Lead poisoning from solder produces as a result of soldering devices when it melts to create joints. Currently, there are 3 main types of welding machines on the market: lead solder, gas solder, and pulse solder.

Mercury enters the human body through inhalation and the skin. Lead poisoning solder will cause a burning sensation to the skin and eyes upon contact.

Inhaling mercury vapor can cause coughing, chest pain, a burning sensation in the lungs, and difficulty breathing. Regular exposure to mercury will lead to mercury poisoning. Symptoms of mercury poisoning are tremors in the limbs, memory loss, inability to concentrate, blurred vision, and kidney problems.

What are the effects of lead poisoning solder? 

Lead poisoning solder has an adverse effect on fertility in both women and men, and it also harms the unborn baby.

According to WHO, lead poisoning causes very serious health consequences, especially in children. WHO statistics show that about 600,000 cases of developmental delay each year in children come from lead poisoning. It is worth noting that up to 99% of children exposed to lead come from low- and middle-income countries.

Some ways to protect yourself and your family to reduce the risk of lead and mercury poisoning at home:

1. Choose and use a lead and mercury-free interior and exterior paints.
2. Buy household items: crystal, pottery, or children's toys from a reputable source to ensure that no lead and mercury are common in the manufacturing process.
3. Have a suitable diet rich in iron, calcium, and vitamin C to help the body fight lead.
4. Do not let children chew on window rims or painted objects.

 Wash your hands often to avoid lead poisoning solder

Let the water in the faucet run for 60 seconds, before collecting it in the bottle. About once a month, remove and clean the faucet filter to remove any residue. This will protect you from lead poisoning solder.

In principle, the lead solder wire uses a spring wire to heat the solder tip. The soldering iron uses a short circuit between the two ends of the torch. A gas torch is a device that uses a mixture of acetylene gas to heat the contact between two pieces of metal until they melt.

• Lead is a cumulative toxin that affects many organs in the body and is especially harmful to young children.
• Similarly, lead poisoning in young children causes up to 600,000 cases of brain defects in children each year.
• Moreover, lead poisoning causes up to 143,000 deaths each year and is a burden, especially in developing regions.
• Lead poisoning accounts for 4% of the global burden of myocardial infarction and 5% of the burden of stroke.
• About half of the disease burden from lead occurs in Southeast Asia, with about a fifth in the Western Pacific and Mediterranean regions.
• Furthermore, lead in the body distributes in the brain, liver, kidneys, and bones. It stores in teeth and bones over time. Lead exposure in humans is assessed by blood lead levels.
• No level of lead exposure is safe.
• Lead poisoning is completely preventable.

Why Lead poisoning solder is harmful?

Lead is a toxic metal naturally found in the earth's crust. The widespread use of lead causes widespread environmental pollution. It brings human lead poisoning and significant public health problems occurring in many parts of the world.

Sources of environmental pollution include mining, metallurgy, manufacturing and recycling activities, and, in some countries, the continued use of leaded paint and leaded gasoline.

More than a quarter of the lead consumed globally is common in the production of lead-acid batteries common in motor vehicles. These products are a serious lead poisoning solder threat. 

Where we can find lead in products?

In addition, lead is common in many other products, such as pigments, paints, solder, stained glass, crystal vases, ammunition, ceramic glazes, jewelry, toys, and in some cosmetics and other products.

Drinking water that comes from lead pipes or lead paint can also be contaminated with lead. Much of the lead from global commercial products is now recovered for recycling.

Children are particularly susceptible to the toxic effects of lead and can have serious and long-lasting effects, particularly on the brain and nervous system development. Lead can also cause long-term harm in adults, such as an increased risk of high blood pressure and kidney failure. Lead poisoning in pregnant women with high levels can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and low birth weight, as well as minor birth defects.

Exposure route of Lead poisoning solder

Humans can be exposed to Lead poisoning solder from occupational activities and the environment. Here are some of the main reasons:

• inhalation of lead molecules produced by burning lead-containing materials, such as improper heating, recycling, peeling of leaded paint, use of leaded gasoline;
• drinking lead-contaminated water (from lead-containing pipes), lead-contaminated food (from lead-containing containers).

The use of cosmetics and traditional medicines can also cause lead contamination.

Why children are vulnerable to lead poisoning solder?

Children are particularly vulnerable because they absorb four to five times more lead than adults from one source of exposure.

Moreover, due to curiosity and at this age, there is a habit of using hands to pick up lead-contaminated objects into the mouth, such as dirt, dust, peeling paint contaminated with lead. The pathways of exposure in children are more diverse (eating non-food items).

It includes picking up paint chips from walls, door splinter, and furniture. Exposure to lead-containing sandy soils from battery recycling and mining causes serious lead poisoning and persistent child deaths in Senegal and Nigeria.

What happens when a lead enters the body?

When Lead poisoning solder enters the body, it is carried to organs such as the brain, kidneys, liver, and bones. The body stores lead in teeth and bones over time. Lead stored in bones can enter the bloodstream during pregnancy, thereby exposing the fetus to lead.

Children most at risk are the younger (including the fetus) and children from poor families.

Health effects of lead poisoning on children

Lead causes serious harm to children's health. At high exposure concentrations, lead affects the brain and central nervous system causing coma, convulsions, and even death. Children who survive lead poisoning will also have developmental delays and behavioral disturbances.