Is Lead Good Or Bad

Lead is a metallic element with the atomic number of 82 which makes it the 82nd element on the periodic table. The luster of this element is a bluish-white. This extremely soft type of metal is greatly malleable and is a poor conductor of electricity. Lead is very resistant to corrosion when exposed to air; however, it tends to tarnish upon air exposure. The relative atomic mass for lead is 207.2 g/m and it also has a standard state of solid at 298 K. Lead falls in group 14 on the periodic table and its period on the periodic table is 6. “Pure lead is almost never found in nature; rather, it is found bonded with other compounds. Its most common form as an ore is galena, which is lead sulfide, a gray metallic ore”. (Waskey, 2008).
Lead was

first discovered in the ancient times. The origin name is from the Latin word, plumbum. The atomic symbol, Pb, comes from the word plumbum which comes from the word liquid silver. Lead has been known for centuries and is even mentioned in the book of Exodus. Experimenters believed lead to be the oldest metal and associated it with the planet Saturn.
Lead is used in many common everyday items and in industrial substances and materials.

The metal and the dioxide of lead are used in many types of batteries. Lead used to be found in ammunition, but is no longer used in ammunition today because lead bullets actually burst upon contact instead of go through the intended target. Therefore, people struck by these bullets get lead poisoning and suffer rather than them dying from impact or giving them the chance to fully recover. In addition, lead bullets are harmful to the environment. Lead was also used for plumbing purposes; especially in the roman times. It is also used to contain hazardous liquids due to its resistance to corrosion. Lead used to be used for an insolation for cables. This element was a key ingredient in pesticides which means it was consumed by humans before they found the alternative ingredient. Lead was used in many alloys and is actually still used today. Solder is an alloy composed of tin and lead. Most alloys contain 60% tin and 40%; on the other hand, plumbing materials use more lead. Plumber’s solder consists of a 50/50 composition of lead and

tin.
“Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust.

While it has some beneficial uses, it can be toxic to humans and animals causing of health effects” (EPA, 2014). Lead can also be found in all parts of our environment such as the air, the soil, the water, and even in our homes. The general public encounters lead in everyday resources such as fossil fuels, leaded gasoline, some types of industrial facilities, and lead-based paint. There is a wide variety of products that contains lead such as our homes, including paint, ceramics, pipes and plumbing materials, solders, gasoline, batteries, ammunition, and cosmetics. Lead is a hazardous element that is used in many goods. Most people should be aware of becoming infected with lead poisoning derived from everyday items like paint, water, and

cosmetics.
Children and Adults should be more aware of the effects of lead poisoning. “Although the effects of lead exposure are a potential concern for all humans, young children are most at risk” (Reagan and Silbergeld, 1989). Therefore, children should be most cautious of lead because their bodies engross more than adults do and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to damage. Also, “children may also be exposed to lead by eating and drinking food or water containing lead or from dishes or glasses that contain lead, inhaling lead dust from lead-based paint or lead-contaminated soil or from playing with toys with lead paint” (EPA, 2014). Lead poising can cause behavioral problems, anemia, liver, kidney damage in young children. “They also can be more highly exposed to lead because they often put their hands and other objects that can have lead from dust or soil on them into their mouths” (EPA, 2014). In adults, lead poisoning can cause, poor muscle coordination, nerve damage to the sense organs and nerves controlling the body, increased blood pressure, hearing and vision impairment, reproductive problems and more. Also adults can be exposed to lead by eating and drinking food or water containing lead or from dishes or glasses that contain lead. Symptoms of lead poisoning are persistent fatigue, irritability, and loss of appetite, stomach discomfort, and reduced attention span Insomnia. “Failure to treat lead poisoning in the early stages can cause long-term or permanent health damage” (EPA, 2014).
Homes built around 1978 could contain lead-based paint “Although lead paint is not used in houses anymore, about 40% of the houses still contain lead” (EPA, 2014).