Toxicity of Ingested Bismuth Alloy Shot in Game-farm Mallards

Abstract

In a 30-day study involving penned game-farm mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), no harmful health effects were detected from dosing with either six, No. 4, bismuth/tin (Bi/Sn) alloy shot or six, No. 4, steel (Fe) shot, as compared with sham (0 shot) dosing. Survival, hematocrit (Hct) values, body weight, and mean weights of kidneys, livers, gonads, and gizzards were not affected. Mean concentrations of nutritionally essential elements (calcium [Ca], phosphorous [P], magnesium [Mg], zinc [Zn], copper [Cu], Fe, and Sn) were different among doses and between sexes in kidneys, livers, and gonads. However, concentrations of these elements in these organs and tissues in Bi-dosed ducks were not different from both 0- and Fe-dosed ducks. Bi/Sn alloy shot, as tested in this study, elicited no indications of toxicity in game-farm mallard ducks.

Acute Toxicity of Ingested Zinc Shot to Game-farm Mallards

“…Ca deficiencies can result in bone disorders, reduced growth and performance, reduced egg production and hatchability, and eggshell thinning (Underwood 1981); however, values in our study were similar to those previously reported by other researchers (Sanderson et al 1997a;Fairbrother et al 1990). Mean kidney and liver Ca concentrations in Fe-dosed ducks in our study were similar to those Sanderson et al (1997a) reported for 0-and Fe-dosed Mallards.…”

“…Kidney Cu levels were higher in Znas compared with Fe-dosed Mallards, and were higher in Zn-dosed ducks that survived to 30 days than in those that died during the experiment. Mean renal Cu concentrations in Fedosed ducks in our study were similar to those in 0-dosed ducks in a previous study (Sanderson et al 1997a); however, levels in Zn-dosed ducks were greatly elevated by comparison. French et al ( 1987) found that kidney Cu levels did not differ between Znand sham-dosed Mallards.…”

“…Liver pathology has been noted in sheep with increased serum and accumulated hepatic Cu concentrations (Ishmael et al 1971). Mean hepatic Cu concentrations in our Zn-dosed ducks were higher in females and lower in males, respectively, compared with those reported for female and male sham-dosed Mallards (Sanderson et al 1997a). We observed higher liver Cu levels in male as opposed to female ducks, as was previously reported by Sanderson et al (1997a).…”

“…6 pure Zn pellets (French et al 1987). Shot dissolution ranged from 38.2% to 96.4% of the original dose in Bi-dosed ducks, with no differences between the sexes, and from 38.0% to 89.6% in Fe-dosed ducks, with females dissolving a greater proportion of the original shot weight than males (Sanderson et al 1997a). Pb-dosed ducks, all of which had died within 14 days of dosing, lost an average of 31.4% of the original shot weight (Sanderson et al 1997b).…”

Thermal Characteristics, Mechanical Properties, In Vitro Degradation and Cytotoxicity of Novel Biodegradable Zn–Al–Mg and Zn–Al–Mg–xBi Alloys

“…Gao et al [29] evaluated the cytotoxicity of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) nanosheets, and they indicated that BiOCl had no cytotoxicity at low concentrations. Sanderson et al [30] reported no toxic effects of Bi shot embedded in the breast muscles of game-farm mallards. However, further investigations, including in vivo biocompatibility evaluations [31], are required to further understand and verify the biocompatibility of the zinc alloy containing Bi.…”