How did they counter the risk from lead pipes? Coating the inside? Or just avoiding. I imagine the deaths or symptoms of lead workers were an indication it was toxic. But the effects of widespread dust wouldn’t be easy to detect
"Sorry about the brain damage 🥺" - The Roman Empire
Submitted 2 days ago by PugJesus@piefed.social to historymemes@piefed.social
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neutronbumblebee@mander.xyz 1 day ago terranoid@lemmy.cafe 1 day ago
We still use lead pipes to this day. It’s not a major problem unless you do some dumbass shit like in Flint Michigan. They had and used lead pipes for like 50 years and they treated the water so it didn’t corrode the pipes, and created some protective layer.
Then they switched water sources to save money besides being told not to, and the water was naturally corrosive and dissolved the protective layer and their water was fucked by lead.
PugJesus@piefed.social 1 day ago
Two ways.
First, that water generally was moving when in the pipe system - sitting time was minimal. Since these weren’t modern pressurized systems that started-and-stopped as-needed, they had a steady flow, minimizing the time for any given amount of water to absorb lead in the pipes.
Second, related to that constant movement and the mountainous water sources of Roman aqueducts, calcium would build up on the inside, forming a layer that prevented direct contact of the lead with the water.
Roman texts still recommend clay or copper alloy piping for drinking water, but this was not always followed, since lead is a very handy metal and the risk wasn’t massive.
PugJesus@piefed.social 2 days ago
Explanation: A rare bit of OC from me!
The Roman Empire’s organizational and material technology was incredible, so much that it managed to harness the resources of Europe more efficiently than any combination of countries would for over 1500 years after its height. Quite impressive! Metallurgy, in particular, was pursued with great enthusiasm - resulting in a large amount of lead, used in various applications. Silver ore, silver being the main component of Roman currency, was a great contributor to the lead supplies of the Empire, as much of the accessible silver (galena) had to be separated from lead.
However, the Romans understood the danger of lead, and the often-suggested transmission route, that of water pipes, Romans recognized and counteracted pretty effectively!
… but recent research suggests a more insidious transmission route - the air itself. Ice cores dated to the period of the height of Roman industry show extremely elevated levels of lead in the air - to the degree that it may have decreased the average IQ (useless for measuring individuals, but sometimes useful in measuring general drops in demographic ability) by ~2% across all of Europe at the time. Comparable to the height of leaded gas in the 20th century AD. 😬
As the Romans had no conception of lead lingering in the air long after the smoke had dissipated, they were unaware of - and thus helpless against - this threat, even if they were inclined to counter it.
rumschlumpel@feddit.org 1 day ago
Interesting that they were generally aware of the risk and trying to mitigate it. Didn’t they also use leaden pots and sweeten their wine with lead, however that actually works?
PugJesus@piefed.social 1 day ago
When you boil grape juice down to a syrup in copper or iron vessels, the copper or iron leaves an aftertaste - highly undesirable! But boiled down in a lead vessel, a small amount of the lead reacts with the acid in the grape juice to produce lead acetate, which is slightly sweet… meaning that instead of an aftertaste, you get an even sweeter syrup! Irresistible!
The syrup would then be added to various things - including wine.
The Romans recognized that the practice was harmful and that lead was poisonous. Such ‘adulterated’ wine was attributed a wide variety of symptoms… including several we would recognize in the modern day as chronic lead poisoning.