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Lead Levels in Blood from Cattle Residing near a Lead Smelter
Author(s) -
Neuman D.R.,
Dollhopf D.J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1992.00472425002100020005x
Subject(s) - herd , zoology , lead smelting , forage , veterinary medicine , biology , whole blood , lead exposure , smelting , chemistry , medicine , ecology , immunology , cats , organic chemistry
Concentrations of Pb in whole blood from 222 cattle ( Bos tarus L.) representing nine herds were determined. Lead blood levels were significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) elevated for herds near a primary lead smelter compared to a background herd. Herd Pb blood levels were significantly correlated to distance from the smelter ( r = −0.86), and to soil Pb concentrations ( r = 0.96). They were also moderately correlated ( r = 0.61) to vegetation Pb levels. Soil may be more important than forage as a source of Pb for these cattle. Immature cattle, less than 1 yr old, had higher ( P ≤ 0.05) Pb blood levels than mature cattle. A total of 15 animals (all immature) exhibited Pb blood values above 35 µ g dL −1 . Twenty‐one animals had elevated (22–35 µ g dL −1 ) Pb blood levels. Most cattle (80%) tested near the smelter and all cattle from the background herd had Pb blood levels in the normal diagnostic range (1–21 µ g dL −1 ).