| Abstract
| - The sources and risk factors for lead exposure to humansare relatively well recognized, yet much less is knownabout lead exposure risks and effects to wildlife. Here weutilized lead isotopic fingerprinting to investigate sourcesof elevated lead exposure to Laysan albatross (Phoebastriaimmutabilis) chicks in the Midway Island National WildlifeRefuge, which was established on the site of a decommissioned military base that previously had undergone leadremediation. Whole blood from chicks as well as soiland paint chips from the chicks' nests were collected frombirds nesting close to (<5 m, building site) and distantfrom (>100 m, reference site) buildings and analyzed forlead levels and isotopic compositions using magnetic sectorICP-MS. Blood lead levels of chicks from the buildingsite had a geometric mean of 190 μg/dL (average = 320± 310 SD, range = 6.8−1400, n = 21) as compared to 4.5 μg/dL (average = 6.0 ± 4.2 SD, range = 1.2−13, n = 15) inchicks from the reference site. Nest soil lead levels from bothsites were similar and relatively low (0.05−11 μg/g)unless visibly contaminated with paint chips (buildingsite). Isotopic analyses confirmed that leaded paint wasthe source of lead poisoning in these chicks and showedthat the pathway of exposure was via direct ingestionof paint chips and not through contaminated soil. This studyfound continued risk to wildlife and possibly humansfrom lead hazards in a wildlife refuge established on adecommissioned military base. In addition, this studydemonstrates the utility of lead isotopes to identifyenvironmental lead hazards and exposure pathways towildlife.
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