5 ms·

Maybe they really mean aerosolized particulate lead?

• gjsman-1000 3y ago
  Perhaps, but is generally accepted that as long as you aren’t soldering at ludicrous temperatures, the quantities are very small.
  • ip26 3y ago
    On the other hand, we keep finding deleterious effects from smaller and smaller lead exposure levels.
  • tristor 3y ago
    When I was taking electronics training, my soldering instructor told me most of the lead exposure was that people used to lick the tip of their soldering iron before starting heating it up, and this exposed them to lead. Now most people don't do that, but older solderers are a little... off, if you've ever met any. Rosin flux fumes are also bad and you should definitely be working under a fume hood if you do any significant amounts of soldering, even at home.
  • rolandog 3y ago
    Well, we thought the same thing about aluminum [0]. [0]: https://hero.epa.gov/hero/index.cfm/reference/details/reference_id/518577 https://hero.epa.gov/hero/index.cfm/reference/details/refere... "Exposure, bioavailability, distribution and excretion of aluminum and its toxicological relevance to humans"
• sokoloff 3y ago
  They might mean that, but they'd still be wrong. Soldering is done around 75-100°C lower than temperatures where lead is anything other than melted in meaningful quantities. There is ingestion risk of lead residue on fingers (which is the reason why eating and smoking is prohibited around soldering stations), but very low inhalation risk.
• Gordonjcp 3y ago
  How would it become aerosolised?