Chronic lead exposure is epidemic in obligate scavenger populations in eastern North America

Environment International
Shannon BehmkeTodd Katzner

Abstract

Lead is a prominent and highly toxic contaminant with important impacts to wildlife. To understand the degree to which wildlife populations are chronically exposed, we quantified lead levels within American black vultures (Coragyps atratus; BLVU) and turkey vultures (Cathartes aura; TUVU), two species that are useful as environmental sentinels in eastern North America. Every individual sampled (n=108) had bone lead levels indicative of chronic exposure to anthropogenic lead (BLVU: x¯=36.99 ± 55.21 mg Pb/kg tissue (±SD); TUVU: x¯=23.02 ± 18.77 mg/kg). Only a few showed evidence of recent lead exposure (BLVU liver: x¯=0.78 ± 0.93 mg/kg; TUVU liver: x¯=0.55 ± 0.34 mg/kg). Isotopic ratios suggested multiple potential sources of lead including ammunition, gasoline, coal-fired power plants, and zinc smelting. Black and turkey vultures range across eastern North America, from Quebec to Florida and individuals may traverse thousands of kilometers annually. The extent to which vultures are exposed suggests that anthropogenic lead permeates eastern North American ecosystems to a previously unrecognized degree. Discovery of an epidemic of chronic lead exposure in such widespread and common species and the failure of soft-tissue sampling t...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 8, 2016·Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution·Jeff A JohnsonDavid P Mindell
Jan 31, 2019·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Vincent A SlabeTodd Katzner
Feb 6, 2020·Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry·Vincent A SlabeTodd Katzner
Mar 3, 2017·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Shannon BehmkeTodd Katzner
Sep 22, 2018·Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology·Kathrin GanzDavid Jenny
Nov 18, 2018·The Science of the Total Environment·Pablo I Plaza, Sergio A Lambertucci
Nov 2, 2020·Environmental Research·Ronnie LevinMary Jean Brown
Jul 1, 2021·Scientific Reports·Fernando BallejoSergio Agustín Lambertucci
Jul 11, 2021·The Science of the Total Environment·Björn HelanderAnders Bignert

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