ScrAPES: Lead Poisoning
Author: Mark Fischetti
Link: http://ogoapes.weebly.com/uploads/3/2/3/9/3239894/lead_exposure_on_the_rise_despite_decline_in_poisoning_cases_scientific_american.pdf
Many scientists believed that the regulations that were set in the 1970's have taken the burden of lead poisoning out of our society. However, the levels of lead in our bodies are still two levels away from being normal. These levels are still high enough to see significant damage in our brain and other systems of our bodies especially in children. With the elderly, it is worse as their demineralizing bones which release calcium, have also been releasing lead that have been stored. Because lead isn't able to degrade, it will just accumulate into it's surroundings. Lead is still even in many pipes where our "fresh" water is supposed to go.
I found this article pretty interesting. Through this article, I found that you can never be too careful. This article has shown that regulations don't truly eliminate the causes as they are still available in the environment. Because of this article, I'm starting to rethink what I do as in taking cold showers and using cold water as it is supposedly suppose to contain less lead.
Stronger laws or making more laws about having lead in them would probably lessen our amount of lead in our bodies. In the 1970's they only banned led in our gas and paint. What would also help would be to change how we live such as taking using cold water as it contains less lead. |