Lead in tissues of mallard ducks dosed with two types of lead shot
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
By: M. T. Finley, M. P. Dieter, and L. N. Locke
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Abstract
Mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were sacrificed one month after ingesting one number 4 all-lead shot or one number 4 lead-iron shot. Livers, kidneys, blood, wingbones, and eggs were analyzed for lead by atomic absorption. Necropsy of sacrificed ducks failed to reveal any of the tissue lesions usually associated with lead poisoning in waterfowl. Lead levels in ducks given all-lead shot averaged about twice those in ducks given lead-iron shot, reflecting the amount of lead in the two types of shot. Lead in the blood of ducks dosed with all-lead shot averaged 0.64 ppm, and 0.28 ppm in ducks given lead-iron shot. Lead residues in livers and kidneys of females given all-lead shot were significantly higher than in males. In both dosed groups, lead levels in wingbones of females were about 10 times those in males, and were significantly correlated with the number of eggs laid after dosage. Lead levels in contents and shells of eggs laid by hens dosed with all-lead shot were about twice those in eggs laid by hens dosed with lead-iron shot. Eggshells were found to best reflect levels of lead in the blood. Our results indicate that mallards maintained on a balanced diet and dosed with one lead shot may not accumulate extremely high lead levels in the liver and kidney. However, extremely high lead deposition may result in the bone of laying hens after ingesting sublethal amounts of lead shot as a result of mobilization of calcium from the bone during eggshell formation.
Suggested Citation
Finley, M.T., Dieter, M.P., and Locke, L.N., 1976, Lead in tissues of mallard ducks dosed with two types of lead shot: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, v. 16, no. 3, p. 261-269, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01685887.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Lead in tissues of mallard ducks dosed with two types of lead shot |
| Series title | Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology |
| DOI | 10.1007/BF01685887 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Publication Date | August 31, 2013 |
| Year Published | 1976 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 9 p. |
| First page | 261 |
| Last page | 269 |