A recent report in the journal Neurology notes that people who were exposed to lead many years ago may develop progressive, ongoing brain degeneration and injury.

Why is this study important? In an editorial in the same journal, Andrew Roland, PhD summarizes it nicely when he says: “Exposure to inorganic lead, like that found in paint, is still an important public health problem. In addition, those of us who grew up before the late 1970s still carry high levels of lead in our bodies. We need more studies addressing the potential chronic health effects of those exposures.”

The study looked at workers who were exposed to lead while working in a chemical plant in New Jersey. On average, the workers were exposed 18 years previously. Despite the fact the exposure occurred years earlier, the researchers found brain damage characterized by:

• smaller brain volume
• severe and extensive white matter lesions

“It’s one of the first studies that shows that an exposure in the distant past can affect the brain and cause what we call progressive changes,” Dr. Walter Stewart of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health told Reuters in an interview.

What Jobs are Associated with Lead Poisoning?

• Producing or smelting lead
• Melting and casting brass, copper or lead
• Demolishing old structures
• Stripping or sanding old paint
• Welding old, painted metal
• Machining and grinding lead alloys
• Manufacturing batteries
• Repairing radiators
• Handling scrap metal
• Soldering lead
• Using indoor firing ranges
• Mixing ceramic glazes

However, here are some sources from the home which can lead to poisoning:

• Lead-Based Paint-Present on many surfaces in homes not recently rebuilt or remodeled
• Lead Pipes-More common in older homes
• Lead Solder -On pipes and water heaters
• Enameled or Ceramic Pots and Dishware-Improper glazing can leech lead into foods
• Paper Wrappings-Holiday paper and party decorations (10g/kg)
• Food Packages-Polythene plastic bags, flour bags(20mg/kg),cardboard boxes with dyes (50mg/kg)
• Candy Packaging-Candy bar wrappers(7g/kg), Colored sports trading cards packaged with gum(88mg/kg)

Importantly, while it has been commonly believed amongst neurologists that children’s brains are much more susceptible to inorganic lead poisoning than adults (For example, it is well known that childhood lead exposure leads to lower IQs, multiple cognitive and behavioral problems), Dr. Stewart notes, however, that “We have evidence to suggest that inorganic lead is probably toxic to adults”.

Share This Post: