Potential hazard to human health from exposure to fragments of lead bullets and shot in the tissues of game animals

Deborah J Pain; Ruth L Cromie; Julia Newth; Martin J Brown; Eric Crutcher; Pippa Hardman; Louise Hurst; Rafael Mateo; Andrew A Meharg; Annette C Moran; Andrea Raab; Mark A Taggart; Rhys E Green

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010315

Potential hazard to human health from exposure to fragments of lead bullets and shot in the tissues of game animals

Deborah J Pain
, Ruth L Cromie
, Julia Newth
, Martin J Brown
, Eric Crutcher
, Pippa Hardman
, Louise Hurst
, Rafael Mateo
, Andrew A Meharg
, Annette C Moran
, Andrea Raab
, Mark A Taggart
, Rhys E Green

School of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

115 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lead is highly toxic to animals. Humans eating game killed using lead ammunition generally avoid swallowing shot or bullets and dietary lead exposure from this source has been considered low. Recent evidence illustrates that lead bullets fragment on impact, leaving small lead particles widely distributed in game tissues. Our paper asks whether lead gunshot pellets also fragment upon impact, and whether lead derived from spent gunshot and bullets in the tissues of game animals could pose a threat to human health.

Original language	English
Article number	e10315
Pages (from-to)	e10315
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	5
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010315
Publication status	Published - 2010

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Agricultural and Biological Sciences
General Biochemistry,Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Medicine

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10.1371/journal.pone.0010315

Cite this

Pain, D. J., Cromie, R. L., Newth, J., Brown, M. J., Crutcher, E., Hardman, P., Hurst, L., Mateo, R., Meharg, A. A., Moran, A. C., Raab, A., Taggart, M. A., & Green, R. E. (2010). Potential hazard to human health from exposure to fragments of lead bullets and shot in the tissues of game animals. PLoS ONE, 5(4), e10315. Article e10315. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010315

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abstract = "Lead is highly toxic to animals. Humans eating game killed using lead ammunition generally avoid swallowing shot or bullets and dietary lead exposure from this source has been considered low. Recent evidence illustrates that lead bullets fragment on impact, leaving small lead particles widely distributed in game tissues. Our paper asks whether lead gunshot pellets also fragment upon impact, and whether lead derived from spent gunshot and bullets in the tissues of game animals could pose a threat to human health.",

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AU - Crutcher, Eric

AU - Hardman, Pippa

AU - Hurst, Louise

AU - Mateo, Rafael

AU - Meharg, Andrew A

AU - Moran, Annette C

AU - Raab, Andrea

AU - Taggart, Mark A

AU - Green, Rhys E

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AB - Lead is highly toxic to animals. Humans eating game killed using lead ammunition generally avoid swallowing shot or bullets and dietary lead exposure from this source has been considered low. Recent evidence illustrates that lead bullets fragment on impact, leaving small lead particles widely distributed in game tissues. Our paper asks whether lead gunshot pellets also fragment upon impact, and whether lead derived from spent gunshot and bullets in the tissues of game animals could pose a threat to human health.

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DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0010315

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Potential hazard to human health from exposure to fragments of lead bullets and shot in the tissues of game animals

Abstract

UN SDGs

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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