Lead : New study
Researchers at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, have found that exposure to lead can significantly disrupt the natural waste-clearing and recycling system of nerve cells.
- Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust.
- It is a soft, silvery white or grayish metal in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table.
- Lead has a bright lustre and is a dense, ductile, very soft, highly malleable, bluish-white metal that has poor electrical conductivity.
- It is also highly resistant to corrosion and because of this property is used to contain corrosive liquids (e.g. sulphuric acid).
- It is usually found in ore with zinc, silver and copper and is extracted together with these metals.
- The main lead mineral is galena (PbS). Other common varieties include cerussite (PbCO3) and angelsite (PbSO4).
- It used for lead-acid batteries for vehicles, backup emergency systems, the telecoms sector and fork lift trucks.
- It is also used in rolled and extruded products, compounds in the glass and plastics industries, shot and ammunition and for radiation shielding.
- Impacts of Lead on Human Health:
- It is highly toxic to humans and the environment.
- Exposure to lead can affect multiple body systems and is particularly harmful to young children and women of child-bearing age.
