# Dissolution of Inorganic Lead (Pb) in Synthetic Sweat: Implications for Dermal Exposure and Occupational Risk

## TL;DR

This study shows that synthetic sweat dissolves less inorganic lead than water, suggesting sweat may reduce lead absorption through the skin.

## Contribution

The study provides new empirical evidence on how sweat affects the dissolution and bioaccessibility of inorganic lead for dermal exposure.

## Key findings

- Sweat dissolves 67% of initial inorganic Pb mass compared to 100% in deionized water after 3 hours.
- Sweat shows higher variability and precipitation in Pb dissolution compared to deionized water.
- Dissolution differences between sweat and water are statistically significant (p < 0.0001).

## Abstract

Inorganic lead (Pb) poses a significant public health concern due to its toxicity and widespread industrial use. Dermal contact, an under-researched pathway of Pb exposure relative to inhalation and ingestion, is typically not factored into regulatory exposure limits because of the paucity of validated studies. This study investigated the influence of sweat on the bioaccessibility of inorganic lead for dermal absorption. Dissolution testing was conducted to determine the dissolution kinetics of inorganic Pb (lead nitrate) in synthetic sweat relative to deionized water (DIW). Particle sizes of samples ranged from 0.70 µm to 118 µm. Non-linear dissolution kinetics were observed in both DIW (control) and sweat. The iPb ion concentration in DIW after 3 h (test period) accounted for 100% of the initial mass of iPb, compared to 67% of the initial mass of iPb in sweat. Higher variability was observed in sweat (SD: 1.47 to 8.2) compared to DIW (SD: 0.80 to 3.88). Precipitation was observed in sweat but not in DIW. Wilcoxon rank-sum test indicated a statistically significant difference in dissolution between sweat and deionized water (Z = −4.50, p < 0.0001). Findings suggest that sweat composition limits the extent of dissolution of soluble inorganic Pb, thereby influencing its dermal bioaccessibility.