The history of leaded gasoline is one of the most devastating environmental and health tragedies of the 20th century. Although the addition of this compound to fuels was initially promoted as a solution to improve engine performance, its effects on human health were ignored for decades.
Today, a new study reveals the catastrophic consequences of this practice, pointing out that childhood lead exposure has been responsible for at least 151 million cases of psychiatric disorders in the United States alone.
The origin of the tragedy
In 1922, the automotive industry introduced lead into fuels to improve combustion and prevent engine knocking. Although lead had been known to be highly toxic since ancient times, chemist Thomas Midgley Jr., backed by powerful industries, promoted its use without considering the serious repercussions for public health . Lead was released into the environment and entered human bodies through inhalation of its particles, particularly affecting children.
The recent study has established a direct relationship between lead exposure during brain development and a wide variety of psychiatric disorders. And according to Infobae , disorders such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia were identified as some of the most common effects in the exposed population.
Researchers also noted that more than half of the U.S. population in 2015 had been exposed to dangerous levels of lead in their blood during childhood, leaving indelible marks on their mental health.
Leaded gasoline and its effects on mental health
The effects of lead were manifested in clinical disorders and also generated an increase in the levels of general psychopathology, affecting entire generations. An interesting pattern was observed in the relationship between lead exposure and increased criminality.
During the same time that lead exposure was at its peak, crime rates also spiked. Studies have shown that this link is more than a coincidence, and that early lead exposure affected the social and criminal behavior of many people.
A cleaner future, but with persistent challenges
Despite the ban on leaded gasoline in the United States in 1996, the negative effects of this practice continue to be felt in society. Lead residues remain in the environment, especially in areas with lead pipes or contaminated soils. In addition, in many developing countries, lead exposure remains a critical threat, with millions of children still at risk.
Although the elimination of leaded gasoline has been one of the greatest advances in public health, the environmental and social debt of this decision continues to weigh on current generations. To mitigate its effects, it is essential that the remaining sources of lead contamination be eliminated, thereby protecting future generations from this toxic legacy.
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Source: ACAMH
Photo: Shutterstock
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