Finkelstein Myra E, Gwiazda Roberto H, Smith Donald R
Department of Ocean Sciences, 1156 High Street, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA.
Environ Sci Technol. 2003 Aug 1;37(15):3256-60. doi: 10.1021/es026272e.
The sources and risk factors for lead exposure to humans are relatively well recognized, yet much less is known about lead exposure risks and effects to wildlife. Here we utilized lead isotopic fingerprinting to investigate sources of elevated lead exposure to Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) chicks in the Midway Island National Wildlife Refuge, which was established on the site of a decommissioned military base that previously had undergone lead remediation. Whole blood from chicks as well as soil and paint chips from the chicks' nests were collected from birds nesting close to (<5 m, building site) and distant from (>100 m, reference site) buildings and analyzed for lead levels and isotopic compositions using magnetic sector ICP-MS. Blood lead levels of chicks from the building site had a geometric mean of 190 microg/dL (average = 320 +/- 310 SD, range = 6.8-1400, n = 21) as compared to 4.5 microg/dL (average = 6.0 +/- 4.2 SD, range = 1.2-13, n = 15) in chicks from the reference site. Nest soil lead levels from both sites were similar and relatively low (0.05-11 microg/g) unless visibly contaminated with paint chips (building site). Isotopic analyses confirmed that leaded paint was the source of lead poisoning in these chicks and showed that the pathway of exposure was via direct ingestion of paint chips and not through contaminated soil. This study found continued risk to wildlife and possibly humans from lead hazards in a wildlife refuge established on a decommissioned military base. In addition, this study demonstrates the utility of lead isotopes to identify environmental lead hazards and exposure pathways to wildlife.
人类铅暴露的来源和风险因素相对已得到较好的认识，但对于铅暴露对野生动物的风险和影响却知之甚少。在此，我们利用铅同位素指纹图谱法，对中途岛国家野生动物保护区内黑背信天翁（Phoebastria immutabilis）雏鸟铅暴露水平升高的来源进行了调查，该保护区建立在一个先前已进行过铅污染治理的退役军事基地旧址上。我们从筑巢于靠近建筑物（<5米，建筑工地）和远离建筑物（>100米，参考地点）的鸟类身上采集了雏鸟的全血以及雏鸟巢中的土壤和油漆碎片，并使用磁扇形电感耦合等离子体质谱仪分析了铅含量和同位素组成。来自建筑工地的雏鸟血铅水平几何平均值为190微克/分升（平均值 = 320 ± 310标准差，范围 = 6.8 - 1400，n = 21），而来自参考地点的雏鸟血铅水平为4.5微克/分升（平均值 = 6.0 ± 4.2标准差，范围 = 1.2 - 13，n = 15）。两个地点的巢土铅含量相似且相对较低（0.05 - 11微克/克），除非明显被油漆碎片污染（建筑工地）。同位素分析证实，含铅油漆是这些雏鸟铅中毒的来源，并表明暴露途径是直接摄入油漆碎片，而非通过受污染的土壤。本研究发现，在一个建立在退役军事基地上的野生动物保护区内，铅危害对野生动物乃至可能对人类仍存在持续风险。此外，本研究证明了铅同位素在识别环境铅危害及野生动物暴露途径方面的实用性。
