Lead Poisoning

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Lead is widespread in the environment, reflecting the many uses we have for it. Exposure to lead has decreased dramatically since its use in house paints and gasoline was banned.
Lead and its compounds are quite toxic. Metallic lead generally converted to Pb2+ in the body. Lead can damage the brain, liver, and kidney. Extreme cases can be fatal.
Lead poisoning is especially harmful to children. Some children develop a craving that causes them to eat unusually things, and children with the syndrome called ‘pica’ eat chips of peeling lead-based paints.
Large amount of Pb2+ in a child’s blood can cause mental retardation, behavior problems, anemia, hearing loss, developmental delays, and other physical and mental problems.
Adults can excrete about 2 mg of lead per day. If intake exceeds excretion, however, lead builds up in the body and chronic irreversible led poisoning results.

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