Exposure to lead: a major public health concern- 2nd Edition; 2021

Overview

Lead is a toxic metal whose widespread use has caused extensive environmental contamination and health problems in many parts of the world. It is a cumulative toxicant that affects multiple body systems, including the neurological, haematological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune and renal systems. Children are especially vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of lead, and even relatively low levels of exposure can cause serious and, in some cases, irreversible neurological damage.

The World Health Organization in its 2021 update of the "Public health impact of chemicals: knowns and unknowns"  estimates that nearly half of the 2 million lives lost to known chemicals exposure in 2019 were due to exposure to lead exposure and resulting cardiovascular diseases.