Lead

Lead Latest News

Researchers at the ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN), Hyderabad, have found that exposure to lead can significantly disrupt the natural waste-clearing and recycling system of nerve cells. 

About Lead

• It is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust.
• Properties
  • It is a soft, silvery white or grayish metal in Group 14 (IVa) of the periodic table.
  • Lead has a bright lustre and is a dense, ductile, very soft, highly malleable, bluish-white metal that has poor electrical conductivity.
  • It is also highly resistant to corrosion and because of this property is used to contain corrosive liquids (e.g. sulphuric acid).
• Occurrence: It is usually found in ore with zinc, silver and copper and is extracted together with these metals.
• The main lead mineral is galena (PbS). Other common varieties include cerussite (PbCO3) and angelsite (PbSO4).
• Uses of Lead
  • It is used for lead-acid batteries for vehicles, backup emergency systems, the telecoms sector and fork lift trucks.
  • It is also used in rolled and extruded products, compounds in the glass and plastics industries, shot and ammunition and for radiation shielding.
• Impacts of Lead on Human Health
  • It is highly toxic to humans and the environment.
  • Exposure to lead can affect multiple body systems and is particularly harmful to young children and women of child-bearing age.

Source: TH

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