Windblown Lead Carbonate as the Main Source of Lead in Blood of Children from a Seaside Community: An Example of Local Birds as “Canaries in the Mine”

Background: In late 2006, the seaside community in Esperance, Western Australia, was alerted to thousands of native bird species dying. The source of the lead was thought to derive from the handling of Pb carbonate concentrate from the Magellan mine through the port of Esperance, begun in July 2005. Concern was expressed for the impact of this process on the community. Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the source of Pb in blood of a random sample of the community using Pb isotope ratios. Methods: The cohort comprised 49 children (48 20 years of age) with a bias toward higher blood lead (PbB) values to facilitate source identification. Results: Mean PbB level of the children was 7.5 μg/dL (range, 1.5-25.7 μg/dL; n = 49; geometric mean, 6.6 μg/dL), with four children whose PbB was > 12 μg/dL. The isotopic data for blood samples lay around two distinct arrays. The blood of all children analyzed for Pb isotopes contained a contribution of Pb from the Magellan mine, which for young children ranged from 27% up to 93% (mean, 64%; median, 71%). Subtraction of the ore component gave a mean background PbB of 2.3 μg/dL. Several children whose PbB was > 9 μg/dL and most of the older subjects have complex sources of Pb. Conclusions: The death of the birds acted as a sentinel event; otherwise, the exposure of the community, arising from such a toxic form of Pb, could have been tragic. Isotopic data and mineralogic and particle size analyses indicate that, apart from the recognized pathway of Pb exposure by hand-to-mouth activity in children, the inhalation pathway could have been a significant contributor to PbB for some of the very young children and in some parents.7 page(s

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

58 hlm., 29 c

Disability Service Act 1986

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Map of South Australia with adjacent colonies [cartographic material] : showing the direct line of telegraphic communication between Adelaide & London, 1882 /

Map of Australia with an emphasis on South Australia showing towns and capitals, existing and proposed railways, telegraph lines, and distances. The Overland Telegraph extends from Port Augusta up to Darwin across the Northern Territory of South Australia [i.e. Northern Territory], completed in Aug. 1872 and joined by the Western telegraph line running from Eucla to Port Augusta (the line from Perth to Eucla is not shown on the map), completed in 1877. In addition, the map shows two explorer's routes that join the northern telegraph line - Peter Warburton's 1873 route from Alice Springs west across the Great Sandy Desert to the West Australian coast; and, surveyor John Forrest's 1874 route from Geraldton, travelling west to east through the arid western centre. The inset of South Australia emphasises the main transport links through the state showing the main railway lines and their stations, including a Table of Stations above Sea level, listing each alphabetically with their altitude in feet.; Includes: Table of distances in miles.; Also available in an electronic version via the Internet at: http://nla.gov.au/nla.map-rm1163. Inset: Enlarged portion of the more thickly settled part of South Australia, showing railways, anchorages of the "P. & O." and other ocean steamers and coast lights. Scale not given

'Join us on the Farm Front!' poster

This World War II poster shows a young man and young woman standing in a field, each holding a gardening tool, with the message "Join us on the Farm Front" across the top and "Be a victory farm volunteer of the U.S. Crop Corps" at the bottom. This style of poster was designed to promote how civilians could contribute to the war effort in everyday life

and Minister of Soldier Settlement Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Police and Emergency Services Minister of Health.,

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