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Blood lead level

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  • Coiled

    TGT Addict
    Lifetime Member
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    Nov 25, 2016
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    SETX
    I like to think of myself on the upper end of just barely pretty. lol

    Sorry about the cumbersome NIOSH links Rusty, I just wanted you to know there are legit ratings available. Get a 1/2 face, negative pressure mask like below and the appropriate cartridge and you should be GTG.

    https://www.northernsafety.com/Prod...ell-7700-Series-Silicone-Half-Mask-Respirator

    Edit: The 1/2 face mask must seal to your skin so facial hair or bad scars can render it worthless. There are other, more expensive respirators available if needed.
    DK Firearms
     
    Last edited:

    Lunyfringe

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    Sep 22, 2017
    1,402
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    Canton, TX
    There is a point about primers... lead styphnate used in modern primers is responsible for a good portion of airborne lead at indoor ranges. Corrosive primers don't contain lead, but mostly potassium perchlorate...we know the downside to them. Before them some of y'all may remember mercury fulminate primers. Made brass too brittle to reaload. New "green" primers without lead generally have a much lower shelf life.

    My father tested positive for elevated lead levels due to working in a family rubber stamp business... they had 2 or 3 working linotype machines... so it's not just boolit casting that'll raise it.
     

    GeorgeandSugar

    Active Member
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    Sep 30, 2017
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    Como
    have any of the reloaders/shooters here been tested for elevated lead levels in your blood?

    I have not, but wife tells me she read that it is a very real problem with guys that shoot a lot especially indoors, and gets even worse if you handle used brass like I do.

    I use an RZ mask that filters down to .01 micron anytime I work with dirty brass or my vibratory tumbler. I do not know what the filtration level to eliminate lead vapors should be.

    Anybody have any data on this?
    There are four routes of exposures: inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption and injection. The first three are most relative when discussing heavy metals. Inhalation is the most efficient. Lead fumes and lead dust are the two primary means of entry through inhalation and ingestion. If you were working organic lead (lead acetate) skin absorption would be a route of exposure. Lead fumes from heating and melting lead enters by inhalation. Concern for lead bullet casters and bullet makers. As lead is heated, a fume is created. That fumes rises as a smoke (as a solid). As the fume rises into the breathing zone, this will get inhaled, unless you have a respiratory on or have mechanical ventilation that removes the lead fume away from the user and the breathing zone. Fumes will cool as they raise and eventually fall back onto horizontal surfaces. This dust can be re-entrained into the atmosphere through normal work, sweeping, compressed air use etc... this dust can be inhaled or ingested. Eating and drinking in the workplace can result in the dust being ingested. Wet wiping surfaces or using a HEPA vacuum can remove the accumulated dust. A respirator (looks like a dust mask) like a N-95 or a N-100 can be used. The least expensive method (disposable). The respirator has to have a good seal around your face. Hence, no facial hair. You can use a half-face or full-face respirator equipped with filter cartridges e.g., HEPA. (Reusable). Same rules apply above. Additional maintenance and cleaning for these respirators. The other option is positive pressure respirator (airline or SCBA) or a hybrid PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator). A half or full-face respirator with a battery powered air supply. Air is filtered through HEPA and supplied to face piece in a positive mode vs a negative mode with a negative pressure half or full-face respirator. Therefore, lead can enter primarily by inhalation or ingestion. Lead will accumulate in the body depending on the dose each day vs what is excreted. If dose exceeds the rate of excretion, lead will accumulate in the body. It will be in the blood stream and long-term will deposit to the bone. Lead resembles Ca and therefore deposits to the bone which later can be released into the body. Blood lead and zinc protoprophyrin (ZPP) can ascertain recent and chronic body burden to lead exposure. Dose is a function of concentration of lead, frequency of exposure and the duration of exposure. Therefore, personal protection e.g negative or positive pressure respirator usage, engineering controls e.g. mechanical ventilation, housekeeping and good personal hygiene can reduce and perhaps eliminate exposure altogether. Hope this helps.
     

    easy rider

    Summer Slacker
    Lifetime Member
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    Jun 10, 2015
    31,489
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    Odessa, Tx
    There are four routes of exposures: inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption and injection. The first three are most relative when discussing heavy metals. Inhalation is the most efficient. Lead fumes and lead dust are the two primary means of entry through inhalation and ingestion. If you were working organic lead (lead acetate) skin absorption would be a route of exposure. Lead fumes from heating and melting lead enters by inhalation. Concern for lead bullet casters and bullet makers. As lead is heated, a fume is created. That fumes rises as a smoke (as a solid). As the fume rises into the breathing zone, this will get inhaled, unless you have a respiratory on or have mechanical ventilation that removes the lead fume away from the user and the breathing zone. Fumes will cool as they raise and eventually fall back onto horizontal surfaces. This dust can be re-entrained into the atmosphere through normal work, sweeping, compressed air use etc... this dust can be inhaled or ingested. Eating and drinking in the workplace can result in the dust being ingested. Wet wiping surfaces or using a HEPA vacuum can remove the accumulated dust. A respirator (looks like a dust mask) like a N-95 or a N-100 can be used. The least expensive method (disposable). The respirator has to have a good seal around your face. Hence, no facial hair. You can use a half-face or full-face respirator equipped with filter cartridges e.g., HEPA. (Reusable). Same rules apply above. Additional maintenance and cleaning for these respirators. The other option is positive pressure respirator (airline or SCBA) or a hybrid PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator). A half or full-face respirator with a battery powered air supply. Air is filtered through HEPA and supplied to face piece in a positive mode vs a negative mode with a negative pressure half or full-face respirator. Therefore, lead can enter primarily by inhalation or ingestion. Lead will accumulate in the body depending on the dose each day vs what is excreted. If dose exceeds the rate of excretion, lead will accumulate in the body. It will be in the blood stream and long-term will deposit to the bone. Lead resembles Ca and therefore deposits to the bone which later can be released into the body. Blood lead and zinc protoprophyrin (ZPP) can ascertain recent and chronic body burden to lead exposure. Dose is a function of concentration of lead, frequency of exposure and the duration of exposure. Therefore, personal protection e.g negative or positive pressure respirator usage, engineering controls e.g. mechanical ventilation, housekeeping and good personal hygiene can reduce and perhaps eliminate exposure altogether. Hope this helps.
    Brings back the good old days of annual lead training at the Naval Shipyard, also known as continuous boredom. I believe you forgot to add air fed hoods.
     

    SapientHetero

    New Member
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    0   0   0
    Oct 18, 2010
    6
    11
    Orlando, FL
    have any of the reloaders/shooters here been tested for elevated lead levels in your blood?

    I have not, but wife tells me she read that it is a very real problem with guys that shoot a lot especially indoors, and gets even worse if you handle used brass like I do.

    I use an RZ mask that filters down to .01 micron anytime I work with dirty brass or my vibratory tumbler. I do not know what the filtration level to eliminate lead vapors should be.

    Anybody have any data on this?
    I've reloaded for years, and belong to a local gun club with hundreds of members who reload. I've talked to them about this and found only one case of elevated lead. That was a guy who cast his own lead bullets in an inadequately ventilated indoor setting.

    That being said, I too wear a filter when separating media from brass but it's because I don't want to breathe any kind of dust, not because I'm worried about lead.
     

    Rusty Gun

    brass picker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 23, 2010
    110
    11
    Gulf coast
    There are four routes of exposures: inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption and injection. The first three are most relative when discussing heavy metals. Inhalation is the most efficient. Lead fumes and lead dust are the two primary means of entry through inhalation and ingestion. If you were working organic lead (lead acetate) skin absorption would be a route of exposure. Lead fumes from heating and melting lead enters by inhalation. Concern for lead bullet casters and bullet makers. As lead is heated, a fume is created. That fumes rises as a smoke (as a solid). As the fume rises into the breathing zone, this will get inhaled, unless you have a respiratory on or have mechanical ventilation that removes the lead fume away from the user and the breathing zone. Fumes will cool as they raise and eventually fall back onto horizontal surfaces. This dust can be re-entrained into the atmosphere through normal work, sweeping, compressed air use etc... this dust can be inhaled or ingested. Eating and drinking in the workplace can result in the dust being ingested. Wet wiping surfaces or using a HEPA vacuum can remove the accumulated dust. A respirator (looks like a dust mask) like a N-95 or a N-100 can be used. The least expensive method (disposable). The respirator has to have a good seal around your face. Hence, no facial hair. You can use a half-face or full-face respirator equipped with filter cartridges e.g., HEPA. (Reusable). Same rules apply above. Additional maintenance and cleaning for these respirators. The other option is positive pressure respirator (airline or SCBA) or a hybrid PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator). A half or full-face respirator with a battery powered air supply. Air is filtered through HEPA and supplied to face piece in a positive mode vs a negative mode with a negative pressure half or full-face respirator. Therefore, lead can enter primarily by inhalation or ingestion. Lead will accumulate in the body depending on the dose each day vs what is excreted. If dose exceeds the rate of excretion, lead will accumulate in the body. It will be in the blood stream and long-term will deposit to the bone. Lead resembles Ca and therefore deposits to the bone which later can be released into the body. Blood lead and zinc protoprophyrin (ZPP) can ascertain recent and chronic body burden to lead exposure. Dose is a function of concentration of lead, frequency of exposure and the duration of exposure. Therefore, personal protection e.g negative or positive pressure respirator usage, engineering controls e.g. mechanical ventilation, housekeeping and good personal hygiene can reduce and perhaps eliminate exposure altogether. Hope this helps.
    Wow now that is the resident subject matter expert. Thanks for the detailed explanation. Very helpful and informative. Let me guess inhalation therapist? Or are you the chemical engineer in the crowd?
     

    GeorgeandSugar

    Active Member
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    Sep 30, 2017
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    Como
    Wow now that is the resident subject matter expert. Thanks for the detailed explanation. Very helpful and informative. Let me guess inhalation therapist? Or are you the chemical engineer in the crowd?

    Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) for 30 years, civilian and military. A jack of all trades.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     

    OLDVET

    Well-Known
    Rating - 100%
    6   0   0
    Dec 14, 2009
    2,077
    96
    Richardson, Texas
    About 10 years ago my young grand daughter tested positive for elevated lead levels.
    My daughter and her husband were living with us at the time. He had recently gotten out the Marines in 29 Palms, Ca. and they had come to live with my wife. Turns out their stay lasted about eighteen months.
    I am an avid shooter and reloader. I was afraid I may have contaminated my grand daughter through my exposure to primers, lead bullets and gun powder smoke. I had my doctor test for lead exposure. When the results came back, my doctor asked me where I had come in contact with zinc. Seems there was no lead issues, but my body had a high level of zinc. Turns out it was my Head and Shoulders shampoo with zinc that was causing the problem. My grand daughter had been exposed to lead through a toy that was made in China.
     

    Kosh75287

    Active Member
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    0   0   0
    Jul 6, 2008
    285
    11
    Nemo
    Worked in a company that made circuit boards for EVERYbody. Always had 60/40 Tin/Lead going every where. I was casting some in those days. I asked my physician to follow it, since I could do it cheaply, and I never had measurable, much lest concerning levels in my blood stream. Another, employee, who we called "Cancer Man" after the name Agent Mulder had for the "cigarette smoking man" DID get measurable, but not clinically worrisome levels in HIS blood. They put him on iron supplements & told him not to smoke around the solder pots. This apparently resolved the issue.
     
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