THE PREVALENCE AND RETENTION OF LEAD PELLETS IN JAPANESE-QUAIL

Thirty-six Japanese quail (18 control birds, 18 lead-dosed birds) were used. The 18 quail were dosed with #4 lead weight that were orally in serted into the proventriculus. Delta-aminolevulunic acid dehydrase (A LAD) activity in erythrocytes in the dosed quail decreased 90% (p < 0. 01) after one week as compared with the undosed quail. This inhibition of ALAD activity in erythrocytes indicates lead exposure. Radiographi cs were obtained at 0, 1, 4, 9, 22, and 32 days. The lead pellets rema ined in the gizzard and became smaller in 4 days. At day 22, after the lead treatment, in 8 quail of the treated quail 12, the lead pellets disappeared. At day 32, all lead pellets disappeared. These findings i ndicate that the ingested lead pellets are absorbed gradually in the i ntestine. The lead concentrations in the blood, liver, kidney, and fem ur of the lead-dosed quail were significantly higher than in the undos ed quail until the 6th week. At week 2, the lead concentration of the proventriculus, gizzard, gizzard contents, duodenum, small intestine, and cecum in the dosed quail was significantly higher. Lead concentrat ion of feces was significantly higher at weeks 2 and 4 (p < 0.01). Thr oughout this study, no lead pellets were found in the feces.