Suspected PTFE toxicity in wild birds
Pennycott, T.W.; Middleton, J.D.
Veterinary Record 141(10): 255
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0042-4900 PMID: 9308153 Document Number: 482016
Over a 4-h-period in 1987, 80-100 wild birds (mostly sparrows Passer domesticus, but some starlings Sturnus vulgaris, blackbirds Turdus merula and song thrushes T. philomelos) and 10 of 15 budgerigars in an aviary, were found dead or dying. All were found in gardens in an area of the west Midlands, UK, about 200 m from an industrial plant which coated metal with paint containing PTFE. Problems at the plant around the time of the incident had led to the use of very high oven temperatures (up to 470 degrees C) being recorded; these are above the safe temperature of 260 degrees C at which PTFE undergoes pyrolysis and gives off toxic fractions. PM examinations showed extensive lung congestion and oedema; histopathology showed red blood cells and oedema in the lung parenchyma and tertiary bronchioles. No significant pathogens were detected. The circumstantial evidence implicated PTFE degradation products as the cause of death of these birds.