Lead contamination in mining areas in Western Ireland II.—Survey of animals, pastures, foods and waters

Abstract

Abstract The determination of detectable amounts of lead contamination in blood, foods and biological materials has been a recent problem in relation to the operation of lead mining in the West of Ireland. Following the mining activities, the incidence of lead contamination was investigated in the following ways: (i) lead values in viscera, blood and faeces of dead animals and control of lead contamination in blood, faeces and milk of live animals in mining areas; (ii) examination of pastures in areas adjoining mining operations and road dust; (iii) analysis of foods, milks and waters in the mine vicinity; and (iv) lead content in workers blood due to exposure in mines. Investigations under (i), (ii) and (iii) are dealt with in this paper. As a result of the toxicity results found in the laboratory, the mining authorities instituted precautionary steps in the mining operations to eliminate lead ‘fallout’.