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Lead: Ancient Metal — Modern Menace?

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Lead Exposure and Child Development

Summary

The use of lead since prehistoric times, and its mobilization into the global environment has resulted in increased exposure to, and uptake of, this inessential trace metal. Acute lead poisoning following both occupational and general environmental exposure has been recognized since classical times and has become increasingly common following industrialization. While the control of the working environment has now resulted in a marked decline in the frequency of acute lead poisoning in industrialized societies, the development of indicators of absorption and effect has facilitated investigation of the more subtle effects of lead. Neurobehavioural deficits have been documented in children as sequelae of acute lead poisoning. The greater intake and absorption of lead by children, together with the sensitivity of the developing nervous system to the effects of lead, has stimulated extensive research on a possible causal relationship between low-level lead exposure and neurobehavioural effects in children. These studies have been beset with methodological difficulties requiring coordinated activity between investigators and careful consideration of the objectives of future research programmes.

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Authors
  1. G. Kazantzis
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Child Psychiatry, Institute of Child Health Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, UK

    M. A. Smith

  2. Environmental Criteria and Assessment Office Office of Health and Environment Assessment US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, 27711, NC, USA

    L. D. Grant (Director) (Director)

  3. Environment Research Programme, Commission of the European Communities, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049, Brussels, Belgium

    A. I. Sors (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development) (Directorate-General for Science, Research and Development)

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© 1989 ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels — Luxembourg; EPA, USA

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Kazantzis, G. (1989). Lead: Ancient Metal — Modern Menace?. In: Smith, M.A., Grant, L.D., Sors, A.I. (eds) Lead Exposure and Child Development. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-0847-5_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-6868-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-0847-5

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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