(Hey Everyone, here is a journal about lead inhalation and how particles of lead reach our lungs...)
(A sinter plant from 1939)
This journal article,' Speciation of Cd and Pb in dust emitted from sinter plant' by Sammut et al, examines the speciation of the heavy metals lead and cadmium in steel dust spewn from sinter plants. It states the fact that the toxicity of heavy metals depends primarily upon speciation, which is the quantity of a particular substance of interest in an entity. In this case the researchers discovered that the lead is found to be complexed with carbonate and the cadmium with chloride. This was discovered through the usage of an array of tests ranging from "XRF, EXAFS or ICP-AES and chemical leaching". This association of the heavy metals is particularly toxic simply due to the fact that chloride and carbonate are highly soluble at normal environmental constraints (Sammut et al.., 2009).
This would potentially allow for the metals to enter the ecosystem, eventually reaching humans. Also, the noxious dust particles could be inhaled by humans. This is harmful as inhaled lead becomes trapped in the lungs and enters the bloodstream. Once absorbed in to the blood lead is capable of disrupting normal enzyme synthesis and activity as it binds to the sulfhydryl groups present within enzymes. It also mimics the various cofactors utilized by enzymes. One particular enzyme pathway lead interferes with considerably is the synthesis of heme.
I think that industrial plants such as sinter plants and smelting plants should either be shut down or closely regulated. The sheer quantity of lead and other toxic substances released by these plants is incredible and their toxic effects are evidenced by populations residing near these plants. Closing down these plants or cleaning up their emissions would profoundly alter lead levels in the air as well as reduce air pollution.
The full Journal article can be found here:
http://www.mediafire.com/file/cbkjhzhzety/Chemosphere.pdf
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