How Lead Poisons Our Environment
Scope Environmental Management Research and information centre (SEMRIC) Karachi, has compiled a report on lead and its adverse impact on Environment. The report prepared by Research Coordinator Sadaf Hafeez at SEMRIC by compiling available data and information from various national and international sources concludes that excessive quantum of lead is existing in the environment. Human health is being affected by lead -poisoning which gets access in the human body through blood, body tissues, and bone marrow.
Elevated blood lead levels have been linked to a wide range of health problems with particular concern focusing on young children.
Lead is a toxic metal dispersed in environment in the form of fine dust or vapours, and enters into the body by air, water and food, lead is accumulative poison. Small but constant intake of lead results in its accumulation in the body and eventually may reach a point where the symptoms of associated disease may appear, such as: constipation, anaemia, gastrointestinal disturbance and gradual paralysis in the muscles. It has neuro-toxic effect which include irreversible brain damage, severe retardation and even death.
Source of Lead
About 19,000 tones/year lead is emitted globally in the air from different sources such as mining, smelting, recycling or disposal of metals, from air, soil, food, water, gasoline etc.
Gasoline
The main source of atmospheric lead is massive use of leaded gasoline. The purpose of lead addition in gasoline, in the form of tetraethyl lead (TEL), is to boost the octane (anti-knock) properties of gasoline. Though lead does increase the octane rating of gasoline and ensure a cleaner burning engine, the benefit is bought at the cost of serious health hazards, especially for children in cities.
In Pakistan average quantity of lead in Petrol is 0.4mg/L in regular Petrol and 0.6-0.8 mg/L in super petrol, against he WHO’s maximum permissible prescribed safe limit of 0.2mg/L
Lead Acid Storage Battery
The manufacturing of led batteries is assumed to be the largest consuming industry. This industry uses both metallic lead and lead oxide. The metallic lead is used in the grids and posts while oxide litharge (Pbo), red lead (Pb3O4) and grey oxide are used in the active material pasted on the pasted on the plates.
Cosmetics and Home Remedies
Use of lead in cosmetic and home remedies appears to be common throughout developing world, some remedies, like empacho in Mexico, are used for stomach ailments, since one symptom of lead poisoning is stomach pain, use of remedy may exacerbate the symptom.
Turmeric Powder (spice used to flavour Indian Curries) contains approximately 40% lead.
Cosmetic containing up to 95% lead, like Surma mostly used in Asian Countries mainly India and Pakistan.
Water
Human’s exposure to lead through water is generally low in comparison with exposure through air and food under some circumstance. The concentration of lead in drinking water can become extremely high. The lead in water may come from internal domestic plumbing or lead lined storage tanks. Contamination also occurs in houses with copper due to the lead based solder joints.
Liked it
