Hi All!
Writing to you from Northern California today and we are experiencing some rain. I know this isn't really a big deal for some of you in other parts of the country. But California has been in an epic drought recently and any rain we receive out here the west coast is good.
Recently, I was able to brush up on some of my Hazardous waste certifications for a contract that is starting soon. And it feels good to share and give back any information to the Steemit community. So I thought that I would share with you some of the information I received from my training.
One of the highlights of my re-certification was a portion about health and prevention of toxic poisoning. There is a spectrum of natural and man-made items that can potentially contribute to the disruption of your health, that you can simply accumulate from your environment. Simply said... the more you know the better off you will be.
A huge contribute to toxicity in the environment is none other than LEAD.
This small and common element is everywhere. It literally occurs naturally and has been used in various forms since the start of human civilization.
As you can see once lead is mined it can be molded into a variety of forms. From there it can easily become absorbed by your body. But more of that later.
Why Lead?
Simply, because it's versatility in use. Mankind has been using lead for approximately 6,000 years and it's speculated that lead mining predates the Bronze age.
The natural physical qualities of lead include the following:
- low melting point
- easy to form carbon mental bonds
- holds pigmentation of paints and cosmetics
- stands up well to the environment
- corrosion resistance
There was many reasons our ancestors used this easy to find metal. It's evidence of widespread use is found in ancient artifacts discovered in places throughout the world and dating up to 6,000 years old.
Lead's Toxic Past
Some of the first reports of lead poisoning were from the Greek philosophers. Nikander of Colophon recorded the symptoms of colic (abdominal pain with nausea and vomiting) and anemia in 250 B.C. due to lead poisoning.
Lead poisoning was considered a disease of the wealthy because most of the manufactured utensils, cookware, wine urns and plumbing for drinking water ancient Rome was leaden. In fact the word "Plumbing is from the Latin-base of "Plumbum" which means lead.
Lead has a sweet flavor and was used to sweeten the taste of many wines and foods in ancient Rome.
This is a contrast to our society today where lead poisoning is considered a disease for low-income and the poor.
Protect Yourself from Lead
The World Health Organization (WHO) considers lead exposure a continued major public health concern. Even though the majority of lead products are not manufacture anymore lead was in such high use it has become one of the most widely scattered toxic metals. Combined with a long environmental persistence and low loss of toxicity lead can never fully be removed.
How are people exposed to Lead?
Inhalation - The burning, recycling, stripping, use of Tetraethyl-lead (lead Gasoline).
Ingestion - water (from leaded pipes), food (from lead-glazed or lead-soldered containers and dishes) and lead dust.
Skin contact - Lead can be absorbed through the skin by cosmetics and lead impacted dirt.
It enters the bloodstream and wreaks havoc on the internal systems.
How does lead cause the damage to our bodies?
The best way I seen this explained was in a resource on bio-markers that was given to me during my training about lead poisoning in the following:
"On a molecular level, proposed mechanisms for toxicity involve fundamental biochemical processes. These include lead's ability to inhibit or mimic the actions of calcium (which can affect calcium-dependent or related processes) and to interact with proteins (including those with sulfhydryl, amine, phosphate and carboxyl groups)"
A Critical Review of Biomarkers Used for Monitoring Human Exposure to Lead: Advantages, Limitations, and Future Needs
What Can You Do?
Get in contact with your local city or State health department about proper testing of home paints, dust and dirt for lead contamination.
Make sure that your children are not exposed to peeling paints with lead in it. Most homes that were built prior to 1978 have been painted with lead-based paints.
Women that are pregnant shouldn't even be present in a home that is under renovation or construction. During pregnancy the fetus is susceptible to concentrated levels environmental toxins.
If you find any lead contamination create a barrier to prevent anyone, including children from entering that space.
Regularly wash your hand after exposure to dirt and prevent your children from playing in the dirt. Most urban areas are heavily impacted with lead contamination. The best practice is allow them to play in an area with a sandbox or that is barked.
Mop and wet-wipe dust frequently. Leaded dust is a huge contributor elevated levels of detectable lead.
Remove your shoes prior to entering your home. Growing up in an Asian family this is second nature to me and it makes sense to prevent tracking any dirt or lead throughout your home.
Keep a keen eye on your water and have it tested periodically even in urban areas. Even today there are reports of lead contamination and lead poisonings from drinking water. My suggestion is to actively test your water.
All right, you all are GREAT and I thank you for reading my post. It is my pleasure to share and help educate.
Please leave your comments and share any additional information you may have on this subject.
... And of course Stay Safe!
Resources:
Hi I'm Josh Fischbach I live in the Yosemite area and working in the Environmental Industry. I'm interested in health, better living and Sci-Fi. (TNG RULES!). Check out my Intruduction Post.
