Lead is one the oldest and most prevalent poisons found in the earth's atmosphere.  Lead inhalation produces serious heath problems, ranging form lowered IQs to heart disease.

Lead inhalation and poisoning can come from many sources.  Two of the most common are automotive exhausts and house paint.  Other sources include: lead pipes, seams of food cans, ceramic glazes, batteries, and cosmetics, as well as lead mining, smelting, and coal combustion.

Exposure to lead can be extremely harmful.  Consequences include damage to the brain, kidneys, reproductive system, and cardiovascular system.  Lead poisoning, even in small doses, can also significantly reduce the IQs of young children.  Still more adverse effects are: aggressive behavior, delinquency, and attention disorders in children, and increased blood pressure and hypertension in adults -- conditions that increase the risk of heart disease.

High lead levels are found in people of both developed and developing countries.  However, it is poor populations that suffer most from the negative health effects of lead.  Exposure is generally higher for these groups and, due to their living conditions, continued exposure is more likely.  For example, living by busy roads in urban areas might make the poor more susceptible to automotive fumes; likewise, living in older housing might increase their exposure to lead-based paint.  Finally, the human stomach better absorbs lead when it is empty and when a person's diet lacks certain trace elements like iron calcium, and zinc.

Chemical profile of lead health effects