Toxicity of ingested bismuth alloy shot in game-farm mallards

Abstract

We detected no effects on game-farm mallards of dosing with 6 No.4 Bi shot or 6 No. 4 Fe shot, as compared with 0-dosed (control) ducks and with each other, on survival to 30 days post dosing, Hct values, body weight, or in the mean weights of kidneys, livers, gonads, and gizzards. All 240 Bi-dosed shot (6 shot in each of 40 ducks) were probably retained during the study. As many as 10 of the 240 Fe shot were probably dissolved, but they may have been voided. Dissolution rates for both Fe and Bi shot from DIy 0 to Day 30 were highly variable among ducks. The average dissolution rates were 70.2% for Bi shot and 61.1% for Fe shot. Females dissolved a higher percentage of the Fe shot than males, and males dissolved a higher percentage of Bi shot than Fe shot. Levels of Bi and Pb were determined in kidneys, livers, and gonads. There was 6.96 ppm, wet weight, Bi in kidneys, 2.23 ppm Bi in livers, and 0.468 ppm Bi in gonads of Bi-dosed ducks. Amounts of Pb in Bidosed ducks were 0.313 ppm in kidneys, 0.157 ppm in livers, and 0.096 ppm in gonads. Pb in the Bi shot averaged 0.00945%. Levels of Ca, P, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Sn were determined in kidneys, livers, gonads, blood plasma, and blood cells. There were several significant differences in the mean amounts of these elements among doses and between sexes; however, amounts of these elements in these organs and tissues in Bi-dosed ducks were not different from both 0-and Fe-dosed ducks. Many of the differences were sex related. Fe was higher in kidneys and livers of Fe-dosed ducks 3 than in 0-and Bi-dosed ducks and was much higher in the gonads of females than in males. Ca was higher in the livers of 0-dosed ducks than in Fe-and Bi-dosed ducks, was higher in the plasma of females than in males, and was up to 17 times higher in gonads of females than in males. Cu was higher in the livers and kidneys of males than in females. The MDL for Sn in the kidneys was 9.47 ppm;6 of 120 kidneys had Sn above the MDL. This study detected no toxic effects of dosing 6 No. 4 Bi shot in game-farm mallards.

Influence of Diet on the Hematology and Serum Biochemistry of Zinc-Intoxicated Mallards

“…Heterophilias can be indicative of inflammatory diseases as well as toxicities, and are often the cause of leucocytosis, the magnitude of which often reflects the extent of the inflammatory response (Campbell, 1994). The slight heterophilia observed in control ducks was consistent with the mild inflammatory changes considered normal for farm-raised mallards (Sanderson et al, 1997b). Marked heterophilia in Zn-dosed ducks was consistent with the gastrointestinal lesions observed in this study, as well as gross and microscopic lesions reported by Levengood et al (1999) for mallards dosed with six Zn shot pellets of the same size and composition.…”

“…Diet, including ingestion of soil and grit, can have a dramatic effect on Pb shot erosion and Pb absorption, retention, and excretion rates, and can be important in mitigating the toxic effects of ingested Pb (Sanderson and Bellrose, 1986). Dietary components such as calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and protein, along with the size and hardness of food items, are important in determining the susceptibility of ducks to lead poisoning through the ingestion of Pb shotshell pellets (Jordan, 1968;Sanderson and Bellrose, 1986). Evidence indicates that lead-poisoned ducks may select a diet that may help alleviate lead toxicosis (Jordan, 1968).…”

“…Evidence indicates that lead-poisoned ducks may select a diet that may help alleviate lead toxicosis (Jordan, 1968). Mayak et al (1981) reported that kidney lesions in cadmiumdosed ducks were less severe in wood ducks fed a high protein diet, and protein level is considered perhaps the most critical dietary factor determining susceptibility of Pb poisoning (Sanderson and Bellrose, 1986). Diet might also influence Zn toxicosis in waterfowl, given the essential nature of Zn to living organisms, resistance of birds to high Zn concentrations, known antagonisms between Zn and elements such as calcium, copper (Cu), Fe, and P, and the influence of other dietary inhibitors, such as phytate, lignin, and hemicellulose on Zn absorption (Becker and Hoekstra, 1971;Eisler, 1993;Walsh et al, 1994).…”

Hematological Effects and Metal Residue Concentrations Following Chronic Dosing With Tungsten-Iron and Tungsten-Polymer Shot in Adult Game-Farm Mallards

“…Bell et al (1965) and Sturkie (1976) reported that lowered hematocrit was associated with egg production in birds. Similar results were reported by Sanderson et al (1997) in that female mallards repeatedly dosed with eight #4 bismuth alloy shot had a decline in average hematocrit during reproduction. Tungsten has been shown to have no effect on hematocrit in short-term studies (Ͻ32 days) using game-farm mallards (Ringelman et al, 1993;Kelly et al, 1998).…”

Acute Toxicity of Bismuth to the Earthworm <i>Eisenia andrei</i>

“…Some toxicity studies showed that Bi as one of the least harmful metals to human and wild animal life [13][14][15][16]. Others suggested that more experimental evidences are needed on the environmental behavior and toxicity of Bi [4,17].…”