A Safe and Efficient Strategy for the Rapid Elimination of Blood Lead In Vivo Based on a Capture–Fix–Separate Mechanism

Cola beverage reduces risk of lead poisoning from accidental ingestion of contaminated soil particles in rat and swine models

Accidental ingestion of lead (Pb)-contaminated soils represents a major route of Pb exposure for both adults and children, and the development of accessible and cost-effective solutions to reduce Pb poisoning is urgently required. Here, we present an effective and straightforward technique, involving the consumption of cola beverages, for the purpose of lowering blood Pb levels following the ingestion of contaminated soils in animal models. This method facilitated the direct passage of Pb in contaminated soil through the digestive system, enhancing its elimination without absorption into systemic circulation. Our results demonstrated that cola effectively reduced Pb bioaccessibility in 22 contaminated soils by 32.6%-98.8%. In male rats and swine exposed to Pb-contaminated soils, cola treatment decreased blood Pb concentrations by 32.9%-96.0% and 31.5%-81.5%, respectively. This cola-induced reduction in Pb bioaccessibility and bioavailability was attributed to the rich phosphoric acid content in cola, which promoted the formation of insoluble Pb phosphate precipitate (pyromorphite [Pb5(PO4)3Cl]) during the gastric phase. The precipitate was directly excreted in feces, resulting in lower Pb absorption in the blood. These findings suggest that the consumption of cola beverages may be a practical strategy to mitigate the risk of Pb poisoning following the accidental ingestion of contaminated soils. However, the applicability of this approach in humans remains uncertain in the absence of population-based studies. While these findings underscore the potential for cola beverages to reduce Pb absorption following soil ingestion in animal models, further research is necessary to evaluate its safety, efficacy, and possible risks in humans before any such protocols are initiated.

Identification of lead-binding proteins as carriers and potential molecular targets associated with systolic blood pressure

Lead (Pb) exposure is well recognized as a significant environmental factor associated with the high incidence of cardiovascular diseases. However, the carriers and molecular targets of Pb in human blood remain to be understood, especially for a real Pb exposure scenario. In this study, a total of 350 blood samples were collected from the smelting workers and systematically analyzed using metallomics and metalloproteomics approaches. The results showed that the majority of Pb (∼99.4%) could be presented in the blood cells. Pb in the cytoplasm of blood cells accounted for approximately 83.1% of the total blood Pb, with nearly half of Pb being bound to proteins. Pb-binding proteins in the blood of workers were identified as hemoglobin, catalase, haptoglobin, δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase, and peroxiredoxin-2. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that higher levels of Pb bound to proteins (Mix-bound Pb and Protein-bound Pb) were positively associated with higher systolic blood pressure (p < 0.05). However, the association between blood lead level, Pb levels in the blood cells and systolic blood pressure was not observed (p > 0.05). This study suggested that Pb bound to proteins could be a suitable biomarker for indicating the potential risk of occupational hypertension.

Ultra-high-efficiency capture of lead ions over acetylenic bond-rich graphdiyne adsorbent in aqueous solution

A satisfactory material with high adsorption capacity is urgently needed to solve the serious problem of environment and human health caused by lead pollution. Herein, hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne (HsGDY) was successfully fabricated and employed to remove lead ions from sewage and lead-containing blood. The as-prepared HsGDY exhibits the highest adsorption capacity of lead among the reported materials with a maximum adsorption capacity of 2,390 mg/g, i.e., ~five times larger than that of graphdiyne (GDY). The distinguished hexagonal hole and stack mode of HsGDY allows the adsorption of more lead via its inner side adsorption mode in one single unit space. In addition, the Pb 6s and H 1s hybridization promotes the strong bonding of lead atom adsorbed at the acetylenic bond of HsGDY, contributing to the high adsorption capacity. HsGDY can be easily regenerated by acid treatment and showed excellent regeneration ability and reliability after six adsorption-regeneration cycles. Langmuir isotherm model, pseudo second order, and density functional theory (DFT) demonstrated that the lead adsorption process in HsGDY is monolayer chemisorption. Furthermore, the HsGDY-based portable filter can handle 1,000 μg/L lead-containing aqueous solution up to 1,000 mL, which is nearly 6.67 times that of commercial activated carbon particles. And, the HsGDY shows good biocompatibility and excellent removal efficiency to 100 μg/L blood lead, which is 1.7 times higher than that of GDY. These findings suggest that HsGDY could be a promising adsorbent for practical lead and other heavy metal removal.