Abstract
LEAD-CONTAINING organic compounds such as tetraethyl and tetramethyl lead have been used for over 50 years as anti-knock additives to petrol. The occupational hazards associated with their production and use are well documented, but no adverse effects of environmental pollution by organolead compounds have yet been demonstrated. Here we present an analysis of 22 human brains which shows that a significant part of the lead content may be organolead. The highest concentrations (median, 2 × 10−7 mol per kg) were present in individuals residing in the lower floors of buildings in the city.
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NIELSEN, T., JENSEN, K. & GRANDJEAN, P. Organic lead in normal human brains. Nature 274, 602–603 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/274602a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/274602a0
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