Occupational lead exposures genotoxic effects

Other critical endpoints of lead toxicity include toxicity to the nervous system and the kidneys. Based on experimental findings, it seems plausible that lead has no direct genotoxic effects, which argues for establishing a practical threshold limit value for lead toxicity. Thus, an occupational exposure limit (OEL) based on avoiding functional CNS alterations is expected also to protect versus toxicity to the peripheral nervous system and the kidney, including possibly the development of renal cancer. 

Due to experimental data, an indirect rather than direct genotoxic carcinogenic effect of lead has been indicated (Silbergeld et al. 2000). Thus, there may be a threshold for the carcinogenic effects in man that would argue in favor of setting health-based occupational exposure limits for lead. 

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