# Lead in archived hair documents a decline in lead exposure to humans since the establishment of the US Environmental Protection Agency

## TL;DR

Archived human hair shows lead exposure has dropped significantly since the US Environmental Protection Agency was created.

## Contribution

This study uses archived hair samples to document a 100-fold decline in lead exposure since the EPA's founding.

## Key findings

- Lead concentrations in hair dropped nearly 100-fold after the EPA was established.
- The decline is attributed to environmental regulations implemented by the EPA.
- Hair analysis provides a historical record of human lead exposure over 100 years.

## Abstract

Lead (Pb) is well known to be toxic to humans. We use archived hair from individuals living along the Wasatch Front in Utah to evaluate changes in exposure to lead over the last 100 y. Current concentrations of lead in hair from this population average almost 100 times lower than before the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. This low level of lead exposure is likely due to the environmental regulations established by Environmental Protection Agency.