Lead - Water Companies Deliberately Add Fluoride to Drinking Water From Your Tap Which Contains Lead.

Before we can assess the risk posed by lead, we must first identify the form it takes and from that we can ascertain its ability to become soluble in water and thus present a hazard.

The following table is used by scientists as a point of reference:

Lead - insoluble

Lead acetate - 221g/100ml

Lead chloride - 0.99g/100ml

Lead chromate - 0.2mg/litre

Lead nitrate - 37-57g/100ml

Lead oxide - 0.001g/100ml

Lead sulphate - 42.5mg/litre

Soil: Even now, paint is a major contributor to soil lead contamination (from renovation and demolition, flaking and chalking). In addition airborne lead can originate from incinerators (including crematoriums) and waste disposal. The fate of lead in soil is affected by the specific or exchange adsorption at mineral interfaces, the precipitation of sparingly soluble solid phases and the formation of relatively stable organo-metal complexes or chelates with the organic matter in the soil (EPA, 1986 NSF,1977)

Evidence exists that atmospheric lead enters the soil as lead sulphate, although this is relatively soluble it is retained in the upper 2-5cm of undisturbed soil (EPA, 1986)

The following statistics may be of interest:

Lead: Metal production

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

6033 6016 6276 6566 6520 (est) in 000 tonnes

Of these totals the following are the end uses:

Batteries 71%

Pigment 12%

Rolled extrusions 7%

Ammunition 6%

Cable sheathing 3%

Ammunition, which was examined regarding lead hazard in water and the soil, falls in the pure metal form, which is insoluble. However, as mentioned in the previous posting when pure lead is subjected to acids and other chemicals in the digestive system it changes its form and can then become poisonous. This is known and acknowledged by shooters, hence firstly the voluntary ban on lead shot over wetlands and SSSI and latterly by a change in the law.

My interest in lead/water came about for a totally different reason. Research to discover a connection between BSE and NvCJD looked more closely at the suspicion that contact with organophosphates (used compulsorily under MAFF regulations) could bring about a genetic change in the PrP gene, making it susceptible to the NvCJD prion protein. (This genetic change is a known route to NvCJD but was previously thought to be hereditary.

I discovered two startling facts:

1. The majority of us drink and use products with compulsorily added fluoride.

2. The three chemicals certified for fluoridation are Sodium Fluoride, Sodium Silicofluoride and Fluorosilicic Acid. Each is a by-product of the phosphate fertiliser industry.(i.e. the organophosphates mentioned above)

The material used is min. 98% purity and the most common contaminant in these products is arsenic and the other significant contaminant is lead. This is not a fanciful theory the Water Chemical Codex covering water treatment chemicals states: “Analyses of available grades of Sodium fluoride show the presence of arsenic and lead.”

There is a possibility, therefore, that the water we drink is not only contaminated with significant amounts of lead, but the fluoridation itself could increase the susceptibility of the human to NvCJD. Sobering thought, eh, as you drink your cup of tea.