It occurred to me earlier in the week as I was soldering that I've been breathing these fumes since I learned to solder in my teens.

I'm turning 70 next year, and still here, touch lead wood!

Quote from: Bealman on December 16, 2021, 11:07:40 PM
It occurred to me earlier in the week as I was soldering that I've been breathing these fumes since I learned to solder in my teens.

I'm turning 70 next year, and still here, touch lead wood!

I worked in electronics instrumentation, engineering and manufacturing since age 16 and have made 100s of thousands, if not more than a million, hand soldered joints, been maintenance manager of wave (inert atmosphere) and reflow solder machines and the only side effect I've had is that I no longer have a "magnetic" personality! 

Quote from: Bealman on December 16, 2021, 11:07:40 PM
It occurred to me earlier in the week as I was soldering that I've been breathing these fumes since I learned to solder in my teens.

I'm turning 70 next year, and still here, touch lead wood!

I suspect the flux fumes are worse than the lead - the flux gets vaporised whereas the lead doesn't (shouldn't) get close to boiling.

The main issues around lead are generally ingestion (either by kids licking/eating paint or lead being dissolved from pipes into the drinking water), inhalation from exhaust fumes and pollution of land and water supplies or poisoning wildlife from unsafe disposal into landfill.

Dropping a lump on one's foot isn't  good idea either.

Back in them there days of the Roman's..........

Knowing the sweet taste of lead, presumably from building their baths, they used to shave lead to sprinkle on their strawberries for taking away the bitterness!

Quote from: Bealman on December 16, 2021, 11:07:40 PM
It occurred to me earlier in the week as I was soldering that I've been breathing these fumes since I learned to solder in my teens.

I'm turning 70 next year, and still here, touch lead wood!

Aha - much has just been explained

Having used 150Kg of lead in the last 18 months, I'm very glad I'd been collecting it for years.. I don't need any more..

I work for a major electronics company and they  had huge problems with the non lead solder, till they got practiced with it. Personally I hate the new stuff and was very happy to accept 2 rolls of leaded solder they found in a cupboard after the ban..

Quote from: exmouthcraig on December 17, 2021, 06:07:32 AM
Back in them there days of the Roman's..........

Knowing the sweet taste of lead, presumably from building their baths, they used to shave lead to sprinkle on their strawberries for taking away the bitterness!

the Highest concentration of lead in the atmosphere in the northern Hemisphere?   ever...
AD 210 the Romans used a LOT of lead and were very inefficient in the way it was smelted..