Ee. Conner et al., BIOAVAILABILITY OF LEAD FROM CONTAMINATED SEDIMENT IN NORTHERN BOBWHITES, COLINUS-VIRGINIANUS, Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology, 27(1), 1994, pp. 60-63
Sediment from Killarney Lake, Idaho was added to the diet of captive n
orthern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) to determine absorption of Pb
from contaminated sediment. The sediment, containing 4,500 mu g g(-1)
Pb dry weight (d.w.), was added to ground poultry ration at 8% dry mat
ter intake (DMI) for 21 days. Concentrations of Pb in blood, liver, an
d kidneys of each bobwhite were determined and compared to concentrati
ons in untreated control bobwhites. Treated bobwhites showed no signif
icant decline (P > 0.05) in food intake or body mass over time. In 90%
of treated bobwhites, blood Pb concentrations reached levels associat
ed with clinical Pb poisoning (> 0.8 mu g g(-1) wet weight, w.w.); and
all treated bobwhites had elevated liver and kidney Pb concentrations
. It was shown that tissue Pb accumulation can occur from ingestion of
Pb-contaminated sediment.