Help with Lead Poisoning?

Question

Person with the most comprehensive answers get 10pts

What happens to a person who has lead poisoning?
What part of our bodies does lead mostly affect?
Why is lead poisoning still a problem today?
How does lead affect young children?
Why are children more susceptible to lead poisoning?
How can we prevent lead poisoning?

Answer 1

1:The symptoms of chronic lead poisoning include neurological problems, such as reduced IQ, nausea, abdominal pain, irritability, insomnia, excess lethargy or hyperactivity, headache and, in extreme cases, seizure and coma. There are also associated gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, poor appetite, weight loss, which are common in acute poisoning. Other associated affects are anemia, kidney problems, and reproductive problems.

In humans, lead toxicity sometimes causes the formation of a bluish line along the gums, which is known as the "Burton's line", although this very uncommon in young children. Blood film examination may reveal "basophilic stippling" of red blood cells, as well as the changes normally associated with iron deficiency anemia (microcytosis and hypochromia).

A direct link between early lead exposure and extreme learning disability has been confirmed by multiple researchers and child advocacy groups.

2: Lead has no known biological role in the body. The toxicity comes from its ability to mimic other biologically important metals, the most notable of which are calcium, iron and zinc. Lead is able to bind to and interact with the same proteins and molecules as these metals, but after displacement, those molecules function differently and fail to carry out the same reactions, such as in producing enzymes necessary for certain biological processes.

Most lead poisoning symptoms are thought to occur by interfering with an essential enzyme Delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, or ALAD. ALAD is a zinc-binding protein which is important in the biosynthesis of heme, the cofactor found in hemoglobin. Genetic mutations of ALAD cause the disease porphyria, a disease which was highlighted in the movie The Madness of King George. Lead poisoning is sometimes mistaken for porphyria but the distinction is that lead poisoning usually causes anemia while true porphyria does not.

3, 4, 5: Lead is all around us, even today. The main sources of poisoning are from ingestion of lead contaminated soil (this is less of a problem in countries that no longer have leaded gasoline) and from ingestion of lead dust or chips from deteriorating lead-based paints. This is particularly a problem in older houses where the sweet-tasting lead paint is likely to chip, but deteriorating lead-based paint can also powder and be inhaled. Small children also tend to teeth and suck on painted windowsills as they look outside. In most American states, landlords and those selling such houses are required to inform the potential residents of the danger.

Lead has also been found in drinking water. It can come from plumbing and fixtures that are either made of lead or have trace amounts of lead in them. Exposure to lead may also come from bullet fragments in game meat hunted with lead bullets. Lead bullet fragments (as opposed to lead-free copper alternatives) which are left behind in gut piles from hunted animals have been shown to cause lead toxicity in California Condors, Common Ravens, Bald and Golden Eagles, and possibly in mammalian scavengers such as wolves and bears. There is also evidence to suggest that lead bullet fragments penetrate the edible portions of game meat exposing hunters and those who eat game hunted with lead bullets to lead ingestion.

Lead can also be found in some imported cosmetics such as Kohl, from the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and some parts of Africa, and Surma from India. There are also risks of elevated blood lead levels caused by folk remedies like Azarcon which contains 95 percent lead and is used to "cure" empacho. For more information about less common causes of elevated blood lead levels.

6: We need to continue to remove the sources of lead all around us.

Answer 2

Today's pencils have something called graphite. So lead isn't really a problem now.

Answer 3

it goes into our bloodstream...but that is all i know. except maybe it flows to the heart...they have already started preventing it, by using liquid graphite or something like that in pencils

Answer 4

is this supposed to be like homework? i could help you out, but for the reason that it might be questions off of homework, sorry, i wont. maybe you'll find somebody who'll do your homework for free. hehehe... good luck though!

Answer 5

I know the answers but I think you need to look them up.

Answer 6

dont use it there aint many things made of it anymore