ABSTRACT
The environmental behavior and the toxic potential of organolead compounds are largely determined by their physicochemical characteristics in the various states of alkylation, such as water solubility, volatility, density, chemical stability, and half-life, and by prevailing environmental factors, such as solar irradiation, air and water movements, and presence of decomposing agents. As plants lack any structures comparable to mammalian nervous tissue, the main target of organolead attack, their response to intoxication with organic lead compounds must greatly differ from that of mammals. Bacteria and fungi play a dominant role in catalyzing the modification of toxic metals and metalloids in the environment, e.g., methylation of metals. Organolead compounds, especially trialkyl- and triaryllead compounds, are highly toxic to a variety of organisms in all phyla. Biocidal application of large quantities of the most toxic triorganolead compounds, as is recommended or practiced, must be suspected to create serious potential hazards towards the entire populations of biotopes concerned.
