4 ms·
No, it would not. A "standard" (in the US) blood test doesn't even test for just lead, so never mind cadmium or antimony or arsenic or mercury or whatever else
by logfromblammo 10y ago
No, it would not. A "standard" (in the US) blood test doesn't even test for just lead, so never mind cadmium or antimony or arsenic or mercury or whatever else may be poisoning a person. A doctor in Flint, Michigan, might routinely add a lead test to every blood test prescribed for patients, but most doctors won't add on specific tests like that unless there is a compelling symptomatic indication that might point to poisoning, or a known environmental exposure. Besides that, some elements are dumped into the cells or the bones, or incorporated into molecules that usually attach to another element, and may be difficult to detect with a blood test, anyway.
A 24-hour urine collection might detect chronic heavy metals poisoning. Hair tests might also work, though I don't know what a "standard" hair test looks for, specifically. I also don't know if detecting poisonous elements comes with no additional effort added to those "standard" tests. If it costs extra, it usually doesn't get done.
Of course, even if someone came into a doctor's office complaining of all the typical symptoms of heavy metals poisoning, the doc still might not have an inkling unless the patient has some kind of occupational exposure to it.