DIY ham radio guys solder as much as DIY audio guys -- a study in QEX just received indicates the following:
Based on the results of this study, recreational use of ELTS in electronics can be considered unlikely to cause geometric mean BLLs at or above the WHO recommended exposure threshold of 10 mcg/dL. (99% CI; 2.18 mcg/dL to 2.32 mcg/dL). By extension, activities encouraging electronic construction in schools or Scouting can be considered unlikely to expose a significant risk of lead exposure.
ELTS = eutectic lead tin solder
Based on the results of this study, recreational use of ELTS in electronics can be considered unlikely to cause geometric mean BLLs at or above the WHO recommended exposure threshold of 10 mcg/dL. (99% CI; 2.18 mcg/dL to 2.32 mcg/dL). By extension, activities encouraging electronic construction in schools or Scouting can be considered unlikely to expose a significant risk of lead exposure.
ELTS = eutectic lead tin solder
The vapor pressure of lead is essentially zero at temperatures humans can live in. So there is no breathing it in. Any fumes you get are from the flux. You need to ingest the stuff to get it into your system, so do not eat the solder and you will be OK. A tiny bit might rub off on your fingers, so while soldering, don;t lick your fingers. Although I'd be more afraid of the other goo on components than the lead if I were licking.
If concerned anyway, you can have your blood tested for heavy metals.
If concerned anyway, you can have your blood tested for heavy metals.
I have been using lead solder for electronics for close on 40 years at what I am sure is well beyond the "extreme" end of non professional construction.
I also work in an industry where I get tested for lead in blood regularly.
My lead in blood is at the average population level.
I take this as anecdotal evidence that a lot of soldering does not necessarily cause problems.
That said I did not eat the solder or lick pcbs. (The cut off pins are too prickly)
I also work in an industry where I get tested for lead in blood regularly.
My lead in blood is at the average population level.
I take this as anecdotal evidence that a lot of soldering does not necessarily cause problems.
That said I did not eat the solder or lick pcbs. (The cut off pins are too prickly)
I was a tech in a busy TV repair shop a long time ago when all the solder had lead. The owner had been soldering radios and TV's for decades and lived into his 90's. Several other techs retired after 30 years. No lead-related problems that I could see. I was exposed to solder continuously for 4+ years and I have normal blood lead levels as per a few tests along the way. Solder fumes are not one of the things I worry about, personally.
Flux fumes are the only thing to be concerned about, and then not very much. Just make sure you do soldering in a room with some ventilation. Wash your hands afterwards. Don't suck components.
Problems with lead can begin when the equipment is dumped in landfill. If the landfill site is properly sealed then no problem there either.
Lead-free solder will kill more people than leaded ever has.
Problems with lead can begin when the equipment is dumped in landfill. If the landfill site is properly sealed then no problem there either.
Lead-free solder will kill more people than leaded ever has.
Obviously don't eat solder paste or the contents of a solder sucker. Otherwise nobody ever got lead poisoning on production lines.
I don't think landfill is a real problem. There is a lot of worse from other chemicals if someone is stupid enoughg to take water supply downstream of one.
Incinerators might be a problem.
I don't think landfill is a real problem. There is a lot of worse from other chemicals if someone is stupid enoughg to take water supply downstream of one.
Incinerators might be a problem.
Lead water pipes in the houses I lived in as a kid, it hasn't done me much harm...
Years of working with fluxes before the days of health and safety, proper ventilation, brought back my asthma with a vengeance at 26...
Even on land fills the amount of lead that will untangle itself from the tin and pollute the environment is minimal, when RoHS was being proposed there were numerous papers done on the problems of lead in electronic assemblies, it was not to much of a problem.
Years of working with fluxes before the days of health and safety, proper ventilation, brought back my asthma with a vengeance at 26...
Even on land fills the amount of lead that will untangle itself from the tin and pollute the environment is minimal, when RoHS was being proposed there were numerous papers done on the problems of lead in electronic assemblies, it was not to much of a problem.
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Same can be said of Rachel Carson.
The lead related childhood developmental issues in the US seem to relate to ingested paint chips containing lead oxide and lead contaminated soil. Serious blood testing of children under the age of 6 got started in the US 15 years ago, and the decline in blood levels has been dramatic: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/data/StateConfirmedByYear1997-2011.htm
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Some of the water-washable fluxes smell pretty awful. I have to wonder if good old rosin isn't better for you.
The silver from darkroom work amounts to nearly nothing. I'd be far more worried about metol allergies from getting your fingers in the developer. If you're a bit older, pyro and ppd would have gotten you first, yet few photographers were ever dropping dead from the processes, other than hot mercury used in making Daguerreotypes or as used in intensifiers. There was also a uranium toner that was popular.
See, electronics is far safer!
The silver from darkroom work amounts to nearly nothing. I'd be far more worried about metol allergies from getting your fingers in the developer. If you're a bit older, pyro and ppd would have gotten you first, yet few photographers were ever dropping dead from the processes, other than hot mercury used in making Daguerreotypes or as used in intensifiers. There was also a uranium toner that was popular.
See, electronics is far safer!
I did have a sensitivity to silver for years, I was unable to wear silver jewelry of any kind. It's fine now though. I'm not worried about it now, but glad I'm not exposed to it anymore. Every one of my professors had some sort of skin problem on their hands.
Yeah, those older processes were wicked. I took a course in historical processes where we used all sorts of bad stuff, even had to get a chemical respirator. Dementia of different sorts was more prevalent with photographers throughout history- Edward Steichen being one.
Yeah, those older processes were wicked. I took a course in historical processes where we used all sorts of bad stuff, even had to get a chemical respirator. Dementia of different sorts was more prevalent with photographers throughout history- Edward Steichen being one.
Hydro carbons were great for cleaning the flux residue of PCB's, once had a great afternoon cleaning out a ultrasonic cleaner tank, someone forgot to turn the heater off so all those nice vapours sent me on a happy journey...Had a bad headache though after
Life was so much fun before health and safety, these young ones today don't know what they are missing...
Rosin Fluxes, OK with extraction, in my case I didn't fare well, now a bad asthmatic.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg249.pdf
Life was so much fun before health and safety, these young ones today don't know what they are missing...
Rosin Fluxes, OK with extraction, in my case I didn't fare well, now a bad asthmatic.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg249.pdf
As our population ages, due to improved feeding and improved health care, we are seeing a massive rise in dementia and similar afflictions.
I wonder how many of those folk had lead pipes in their water supplies for decades before we awakened to the risks to the very young?
Maybe it was not just the young that were at high risk !
I wonder how many of those folk had lead pipes in their water supplies for decades before we awakened to the risks to the very young?
Maybe it was not just the young that were at high risk !
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