Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Lead Pellet Ingestion and Liver-Lead Concentrations in Upland Game Birds from Southern Ontario, Canada

  • Published:
Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

One-hundred twenty-three gizzards from upland game birds (chukar, Alectoris chukar; and common pheasant, Phasianus colchicus) harvested by hunters in southern Ontario, Canada, were examined for lead pellet ingestion by manual examination of gizzard contents and by radiography. Lead pellets were found to be ingested by chukars (6/76; 8%) and the common pheasant (16/47; 34%). Further, 13% (17/129) of the bird (wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo; Hungarian partridge, Perdix perdix; chukar; and common pheasant) livers analyzed had elevated lead concentrations (≥6 μg/g wet weight [ww]). Liver-lead concentrations above Health Canada’s guideline for human consumption of fish protein (<0.5 μg/g ww) were found in 40% (51/129) of livers analyzed. Data indicate that the ingestion of lead pellets in upland game birds and the potential consumption of lead-contaminated meat by humans are concerns related to the continued use of lead shotshell for hunting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • ATSDR (2005) Toxicological profile for lead (draft). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, US. Available at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp2.html; accessed 27 February 2007

  • Butler DA, Rufus BS, Draycott RAH, Carroll JP, Potts D (2005) Lead exposure in ring-necked pheasants on shooting estates in Great Britain. Wildl Soc Bull 33:583–589

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carey LS (1977) Lead shot appendicitis in northern native people. J Can Assoc Radiol 28:171–174

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clausen B (1992) Lead poisoning control measures in Denmark. IWRB Spec Pub 16:68–70

    Google Scholar 

  • Darling CTR, Thomas VG (2003) The distribution of outdoor shooting ranges in Ontario and the potential for lead pollution of soil and water. Sci Total Environ 313:235–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Durlach V, Lisovoski F, Gross A, Ostermann G, Leutenegger M (1986) Appendicectomy in an unusual case of lead poisoning. Lancet 1(8482):687–688

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Environment Canada (1997) Regulation amending the migratory birds regulations

  • Registration SOR/97-400. Environment Canada, Ottawa

  • Environment Canada (2000) Migratory bird regulations. Environment Canada, Ottawa

  • Frank A (1986) Lead fragments in tissues from wild birds: a cause of misleading analytical results. Sci Total Environ 54:275–281

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friend M (1985) Interpretation of criteria commonly used to determine lead poisoning problem areas. USFWS Leaflet 2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Guitart R, Serratosa J, Thomas VG (2002) Lead-poisoned wildfowl in Spain: a significant threat for human consumers. Int J Environ Health Res 12:301–309

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanning RM, Sandhu R, MacMillan A, Moss L, Tsuji LJS, Nieboer E (2003) Impact of blood lead levels of maternal and early infant feeding practices of First Nation Cree in the Mushkegowuk Territory of northern Ontario, Canada. J Environ Monit 5:241–245

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Health Canada (1991) Food and drug regulations. Table 1: division 15 (revised 14 February 1991). Health Canada, Ottawa

  • Health Canada (2002) Lead risk reduction strategy. Available at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/alt_formats/hecs-sesc/pdf/contaminants/lead-plomb/leadrisk_e.pdf; accessed 1 February 2006

  • Holdner J, Wainman BC, Jayasinghe RK, Van Spronsen E, Karagatzides JD, Nieboer E, Tsuji LJS (2004) Soil and plant lead of upland habitat used extensively for recreational shooting and game bird hunting in southern Ontario, Canada. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 73:568–574

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hubbard AW, Pocklington WD, Wood EC (1965) The lead content of game. J Assoc Public Anal 3:29–32

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen P, Asmund G, Riget F (2001) Lead contamination of seabirds harvested with lead shot – implications to human diet in Greenland. Environ Poll 112:501–504

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansen P, Asmund G, Riget F (2004) High human exposure to lead through consumption of birds hunted with lead shot. Environ Poll 127:125–129

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levesque B, Duchesne JF, Gariepy C, Rhainds M, Dumas P, Scheuhammer AM, Proulx JF, Dery S, Muckle G, Dallaire F, Dewailly E (2003) Monitoring of umbilical cord blood lead levels and sources assessment among the Inuit. Occup Environ Med 60:693–695

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madsen HHT, Kkjom T, Jorgensen PJ, Grandjean P (1988) Blood levels in patients with lead shot retained in the appendix. Acta Radiol 29:745–746

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Province of Ontario (1999) Ontario provincial offences. Justice of the Peace/1999 ed

  • Reddy ER (1985) Retained lead shot in the appendix. J Can Assoc Radiol 36:47–48

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rodrigue J, McNicoll R, Leclair D, Duchesne J-F (2005) Lead concentrations in ruffed grouse, rock ptarmigan, and willow ptarmigan in Quebec. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 49:97–104

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheuhammer AM, Norris SL (1995) A review of the environmental impacts of lead shotshell ammunition and lead fishing weights in Canada. Canadian Wildlife Service Occasional Paper No. 88, Ottawa

  • Scheuhammer AM, Perrault JA, Routhier E., Braune BM, Campbell GD (1998) Elevated lead concentrations in edible portions of game birds harvested with lead shot. Environ Poll 102:251–257

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scheuhammer AM, Bond DE, Burgess NM, Rodrigue J (2003) Lead and stable lead isotope ratios in soil, earthworms, and bones of American woodcock (Scolopax minor) from eastern Canada. Environ Toxicol Chem 22:2585–2591

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stevenson AL, Scheuhammer AM, Chan HM (2005) Effects of nontoxic shot regulations on lead accumulation in ducks and American woodcock in Canada. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 48:405–413

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas VG (1997) The environmental and ethical implications of lead shot contamination of rural lands in North America. J Agr Environ Ethics 10:41–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Nieboer E (1997) Lead pellet ingestion in First Nation Cree of the western James Bay region of northern Ontario, Canada: implications for a non-toxic shot alternative. Ecosyst Health 3:54–61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Nieboer E (1999) A question of sustainability in Cree harvesting practices: the seasons, technological and cultural changes in the western James Bay region of northern Ontario, Canada. Can J Native Stud 19:169–192

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Young J, Kozlovic DR (1998) Lead shot ingestion in several bird species of the western James Bay region of northern Ontario, Canada. Can Field-Nat 112:86–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Nieboer E, Karagatzides JD, Hanning RM, Katapatuk B (1999) Lead shot contamination in edible portions of game birds and its dietary implications. Ecosyst Health 5:183–192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Karagatzides JD, Katapatuk B, Kozlovic DR, Young J, Hanning RH, Nieboer E (2001) Elevated dentine lead levels in deciduous teeth collected from First Nation communities located in the western James Bay region of northern Ontario, Canada. J Environ Monit 3:702–705

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuji LJS, Karagatzides JD, Young J, Nieboer E (2002) Liver lead concentrations of several bird species from the western James Bay region of northern Ontario, Canada: Do the data support the Canadian nontoxic legislation? Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 69:309–313

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO/FAO (1999) Joint FAO/WHO 53 meeting: summary and conclusions. Committee on Food Additives, World Health Organization/Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome, p 21

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3G1

    N. Kreager & L. J. S. Tsuji

  2. Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, McMaster University, 1200 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5

    B. C. Wainman

  3. Jacques Whitford Limited, 3430 South Service Road, Suite 203, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, L7N 3T9

    R. K. Jayasinghe

Authors
  1. N. Kreager
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. C. Wainman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. K. Jayasinghe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. J. S. Tsuji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. J. S. Tsuji.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kreager, N., Wainman, B.C., Jayasinghe, R.K. et al. Lead Pellet Ingestion and Liver-Lead Concentrations in Upland Game Birds from Southern Ontario, Canada. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 54, 331–336 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9020-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00244-007-9020-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation