Human activities are mainly responsible for the increase of lead in the ecosystem.
From paints to ceramic ware, crystal, batteries, solder, and plumbing, to pesticides and leaded gasoline, all forms contribute to an increase of lead worldwide. Lead poisoning plays a special role in history in which even the fall of Rome is possibly correlated with the increased levels of lead in tissues. The prediction of lead concentrations in snow by the year 2000 are above the 250 parts per trillion. As lead is concentrated through accumulation in human tissue, certain stress such as fever can release the lead in toxic proportions into the blood. The purpose of this experiment is to discover if any of your ceramic ware is leaching lead which might cause lead poisoning.