title: Lead poisoning risk for dairy cows in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, Brazil.
abstract: The lead (Pb) isotopes ²⁰⁶Pb and ²⁰⁸Pb are the final products of the radioactive decay of ²³⁸U and ²³²Th, respectively. Soils in the municipalities of Pedra and Venturosa, Brazil, present high levels of these radionuclides. We hypothesized that forage plants growing in these soils may take up high amounts of Pb and, consequently, intoxicate dairy cows. To test this, we quantified Pb concentrations in 23 forage samples from this region. Pb concentrations varied from 5 to 344 mg kg⁻¹. The highest values are one order of magnitude above the reported limit, therefore, indicating high risk of Pb contamination for dairy cows.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Radioecologia (RAE)-Departamento de Energia Nuclear, DEN-UFPE Avenida Professor Luiz Freire, 1000 Cidade Universitária, Recife, CEP-50740-540, Brazil. cleomacio@ig.com.br
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Amaral
authors.forename: F C A
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Tabosa
authors.forename: J A S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Júnior
authors.forename: R S C
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Menezes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002980:Climate; D003612:Dairying; D004032:Diet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000737:chemistry; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012987:Soil; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D007854:Lead