Heavy Metals

Lead has been a known toxin for years and there has been a major shift in recent decades in the U.S. to prevent lead exposure, especially in children. The article on lead describes that lead has a sweet flavor, often found in dishes, moonshine liquor, cosmetics, and some traditional remedies. There has also been a  reduction of lead-based paint in the U.S due to the toxic affects of lead. According the the article, lead affects the CNS, kidneys, blood pressure, weakness, reproductive harm, renal failure, clumsiness, cognitive impairment, attentional impairment. This is especially frightening considering children are still at critical stages of their development and can have permanent damage from lead exposure. The article on a lead outbreak in Nigeria explained that 400 children under age 5 died due to lead poisoning. This was a result of soil contamination from gold mining and the increased demand for gold. It was great that the international community came together to create an intervention to treat and prevent future crises, but was unfortunately after 400 innocent lives were lost.