Heavy Metals

Heavy Metals

Lead Poisoning:

Needleman’s article on Lead poisoning reveals how lead has been a known toxin to human health for a very long time. In addition Needleman cites several studies which reveal the negative effects imposed on human health, as a result of exposure to lead. In particular, Needleman reveals that children are more susceptible to lead poisoning, and its negative effects, than adults. To show this, Needleman cites several studies which looked for lead’s unique effects on children’s health. For instance, a study led by Fergusson et al. revealed that adolescents who had been exposed to lead throughout their childhood had poorer reading skills, than those who had not been exposed to the same levels of lead. Overall, lead had the effect of stunting children’s cognitive abilities, within the studies.

Lead Poisoning in Nigeria:

This story was indeed a tragic one, as a result of lead poisoning in children. Of particular note to me was that the exposure’s source came as a result of foreign demand for artisanal gold products. This has made me consider where not only my food products come from, but where my other personal products come from as well. It is easy for us to ignore the origin of the products we buy, when they could be manufactured under illegal or dangerous practices. Consequently, our passivity to these facts, and our consumption of such products, indirectly fuels such illegal and dangerous practices to persist. In this story, it resulted in the deaths of hundreds of children.

Therefore, this story is truly presents a global health issue. Our health is often times dependent upon one another. Even as far as Africa, people’s health can be effected by our demand for certain products. When we ignore the origin of these products, we can blindly support the destruction of environments elsewhere, and the health of the populations within those environments.