Lead Testing

What is lead?

Lead is a toxic metal that is has been used in products for centuries. Lead is still found all across Nebraska. Children and adults can get too much lead in their body if they are exposed to lead in their environment. When it enters the body, lead can build up and cause damage. Lead exposure can be detected by a blood test from a doctor.

How does lead harm the body?

In children, lead can cause learning, behavior and health problems. No amount of lead is safe. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to affect IQ, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement.

In adults, lead can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney damage, and reduced fertility. In pregnant women, lead can increase the risk for premature and low-birth weight newborns.

Most people with lead poisoning or high blood lead levels do not have symptoms.

 

How are children and adults exposed to lead?

Children are exposed to lead by swallowing or breathing in small amounts of lead. Lead-based paint is the most common source of lead exposure in children. Lead-based paint is found in many homes built before 1978. When lead paint breaks down over time, it creates lead dust that can contaminate the home and can get on children's hands, toys, bottles, and pacifiers.

Lead can be found in sources other than lead paint and dust inside a house. These other sources of lead include soil around a house, a parent's occupation, toys, and spices and medicines from other countries.

In adults, lead exposure most commonly occurs at a person's work or hobby.

Testing

PPHD has the ability to test your home for the presence of lead in paint, soil, and dust. PPHD has three staff members that are trained Lead Abatement Risk Assessors through the State of Nebraska and conduct assessments for elevated blood-lead levels in homes of children who have tested positive for lead at a blood level above 3/5mcg/dL. Assessments are also done by request of homeowners. The primary method of testing conducted during these assessments is the use of a portable sealed source XRF analyzer used to determine concentrations of lead in lead-based paint. Dust and soil samples are also collected and analyzed as part of a lead risk assessment.

Homes that are testing outside elevated blood lead levels investigations will be charged a base fee. Pricing varies so please call for details.