Getting the Lead Out: A Career-Long Perspective on Leaded Gasoline, Dust, Soil, and Proactive Pediatric Exposure Prevention

This commentary considers the long arc of lead (Pb) poisoning from antiquity to 21st century. While Pb exposure is commonly attributed paint or water, this article aims discuss underrecognized impacts air and soil address controversial misconceptions related these sources. The Roman Aristocracy experienced mainly ingestion foods, cookware, lead-contaminated water wine, but by 20th century, occurred inhalation. introduction tetraethyl (TEL) additives in gasoline was approved 1925 US produced an exponential increase inhalable exhaust particles through 1970s. These five decades widespread aerosol were enabled Lead Industries Association (LIA), which confounded pediatricians, healthcare providers, government agencies promoting lead-based as primary agent childhood exposure. Empirical evidence poisoning, environmental exposures, proactive prevention general population impossible until analytical instruments became available for clinical studies measurements 1960s Soil Baltimore, Maryland, beginning mid-1970s, indicated that exhausted vehicles fueled leaded excessively contaminated urban soils compared with non-urban soils. invisible fouled multiple routes via inhalation ingestion. In addition misunderstandings about sources exposure, misinformation currently abounds regarding timeline banning gasoline. Center Disease Control (CDC) lists ban 1996. first Japan starting 1972, after a 1984 Senate Hearing, Congress agreed on rapid phasedown. A Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed most banned end 1986. Banning associated sharp declines population’s blood lead, prompted global efforts eventual result complete highway use achieved August 2021. Leaded still used piston-engine aircraft EPA proceeding fuel. Using precautionary principles recover environments prevent new toxicant exposures are essential challenges opportunities present future generations.