What is food mineral?

Minerals are inorganic elements that originate in the earth and cannot be made in the body. They play important roles in various bodily functions and are necessary to sustain life and maintain optimal health, and thus are essential nutrients.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Chemical element: Lead

Toxic minerals are minerals that are hazardous to human health. A mineral by itself, or its components, can be toxic. Typical examples of the former are asbestos, selenium, and silica minerals; typical examples of the latter are minerals containing such toxic chemicals as arsenic, lead, mercury, or cadmium.

It is very soft, highly malleable, ductile, and a relatively poor conductor of electricity. It is very resistant to corrosion but tarnishes upon exposure to air.

Lead belongs to group 14 of the periodic table, which also includes C, Si, Ge and Sn. Lead has the most metallic characteristics of this group. The element has an atomic number of 82, an atomic mass of 207, two oxidation states (+2 and +4) and four naturally occurring isotopes (204Pb, 206Pb, 207Pb and 208Pb), of which 208Pb is the most abundant at 52% of the total mass.

The major use of lead today is for batteries. Lead also is used as a protective shield against radiation. One lead mineral that was historically used as a nat-ural dye is chrome yellow, which is toxic.

Lead is a heavy metal with a high toxicity. Lead is toxic at very low exposure levels and has acute and chronic effects on health and the environment. It can effect the nervous system, the reproductive system, and the heart and blood system. Minerals containing lead are toxic to many tissues and organs, including the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys, brain, and reproductive system. Also, lead ions inhibit enzymes neces-sary for the synthesis of hemoglobin (the oxygen car-rier in human blood). Lead poisoning causes mental retardation and neurological disorders.
Chemical element: Lead

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