Lead exposure in children occurs via which two routes?

Lead exposure in children occurs via which two routes?

• A. Absorption and Metabolism
• B. Ingestion and Absorption
• C. Ingestion and Excretion
• D. Inhalation and Metabolism

Answer: (C)

Lead exposure in children mainly comes through two pathways: swallowing lead-contaminated dust, soil, or paint chips (ingestion) and breathing in lead-containing dust or air (inhalation). Children are particularly at risk because they often put hands and objects in their mouths and their bodies absorb lead from the gut and lungs more readily than adults. Once lead enters the body, absorption, distribution, and excretion describe what happens after exposure, not how exposure occurs. The other pairings mix a route with a bodily process, which isn’t how exposure is defined.

Lead exposure in children mainly comes through two pathways: swallowing lead-contaminated dust, soil, or paint chips (ingestion) and breathing in lead-containing dust or air (inhalation). Children are particularly at risk because they often put hands and objects in their mouths and their bodies absorb lead from the gut and lungs more readily than adults. Once lead enters the body, absorption, distribution, and excretion describe what happens after exposure, not how exposure occurs. The other pairings mix a route with a bodily process, which isn’t how exposure is defined.