“Be a part of the solution not part of the Pollution !” Lead is a heavy metal that is found in Earth’s crust. It is a naturally occurring metal. It has the capability to change from solid-state to a liquid state under atmospheric pressure and due to having a low melting point is transformed into a gaseous state as well. All these cumulatively point to it as a pollutant creating Pollution.
Introduction:
Lead is a chemical element with the symbol ‘Pb’ - which comes from Latin Plumbum. It has an Atomic Number of 82 and an Atomic Mass Number of 207.20. It is denser than most common materials, soft and malleable. It can be found naturally in the environment as well as in manufactured products.
Naturally present in soil and water, was once widely used in petrol, plumbing, paint, and other consumer products. Prolonged exposure to the chemical started to create health issues. For any amount equal or higher than 5 micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) in the blood can be toxic to humans and animals. Since then efforts have been made to reduce its use.
History:
The element Lead was discovered in Turkey in 6500 BC
In 100 BC Greek physician gave a clinical description of Lead
In 1854, Tetraethyl lead was discovered by German Chemist
The half-Life of Lead: 20 Days - Blood, 40 Days - Soft Tissue, 20 Years: Bone
Industrial Revolution had the peak of lead emissions in the atmosphere
Facts:
Lead can be inhaled
Tetraethyl lead can be absorbed via the skin.
Few day-to-day sources of lead are food, soil, water, paints, gasoline, industrial sources, motor vehicles, etc
Humans may be exposed to lead from air pollution directly, through inhalation
It can come in contact through the ingestion of lead that has settled out from the air onto soil or dust
Lead can stay on the soil for a very long time - hundreds or even thousands of years
Impact Analysis:
Lead distributes in the entire body in the blood and accumulates in the bones
Lead can impact the nervous system, immune system, kidney function, reproductive and developmental systems, and the cardiovascular system
Lead has the capability to combine with other metals to inhibit photosynthesis in plants
Data:
Study some data and statistics here on officials sites:
Preventive Measures:
Consume more amount of Calcium and Iron in your diet
Avoid Smoking
Be very careful and safe in disposing of the lead batteries
Use Unleaded Petrol
The ones working in industries should always wear the proper outfit when soldering
Conclusion:
Lead is considered to be both a primary as well as a secondary pollutant due to its adverse effects on public health and the environment. Each country or state has its own preventive measures and amendments signed in order to control Lead Pollution. These regulations are revised and updated every required interval of time depending on the amount of lead-exposed and used.
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