Lead as a Heavy Metal - Article Example

Men, in general, can tolerate higher levels of lead in their blood without a significant adverse physiological effect; however, women manifest lead poisoning differently due to their peculiar bone turnover periods of women such as during pregnancy and the menopausal stages (Vahter, Akesson, Liden, Ceccarelli, & Berglund, 2007, p. 85). Besides gender, lead also manifests differentially in susceptibility among young boys than young girls.

First question: Why are boys more susceptible to lead in terms of neurotoxicity, while in girls, the lead manifests itself through adverse immunotoxic effects in these girls? What could be the more profound explanation for this variation in susceptibility and its manifestations? Second question: What is the biomechanism process by which men become more susceptible to arsenic poisoning than women? As it is, the biotransformation of arsenic by the process of methylation is different in men than in women, resulting in men being more vulnerable to its harmful effects, especially in adverse skin-related reactions. Women seem to be more tolerant of arsenic.