Identifying Environmental Lead Hazards to Explain Variabilities in Blood Lead Levels of Wildlife Sentinels Using GIS and Implications for Public Health

Abstract

Due to the persistence of lead in the environment, even with the strides to reduce lead contamination, lead poisoning is still a significant issue to both human and wildlife health. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), this study explores the associations between blood lead levels (BLLs) in wildlife sentinels and locations of possible environmental lead exposures in and near the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota area. Results of this study suggest that road density has an impact on the blood lead levels of our study species of Virginia opossums, gray squirrels, and pigeons. Studying the relationship between animal sentinels and environmental hazards can give us insight into the possible health impacts on humans. The use of wildlife sentinel data, environmental hazard locations, and GIS provides a way to effectively incorporate all components of One Health and to better address public health questions.