Lead and life

Abstract

Lead is naturally distributed in all ecosystems, but excessive use resulting from urbanization and industrial processes has increased its concentration in the environment. Lead is a persistent pollutant in nature; it cannot be broken down into less harmful components and is a nutritionally nonessential metal that can accumulate in living organisms for very long periods. This metal is responsible for a variety of acute and chronic toxic effects in humans and animals, producing haematological, neurological, renal, and cardiovascular damage during the entire lifespan, including intrauterine lifetime. From this perspective, the significance of this environmental problem for living organisms is apparent. The effects of contamination are a present and future concern, especially because of the long half-life of Pb in organisms. In this chapter, we address the environmental sources, the routes of entry and the fate of lead in living organisms, with an emphasis on humans; we also discuss the effects of this pollutant and the biomarkers of contamination in humans and wildlife. Finally, we highlight a list of research topics and activities identified as priorities for future development in the field.