Lead poisoning

Lead poisoning, also known as saturnism, is a condition where there is too much lead in the body. Lead interferes with many processes. It is toxic to many organs and tissues, including the bones and brain. The half-life of lead in these tissues is measured in weeks for blood, months for soft tissues, and years for bone.[1] Lead in the bones, teeth, hair, and nails is bound tightly and not available to other tissues, and is generally thought not to be harmful.[2] In adults, 94% of absorbed lead ends up in the bones and teeth, but children only store 70% in this way, a fact which may partially account for the more serious health effects on children.[3]

In 2013, lead is believed to have resulted in 853,000 deaths worldwide.[4]

Causes

The risk of lead poisoning is very small in developed countries.[5] However, lead might be used in paints, petrol or food containers in some countries where it might be legal, such as in developing countries. Other ways a person can be exposed is[5] from:

  • lead pipes
  • a lead water tank
  • pipework with lead fittings

Causing the water supply to be contaminated.

One important cause of lead poisoning in the past was the leaded car fuel. The fuel companies added lead tetraethyl in petrol (US: gasoline) as it prevented knocking (premature ignition, also known as "dieseling") on petrol engines. The lead tetraethyl burned into lead oxide, which then spred in the air. The result was a widespread pollution of air in villages, town, and cities, and also pollution of the ground as rain brought the lead oxide down.

It is assumed all people in developed countries, born between 1945 to 1990, show some symptoms of lead poisoning because of the leaded car fuel. When this was observed, using lead as anti-knock stuff was prohibited. The crime statistics have come down after leaded car fuel was forbidden.

Symptoms

Symptoms of lead poisoning include coughing, fatigue, and severe dehydration.

Exposure to lead can be harmful especially to unborn babies and young children. Infants and young children absorb a bigger percentage of lead from sources than adults.[5] The signs and symptoms in young children can include:[5]


Although children are at increased risk of the effects of lead poisoning, exposure can also result in illness in adults. Symptoms in adults can include:[5]

Treatment

Treatment of the condition is usually to remove the source of lead. Animals sometimes from lead poisoning. Mostly, children are at risk for this condition.

References

  1. ↑ Karri, Surya K.; Saper, Robert B.; Kales, Stefanos N. (2008). "Lead Encephalopathy Due to Traditional Medicines". Current Drug Safety. 3 (1): 54–59. doi:10.2174/157488608783333907. PMC 2538609. PMID 18690981.
  2. ↑ "Environmental and nutritional pathology". Rubin's Pathology: Clinicopathologic Foundations of Medicine (5th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. 2008. p. 266. ISBN 978-0-7817-9516-6.
  3. ↑ Barbosa, Fernando; Tanus-Santos, José Eduardo; Gerlach, Raquel Fernanda; Parsons, Patrick J. (December 2005). "A Critical Review of Biomarkers Used for Monitoring Human Exposure to Lead: Advantages, Limitations, and Future Needs". Environmental Health Perspectives. 113 (12): 1669–1674. doi:10.1289/ehp.7917. ISSN 0091-6765. PMC 1314903. PMID 16330345.
  4. ↑ "Lead poisoning". www.who.int. Retrieved 2024-05-25.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Lead poisoning". NHS inform - Scot. 2024.


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