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Health Effects Of Lead
The long-term health effects of lead can be severe. They include decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, and even brain damage. If caught early, these effects can be limited by reducing the exposure to lead and by medical care.
- Children are at a greater risk from exposure to lead than adults for the following reasons:
- Children absorb and retain a larger percentage of ingested lead per unit of body weight than adults, which increases the toxic effects of the lead.
- Children's brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
- Frequent hand-to-mouth activity brings a child into greater contact with lead in the environment, especially in lead dust and soil.
- The long-term health effects of lead can be severe. They include decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, and even brain damage. If caught early, these effects can be limited by reducing the exposure to lead and by medical care.
- The body mistakes lead for calcium, so if the body does not contain enough calcium and iron, it is more likely to absorb lead. Children who get enough calcium, and iron, absorb less lead than children not taking enough calcium and iron. Also, more lead is absorbed on an empty stomach.
- Ingestion and inhalation are the major routes of exposure for both children and adults.
- Once in the body, lead is distributed via the bloodstream to other parts of the body. Lead concentrates in the bones to a much greater extent than anywhere else. Lead also accumulates in the liver and kidneys more than other soft organs. Unlike some chemicals than are cleared from the body relatively quickly, lead stays in the body, is stored primarily in the bones and slowly leaches into the blood.
- Although lead is stored primarily in the bones, it is particularly toxic to the reproductive system, the nervous system, the blood and the kidneys.
- It takes more than 25 years for one half of the lead in bones to leave the body. 25 days for one half of the lead in the blood to leave, and 40 days for one half of the lead in other organs to leave.
- Long after exposure has ceased, some physiological event such as illness or pregnancy may release stored lead from the bone and produce adverse health effects.
Unit: Solid Waste & Toxics Unit
Barbara Ross
E-Mail: ross.barbara@epamail.epa.gov
(206) 553-1985
Phone Number: (206) 553-1985
Last Updated (mm/dd/yy): 05/18/2006
Lead
http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/OWCM.NSF/lead/pbhealth |
