Re: Coins as car weights
bdg1210 <Bruce_Griffin@...>
Tony,
For maybe for the first time in the few years I have followed this list a topic has appeared that I am actually quite knowledgeable about and that is health and safety. "Lead vapor", fumes, or dusts are actually the most dangerous route of entry (inhalation) for lead. It gets into the blood stream quite quickly and completely through the lungs. Ingestion (eating or through the mouth) is usually a secondary route of exposure for adults and less of the product is absorbed into the blood stream. Ingestion is the primary route of exposure for children whose "safe" exposure levels are about 1/5 that of an adult when using blood lead levels to measure exposure. Children are much more susceptible to lead exposure as it can effect brain development (it doesn't take much). Adult's brains are pretty much developed so on average they can tolerate higher levels of exposure without negative affect to the brain, but then the issue becomes other organs. Target organs in adults include: Eyes, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, kidneys, blood, and gingival tissue. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/npgd0368.html is the pocket guide page from NIOSH and gives general information about exposure levels for adults. Translating the numbers, I personally might melt lead outside, keeping my face away from the "pot" most of the time and staying up wind. And I would only do it on very limited occasions as over time blood lead levels can reduce without repeated exposures. When handling lead sheets as I do at the modeling work bench, I make it a habit to wash my hands just after handling leada to reduce the chance of ingestion. I agree a certain amount of "care is needed" but that includes vapors and dusts. Regards, Bruce D. Griffin, MSOS, CSP --- In STMFC@yahoogroups.com, Anthony Thompson <thompson@...> wrote: your poisoning.scientific knowledge. However, my father used to melt lead tire and may get it into your mouth or nose. I'd worry about that part, notcan treat it cavalierly. Care is needed.not have been TOO bad for him <meant in jest, of course>.
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