Anyone had their lead levels checked lately???

[Salmon-boy]

Aftre brewing my own Antimony alloy last month and casting a whole bunch of boolits I thought it might be prudent to have my lead levels checked.

Got a call back from the office. My Dr was worried that I had high levels for a child @ 17ppm. OSHA standards for occupational exposure are 20ppm apparently.

I had figured it was going to be elevated, but not that high. Guess I inhaled a bit of lead oxide when alloying with the torch. Oh well. Time to quit for a bit then I guess.

Anyone else have similar experience?

[longbow]

There is another thread here somewhere with the same issues being discussed. You will find it if you do a search.

I work for a large lead refinery and am surrounded by hundreds of tons of lead every day. I also cast boolits. My blood lead level is 5 micrograms per deciliter - well below what is considered "street" levels.

The main ways lead gets into your body are inhalation and ingestion. Lead cannot be absorbed through the skin.

Cast outside or at least in a well ventilated area and don't overheat the lead which results in vapours. Also, make sure that when drossing you avoid the dust (lead oxides).

Another thing is to make sure you don't smoke or snack while casting as the lead on your fingers will find its way into your mouth.

I asked the nurses at work about mehtods of lowering blood lead levels and the basic answer was "time". If your blood lead levels are elevated the only sure method of lowering them is to avoid further exposure and your body will gradully excrete the lead. They said there are no known vitamins or therapies like chelation therapy that have a proven or long term benefit.

As a side note, the industrial standard my company follows says 35 micrograms per decileter is the level at which a worker has to be removed from lead exposure areas and reassigned elsewhere. The level was recently lowered from 40 micrograms per deciliter.

Longbow

[spurgon]

longbow

This is the first time i've heard of lead dust's source in casting. How do we avoid this dust?

[fecmech]

I just had mine checked last week and came in at 19. The Doc told me anything under 25 was ok. I had it checked a couple years ago and IIRC it was about the same.

[lead_her_fly]

32 and that was just taken recently. I have to go back in 6 weeks to see what it is. If it is up I get to take some kind of treatment, can't wait!

I've read where vitamin C is supposed to work to reduce the levels so I have been drinking orange juice like crazy!

[Topper]

Had mine checked recently and to my surprise it was 6.
Been casting for at least 25 years now.
I always cast outdoors, wash hands after handling lead, and avoid vapors as much as possible.

[happy7]

Lead Her Fly,

I don't know if Vit C will get the lead out or not, but I am pretty sure that Orange Juice is not going to make much difference. One orange has like 50 mg of vitamin C and the dose you are looking for to protect you from toxins in general is in the range of at least several grams = 3000mg. I would recomend some 1000 mg capsules.

[fatnhappy]

I had mine checked. According to my doctor it's negligible. According to my wife there's 20# in my ass.

[GLL]

I just had mine checked in December and it was 6. :)

Jerry

[longbow]

spurgon:

The best ways to avoid the dust is to cast outside or with lots of ventilation - and I mean with a draft pulling the air away from you towards the pot so you don't inhale the dust. Another choice would be to use a respirator or even a painter's mask would help. I cast outside and stay upwind. It works for me.

As for treatments to lower lead levels the nurses at work told me there are no proven vitamins, supplements or other therapies including chelation therapy that work. Apparently chelation therapy will give a short term lower reading on blood lead level but it will bounce back up within a short time as the lead leaches out of your system. Of course taking vitamins or supplements within reason is certainly not going to hurt.

Longbow

[fecmech]

I've been wondering if my 19 reading isn't more connected to my winter indoor range shooting than my casting and reloading. I pay great attention to hand washing after casting , reloading and even handling my guns. I have been somewhat remiss in using the vent fan (not all the time) at the range due to the fact it sucks out all the heat but I think I will run it all the time now. I am also planning on getting retested sometime in mid summer to see if there is any difference.

[Mark]

I just got back from the doctor. My number 26. I was told to expect a call from the county health board. If I was a child, I would be taken to the hospital. I am guessing my number is high from indoor shooting in a poorly ventalated range (similar to fecmech). I didn't tell the doctor that because I didn't want my gunclub getting a call as well. After that discussion, he added that he doesn't think it is a big problem, but prolonged exposure at this level could need to other health problems.
Mark

[dubber123]

I've been wondering if my 19 reading isn't more connected to my winter indoor range shooting than my casting and reloading. I pay great attention to hand washing after casting , reloading and even handling my guns. I have been somewhat remiss in using the vent fan (not all the time) at the range due to the fact it sucks out all the heat but I think I will run it all the time now. I am also planning on getting retested sometime in mid summer to see if there is any difference.

I will be willing to bet it's the indoor shooting. Lead Styphnate in primers, along with vaporized lead off boolit bases are two of the best ways to inhale lead. If you really are that careful when casting or handling lead, I'm beting your exposure lies elsewhere.

[Lloyd Smale]

mines been as high as 79 I went through chelting theropy 3 times and its at about 18 now. chelting does seem to work. my best friend went through it too and it worked for him. What you can normaly expect is after going through there battery of pills your lead level to be about cut in half. Only problem with it is it is expensive and it also takes other vital minerals and vitamans out of your system so you will need to take supplements while doing it. The other problem is cost. I was told that if a guy had to actually buy the pills and didnt have insurance that it cost about a grand a treatment. My doctor told me the exceptable level is 20 and when they get real nervous in an adult is when it gets over 40. Children are a much bigger problem and a level of as little as 5 can effect them. So keep your kids away from your casting area. Ps at even 79 i had no phyiscal symtoms. I was gettting migranes and had them test me because of it but even after getting it down it didnt change that. Come to find out that my back operations cured my headaches. I guess those surgerys at least did that for me.

[softpoint]

Jest checked muh lead level. Wuz down 'bout 2" from thu rim of muh Pro Melt.:mrgreen:
Seriously, I guess I should get mine checked, I have a physical every year, but haven't had lead test. Been casting for 25 yrs.

[sundog]

yeah, checked'em myself a few days ago. about 3 tons.

[felix]

Corky, we should be getting another ton anytime soon. It was promised to me when I had a flat fixed around Christmas time. ... felix

[725]

Had mine checked. 5. Well vented and cautious about hand washing, etc. I cast in two areas. When I sit down at a bottom pour, it's in a homemade chemical hood set up made from a kitchen range hood and a flexpipe vented to the outside. At the big burner/laddle set up, I do that outside or in front of a big fan. So far, so good.

[sundog]

Felix, 10-4, we need them, and I'm gettin' healed up good!

[357maximum]

I am not the most "surgical" caster out there, not quite a flipflop wearing caster but somewhere just slightly above that.


Had mine tested last week........3 parts per million....which I am told is very very good.

[no34570]

Had mine checked two weeks ago and just on Friday I got the gumption to ask to Doc what it was and the Doc said it was only 4.1ppm or what ever it was he said now, which is nothing to worry about.
And I'm a caster that forgets to wash his hands sometimes after handling lead and I'm always"Fondling"my boolits[smilie=1:

I'm happy with that
no34570
:drinks: