Effects of lead-contaminated sediment and nutrition on mallard duckling behavior and growth.

Sediment ingestion has become a recognized exposure route for toxicants in waterfowl. The effects of lead-contaminated sediment from the Coeur d'Alene River Basin (CDARB) in Idaho were evaluated on mallard (Anas platyryhnchos) duckling behavior and growth over a 5-wk period using time-activity budgets. Day-old ducklings received either a clean sediment (24%) supplemented control diet, CDARB sediment (3449 microg/g lead) supplemented diets at 12% or 24%, or a positive control diet (24% clean sediment with equivalent lead acetate to the 24% CDARB diet).

Effects of lead-contaminated sediment and nutrition on mallard duckling brain growth and biochemistry.

Day-old mallard (Anas platyryhnchos) ducklings received either a clean sediment (24%) supplemented control diet, Coeur d'Alene River Basin, Idaho (CDARB) sediment (3449 microg/g lead) supplemented diets at 12% or 24%, or a positive control diet (24% clean sediment with equivalent lead acetate to the 24% CDARB diet) for 6 weeks. The 12% CDARB diet resulted in a geometric mean concentration of 396 ppb (WW) brain lead with decreased brain protein and ATP concentrations but increased oxidized glutathione (GSSG) relative to the control diet. The 24% CDARB diet resulted in a concentration of 485 ppb brain lead with lower brain weight and ATP concentration than controls but higher concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) and calcium.