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How Does Lead Affect The Environment

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How Does Lead Affect The Environment
Lead is harming our environment through pollution in our soil,water and even air supply. It can get into our water supply through our underground water piping systems. Lead is a natural radioactive element found in the Earth’s Crust. Lead is harming a plant's NPP can really change vegetation health, which could really affect the organisms consuming these plants. The Anacharis Elodea Densa Egeria is a plant that goes through photosynthesis, but lead affects this plants NPP.

Lead is a type of metal with a dark bluish color. It makes up about .13% of the Earth's crust and it is a natural element. This means that it was produced or made by nature. Lead is found in many everyday objects such as batteries, paints, fireworks, car engines, ammunition, cables, Tv screens, and many more objects. When used in Tv
…show more content…

It is exposed to the soil because of mining and improper disposal of metals and batteries. Lead cannot be broken down, so when it goes through our water systems it is causing our water supply to become acidic, which is causing people to have health problems. When lead is found in the soil plants seem to absorb the lead. The lead then moves towards plants leaves. When lead is found in the leaves this prevents the plant to absorb sunlight which is need for photosynthesis. Without photosynthesis the plants end up dying. So that means they cannot produce oxygen which we use to breathe.

Net primary productivity can depend on the productivity of the ecosystem. NPP’s main energy source is sunlight. So if there is very little sunlight then the plants NPP number will be low. This energy is later absorbed by plants and even algae. Climate change, drought,and hotter environmental conditions may cause the NPP numbers to drop. When it is hot outside plants will close their leaves to save water, but this will cause their carbon dioxide levels to decrease. This will cause the plants NPP numbers to decrease as


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