Overview
Lead is a heavy, soft metal long used in construction, batteries and radiation shielding but limited today due to toxicity.
Properties
It is malleable, corrosion resistant in many environments and forms stable +2 and +4 oxidation states in compounds.
Occurrence and Uses
Mined from galena and other ores, lead is used in lead acid batteries, radiation shielding, solder historically and some industrial compounds.
Isotopes and Safety
Stable isotopes include Pb 204 to Pb 208; lead is neurotoxic, especially to children, and exposure is tightly regulated with remediation efforts for contaminated sites.