Sea Life Park Hawaii (n = 6) to wild green turtles in Kapoho Bay, Hawaii, USA (n = 5-7). Blood and scute samples were collected and analyzed for 11 elements via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Selenium was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in the blood of captive turtles compared with wild turtles, whereas V, Ni, and Pb were significantly greater in the blood of wild turtles. In scute, V, Cu, Se, and Cr were significantly greater in captive turtles, whereas As was significantly greater in wild turtles. Pelleted food fed to the captive turtles and representative samples of the wild turtle diet were analyzed via ICP-MS to calculate trophic transfer factors and daily intake values. Wild turtles had greater estimated daily intake than captive turtles for all elements except Cu and Se. Because captive turtles are fed a diet very different from that of their wild counterparts, captive turtles do not represent control or reference samples for chemical exposure studies in wild turtles. No toxic thresholds are known for sea turtles, but rehabilitation and managed care facilities should monitor sea turtle elemental concentrations to ensure the animals' health.

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“…Lead (Pb) is regarded as a priority pollutant by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR 2014) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA 2014). This heavy metal is common in contaminated ecosystems (Steinnes 2013) and has been extensively used by humans for centuries (Franson and Pain 2011) in a non-renewable way (Harrison 2012). In ecosystems, Pb is ubiquitous at all levels and is incorporated into the food chain through the atmosphere, soil, water, plants and animal tissues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In live animals (blood) and corpses (tissues), concentrations of Pb serve as an indicator of exposure to this heavy metal. According to Franson and Pain (2011), the basal hepatic concentration of Pb in birds (Anseriformes, Falconiformes and Columbiformes) is less than 2 mg kg -1 (ww), whereas clinical exposure is considered to have taken place at above 6 mg kg -1 (ww). Clinical signs of Pb poisoning in birds have been described by several authors (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lead in terrestrial game birds from Spain

Romero

José²,

Theureau

et al. 2019

Environ Sci Pollut Res

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We analysed exposure to Pb and its relationship with lead-based ammunition in seven species of terrestrial game birds-Common Woodpigeon (Columba palumbus), Rock Dove (Columba livia), Stock Dove (Columba oenas), European Turtle-dove (Streptopelia turtur), Red-Legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa), Barbary Partridge (Alectoris barbara) and Common Quail (Coturnix coturnix)-from rural and urban areas in different parts of Spain

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Lead in Birds

Cited by 77 publications

References 1 publication

High Frequency of Lead Exposure in the Population of an Endangered Australian Top Predator, the Tasmanian Wedge‐Tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)

High Frequency of Lead Exposure in the Population of an Endangered Australian Top Predator, the Tasmanian Wedge‐Tailed Eagle (Aquila audax fleayi)

Trace Element Concentrations in Blood and Scute Tissues from Wild and Captive Hawaiian Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Lead in terrestrial game birds from Spain

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