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Published in:
2013 | OriginalPaper | Chapter
43. Lead Exposure and Health Risk to Human
Authors : Hanzhou Hao, Rugang Zhong, Yongxing Wang, Chenwu Liu, Xuebin Zhong
Published in: Informatics and Management Science IV
Publisher: Springer London
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Abstract
Exposure to lead causes a number of diseases, including mild mental retardation resulting from loss of IQ points, as well as increased blood pressure, gastrointestinal effects. Several other disease outcomes have been associated with exposure to lead, but evidence is considered insufficient at this time for a quantitative assessment of their impact on health to be made here. Lead, due to its multiplicity of uses (e.g. leaded petrol, lead in paints, ceramics, food cans, make-up, traditional remedies, batteries), is present in air, dust, soil and water to varying degrees. Each of these media can act as a route of human exposure, through ingestion or inhalation and, to a small degree for organic lead compounds, dermal absorption. Human exposure can be assessed directly, through body burden measurements (lead in blood, teeth or bone) or indirectly, by measuring levels of lead in the environment (air, dust, food or water).