Where is lead stored in the body?

Prepare for the Pennsylvania Lead Inspector Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question offers hints and explanations. Get ready to pass your exam!

Lead moves through the bloodstream after absorption and ends up being stored mainly in bone, where it can remain for years and be released back into the blood under certain conditions. It is also found in soft tissues and in red blood cells, so describing its storage as involving the bloodstream, soft tissue, and bone reflects both the recent presence of lead in blood and its long-term reservoir in bone. The lungs aren’t a storage site; they’re a route of exposure and can excrete some lead, but not where lead is stored long term. Teeth can accumulate lead during development, but the primary long-term storage is in bone, with distribution also present in blood and soft tissue.