Lead and Public Health
Science, Risk and Regulation

Paul Mushak (Author)

9780444515544, Elsevier Science

Hardback, published 30 August 2011

950 pages
22.9 x 15.1 x 4.6 cm, 1.73 kg

The book presents a detailed assessment of the health science of lead and the human health risk assessment models for lead’s human health impacts, followed by an account of various regulatory efforts in the United States and elsewhere to eliminate or reduce human toxic exposures to lead. The science of lead as presented here covers releases of lead into the environment, lead’s movement through the environment to reach humans who are then exposed, and the spectrum of toxic effects, particularly low-level toxic effects, on the developing central nervous system of the very young child. The section on human health risk assessment deals with quantifying not only the dose-response relationships that underlie toxic responses to lead in sensitive populations but also with the likelihood of toxic responses vis-à-vis environmental lead at some level of exposure. This section includes a treatment of computer models of lead exposure, particularly those that use lead in whole blood as a key measure. Various models convert lead intake via various body compartments into measures of body lead burden. Such measures are then directly related to severity of injury.

The final section of the book deals with past and present regulatory efforts to control lead releases into the human environment. Current control efforts present a mixed picture. The most problematic issue is the continued presence of lead paint in older housing and lead in soils of urban and mining industry communities.

Ch 1: IntroductionCh 2: A Brief Early History of Lead as an Evolving Global Pollutant and ToxicantCh 3: Lead in the Human Environment: Production, Uses, TrendsCh 4: Lead in the Human Environment: Lead Emissions and Emission TrendsCh 5: Lead in the Human Environment: Fate and Transport ProcessesCh 6: Lead Concentrations in Environmental Media Relevant to Human Lead ExposuresCh 7: Lead Exposure in Human Populations: Lead IntakesCh 8: Lead Exposure in Human Populations: Lead Toxicokinetics and Biomarkers of Lead ExposureCh 9: Predictive Modeling Approaches for Assessing Human Lead ExposureCh 10: The Environmental Epidemiology of Human Lead ExposureCh 11: Lead Toxicity in Humans: a Brief Historical Perspective and Public HealthCh 12: Neurotoxicity of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 13: Cardiovascular Toxicity of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 14: Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 15: The Nephrotoxicity of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 16: Hematological Effects of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 17: Carcinogenic and Genotoxic Effects of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 18: Immunotoxic Effects of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 19: Effects of Lead on Other Organs and Systems in Human PopulationsCh 20: Human Health Risk Assessment for Lead: Introduction, Context, RationaleCh 21: Hazard Characterization for Lead in Human PopulationsCh 22: Dose-Response Relationships for Toxic Effects of Lead in Human PopulationsCh 23: Exposure Characterizations for Lead in Specific Human PopulationsCh 24: Health Risk Characterization of Lead Effects in Human PopulationsCh 25: Legislative Aspects of Lead Regulation and Regulatory PoliciesCh 26: Lead Regulation and Regulatory Policies: Lead in Paint Ch 27: Regulation and Regulatory Policies for Lead in Ambient AirCh 28: Regulation and Regulatory Policies for Lead in WaterCh 29: Regulation and Regulatory Policies for Lead in Food

Subject Areas: Pollution control [TQK], Environmental science, engineering & technology [TQ], Pollution & threats to the environment [RNP], The environment [RN], Earth sciences [RB], Environmental factors [MBNH2], Public health & preventive medicine [MBN], Health & safety issues [KNXC], Management decision making [KJMD]