Data for: "Assessing the toxicity of lead from recreational fishing gear to Daphnia magna"

It can be difficult to determine how much lead they release and how harmful it is, so simpler forms of lead are sometimes used as a substitute, but it is not clear whether this reflects real-world conditions. In this study, different types of fishing weights were tested to see how much lead they release into water at both cold and warm temperatures.

Their effects were also compared to a common dissolved form of lead using a small freshwater organism, the water flea (Daphnia magna). The results showed that fishing weights can release high levels of lead—well above recommended safety limits—and also release other metals such as zinc and cadmium. While short-term exposure did not cause immediate death, longer-term exposure reduced growth and reproduction.