Dogs as indicators of urban lead distribution

Lead (Pb) concentrations in 398 samples of dog whole blood were determined by atomic absorption method. All samples were within the normal range of values reported in literature, 95% of the samples had <8.0 μg/100 ml lead. The correlation between blood lead level and the volume of traffic was highly significant. About 11% of the variability in concentration can be explained by the traffic flows near the animal's home. The findings confirm that traffic contributes a significant portion of the total inhaled lead. The use of dogs as environmental lead monitors is discussed. It is concluded that in non-occupational situations a survey of lead in blood of dogs may serve as a feasible, low-cost alternative to large-scale surveys of humans.