Lead contamination of Greenland seabirds from the use of lead shot pellets

In general lead levels in Greenland biota are very low and for species and tissues eaten not of concern to human health. However, earlier studies have found unexpected high lead levels in human blood in Greenland and the source has not been identified. A likely source is fragments of lead shot pellets in birds hunted, as has been identified in the Canadian Arctic and shown in a previous study of thick-billed murre hunted at Nuuk. These fragments may be eaten directly or may leach lead to bird tissues during cooking.(See NERI Technical Report No. 299).

In the project further studies will be conducted on thick-billed murre hunted at Nuuk in winter and the project will be extended to cover also common eider. To assess possible biological effects the study on eiders will also include frequency of embedded lead shot, gizzard surveys and lead in wing-bones.