4 ms·

Lead tetraethyl is not elemental lead. I think you are mixed up. Lead tetraethyl (the component found in lewded gas) is easily absorbed, it even diffuses thro

Lead tetraethyl is not elemental lead. I think you are mixed up. Lead tetraethyl (the component found in lewded gas) is easily absorbed, it even diffuses through skin to the blood!

sokoloff 5y ago
Once combusted, the exhaust contains primarily lead oxide (PbO), not TEL (C8H20Pb)
- henearkr 5y ago
  Alright, but it's still not elemental lead. I'll look up PbO, but I'm expecting to be horrified at its harmfulness, rather than be reassured. And neither PbO is "naturally occuring", it's anthropogenous. Naturally occuring Pb species are lead sulfide, sulfate, and carbonate.
  - lazide 5y ago
    Did you find anything? I can't find any evidence it is significantly more toxic (hard to quantify, and most sources didn't seem to try - it all seemed within an order of magnitude or so). At least what I ran across seems to be that the organic lead compounds (aka tetra ethyl lead, among others) are super nasty. Similar to how mercury is not great (and has similar exposure routes), and the common compounds of mercury in soil, etc. are the same - but the organic mercury compounds that occur when mercury is in wetlands environments are super nasty (like 100000x) The EPA mentions on their lead site (albeit backhanded) that runoff, water contamination, etc. is usually not an issue even at heavily contaminated sites. Where you see lead poisoning around drinking water, it is always due to very acidic water conditions which leach/dissolve the lead. This can be from lead pipes pulling water from acidic sources (big no no), or heavily acidic mine runoff going through heavily contaminated sites. The only major concern ground contamination wise seemed to be at smelting sites, which is truly a unique situation - and well know and easy to test for. I did find some evidence that it is also a concern with fly ash, though apparently the other really nasty stuff (including radon, uranium, nasty active chemical species, etc.) overwhelms the lead concern. Places still have to do a ton of paperwork on it though. If you die from fly ash exposure, it isn't going to be due to lead poisoning.
- GekkePrutser 5y ago
  Someone else just made a good point though. These planes run full rich a lot which means some of the fuel is not burnt but simply evaporated, cooling the engine. I still think the amount is so minor as to not cause concern but it's a point.

Lead tetraethyl is not elemental lead. I think you are mixed up. Lead tetraethyl (the component found in lewded gas) is easily absorbed, it even diffuses through skin to the blood!

sokoloff 5y ago

Once combusted, the exhaust contains primarily lead oxide (PbO), not TEL (C8H20Pb)

henearkr 5y ago
Alright, but it's still not elemental lead. I'll look up PbO, but I'm expecting to be horrified at its harmfulness, rather than be reassured. And neither PbO is "naturally occuring", it's anthropogenous. Naturally occuring Pb species are lead sulfide, sulfate, and carbonate.
- lazide 5y ago
  Did you find anything? I can't find any evidence it is significantly more toxic (hard to quantify, and most sources didn't seem to try - it all seemed within an order of magnitude or so). At least what I ran across seems to be that the organic lead compounds (aka tetra ethyl lead, among others) are super nasty. Similar to how mercury is not great (and has similar exposure routes), and the common compounds of mercury in soil, etc. are the same - but the organic mercury compounds that occur when mercury is in wetlands environments are super nasty (like 100000x) The EPA mentions on their lead site (albeit backhanded) that runoff, water contamination, etc. is usually not an issue even at heavily contaminated sites. Where you see lead poisoning around drinking water, it is always due to very acidic water conditions which leach/dissolve the lead. This can be from lead pipes pulling water from acidic sources (big no no), or heavily acidic mine runoff going through heavily contaminated sites. The only major concern ground contamination wise seemed to be at smelting sites, which is truly a unique situation - and well know and easy to test for. I did find some evidence that it is also a concern with fly ash, though apparently the other really nasty stuff (including radon, uranium, nasty active chemical species, etc.) overwhelms the lead concern. Places still have to do a ton of paperwork on it though. If you die from fly ash exposure, it isn't going to be due to lead poisoning.
GekkePrutser 5y ago
Someone else just made a good point though. These planes run full rich a lot which means some of the fuel is not burnt but simply evaporated, cooling the engine. I still think the amount is so minor as to not cause concern but it's a point.