Tsuji Leonard J S, Wainman Bruce C, Martin Ian D, Sutherland Celine, Weber Jean-Philippe, Dumas Pierre, Nieboer Evert
Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Sci Total Environ. 2008 Nov 1;405(1-3):180-5. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.06.048. Epub 2008 Aug 3.
Although lead isotope ratios have been used to identify lead ammunition (lead shotshell pellets and bullets) as a source of exposure for First Nations people of Canada, the actual source of lead exposure needs to be further clarified. Whole blood samples for First Nations people of Ontario, Canada, were collected from participants prior to the traditional spring harvest of water birds, as well as post-harvest. Blood-lead levels and stable lead isotope ratios prior to, and after the harvest were determined by ICP-MS. Data were analyzed by paired t-tests and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests. All participants consumed water birds harvested with lead shotshell during the period of study. For the group excluding six males who were potentially exposed to other sources of lead (as revealed through a questionnaire), paired t-tests and Wilcoxon Signed-Ranks tests showed consistent results: significant (p<0.05) increases in blood-lead concentrations and blood levels of (206)Pb/(204)Pb and (206)Pb/(207)Pb towards the mean values we previously reported for lead shotshell pellets; and a significant decrease in (208)Pb/(206)Pb values towards the mean for lead shotshell pellets. However, when we categorized the group further into a group that did not use firearms and did not eat any other traditional foods harvested with lead ammunition other than waterfowl, our predictions for (206)Pb/(204)Pb, (206)Pb/(207)Pb and (208)Pb/(206)Pb hold true, but there was not a significant increase in blood-lead level after the hunt. It appears that the activity of hunting (i.e., use of a shotgun) was also an important route of lead exposure. The banning of lead shotshell for all game hunting would eliminate a source of environmental lead for all people who use firearms and/or eat wild game.
尽管铅同位素比率已被用于确定铅弹药（铅猎枪弹丸和子弹）是加拿大原住民接触铅的一个来源，但铅暴露的实际来源仍需进一步明确。在加拿大安大略省，于传统春季水鸟收获季节之前及收获之后，从参与者身上采集了全血样本。通过电感耦合等离子体质谱法测定收获前后的血铅水平和稳定铅同位素比率。数据采用配对t检验和威尔科克森符号秩检验进行分析。在研究期间，所有参与者都食用了用铅猎枪弹收获的水鸟。对于排除了六名可能接触其他铅源的男性（通过问卷调查发现）的组，配对t检验和威尔科克森符号秩检验显示了一致的结果：血铅浓度以及（206）Pb/（204）Pb和（206）Pb/（207）Pb的血水平显著（p<0.05）升高，趋向于我们之前报告的铅猎枪弹丸的平均值；而（208）Pb/（206）Pb值显著降低，趋向于铅猎枪弹丸的平均值。然而，当我们将该组进一步细分为一个既不使用枪支也不吃除水禽外其他用铅弹药收获的传统食物的组时，我们对（206）Pb/（204）Pb、（206）Pb/（207）Pb和（208）Pb/（206）Pb的预测成立，但狩猎后血铅水平没有显著升高。看来狩猎活动（即使用猎枪）也是铅暴露的一个重要途径。全面禁止在所有狩猎活动中使用铅猎枪弹，将消除所有使用枪支和/或食用野生动物的人接触环境铅的一个来源。
