Lead is ubiquitous on the earth's crust, it is found at low concentration in most soils. Anthropogenic activities, such as mining and processing have steadily increased the level of lead in the environment. Lead has been used by man for various purposes, such as ammunition, piping, vessels, batteries, and as an anti-knocking agent in gasoline engines. It is also a hazardoous constituent that has been known to cause abnormalities in the nervous system, the reproductive system and the gastro-intestinal system. Because of its solubility and sorption properties, lead tends to accumulate more in the colloidal fractions of the soil than in water.
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