Question:
Which is the most common heavy metal poisoning in the world?
Which is the most common heavy metal poisoning in the world?
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Think which toxic metal exposes the largest number of industrial workers worldwide.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Lead
- Arsenic
- Mercury
- Cadmium
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The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: The question asks for the single most common heavy metal poisoning worldwide. The key idea is occupational and environmental exposure scale, not just toxicity per gram.
Step 2: Lead is the answer. More industrial workers are exposed to lead than to any other toxic metal. Sources include battery manufacturing, paints, soldering, smelting, leaded petrol residues and plumbing, making it the most widespread heavy metal exposure globally.
Step 3: Lead poisoning (plumbism) causes anaemia with basophilic stippling, a blue lead line on gums (Burton line), peripheral neuropathy such as wrist drop and foot drop, abdominal colic and encephalopathy in children.
Step 4: The distractors are real toxins but less common as global poisonings. Arsenic and mercury (causing Minamata disease) and cadmium (causing Itai-itai disease) are important regionally, but none match the sheer number of people exposed to lead. Hence the correct option is Lead.
Step 2: Lead is the answer. More industrial workers are exposed to lead than to any other toxic metal. Sources include battery manufacturing, paints, soldering, smelting, leaded petrol residues and plumbing, making it the most widespread heavy metal exposure globally.
Step 3: Lead poisoning (plumbism) causes anaemia with basophilic stippling, a blue lead line on gums (Burton line), peripheral neuropathy such as wrist drop and foot drop, abdominal colic and encephalopathy in children.
Step 4: The distractors are real toxins but less common as global poisonings. Arsenic and mercury (causing Minamata disease) and cadmium (causing Itai-itai disease) are important regionally, but none match the sheer number of people exposed to lead. Hence the correct option is Lead.
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