Is low-level lead pollution dangerous?

Present-day Americans are said to have about 500 times more lead in their skeletons than Peruvians of 1800 years ago.1 Lead pollution has become widespread in developed countries, especially from the use of lead in industry and in petrol and from its contamination of canned foods and some water. Never theless, lead poisoning, which was first described by the Greek physician poet Nikander in the second century BC,2 is very rare, being associated with high blood concentrations over 3-9 pimol/1 (80 (xg/100 ml), or occasionally over 2-9 (xmol/1 (60 (xg/100 ml.). The current debate centres on whether concentrations usually considered safe?under 1-9 pimol/1 (40 (xg/100 ml)?may in fact cause subtle neurological and behavioural abnormalities.