(b) Concentrations of lead in the bloodstream are often quoted in units of μg/dL. Averaged over the entire country, the mean concentration of lead in the blood was measured to be 1.6 μg/dL in 2008. Express this concentration in ppb.

Verified step by step guidance

Understand that ppb (parts per billion) is a unit of concentration that is equivalent to micrograms of solute per liter of solution (μg/L).

Recognize that the given concentration is in μg/dL, which means micrograms per deciliter.

Convert the concentration from μg/dL to μg/L by using the conversion factor: 1 dL = 0.1 L. Therefore, multiply the given concentration by 10 to convert it to μg/L.

Since 1 μg/L is equivalent to 1 ppb, the concentration in μg/L is numerically equal to the concentration in ppb.

Conclude that the concentration in ppb is the same as the concentration in μg/L after conversion.

Verified video answer for a similar problem:

This video solution was recommended by our tutors as helpful for the problem above.

Video duration:

Was this helpful?

Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Units of Concentration

Concentration can be expressed in various units, including micrograms per deciliter (μg/dL) and parts per billion (ppb). Understanding these units is crucial for converting between them, as they represent different scales of measurement. Specifically, 1 μg/dL is equivalent to 10 ppb, which is important for accurately interpreting and comparing concentration data.

Conversion Factors

Conversion factors are numerical values used to convert one unit of measurement to another. In this case, the conversion from μg/dL to ppb involves knowing that 1 μg/dL equals 10 ppb. Mastery of conversion factors is essential in chemistry for ensuring that calculations involving different units are performed correctly and consistently.

Blood Lead Levels and Health Implications

Lead concentration in the bloodstream is a significant health concern, as elevated levels can lead to serious health issues, particularly in children. Understanding the implications of lead exposure and the significance of measuring blood lead levels in ppb helps contextualize the importance of monitoring and regulating environmental lead sources to protect public health.

Recommended video:

Guided course

04:14

Osmosis and Tonicity

Related Practice

Textbook Question

Write balanced chemical equations for each of the following reactions: (d) Nitrogen dioxide dissolves in water to form nitric acid and nitric oxide.

Textbook Question

(b) Will Mg(OH)₂ precipitate when 4.0 g of Na₂CO₃ is added to 1.00 L of a solution containing 125 ppm of Mg²⁺?

Textbook Question

(a) The EPA threshold for acceptable levels of lead ions in water is 615 ppb. What is the molarity of an aqueous solution with a concentration of 15 ppb?

Textbook Question

In 1986 an electrical power plant in Taylorsville, Georgia, burned 8,376,726 tons of coal, a national record at that time. (a) Assuming that the coal was 83% carbon and 2.5% sulfur and that combustion was complete, calculate the number of tons of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide produced by the plant during the year.

views

Textbook Question

The water supply for a midwestern city contains the following impurities: coarse sand, finely divided particulates, nitrate ions, trihalomethanes, dissolved phosphorus in the form of phosphates, potentially harmful bacterial strains, dissolved organic substances. Which of the following processes or agents, if any, is effective in removing each of these impurities: coarse sand filtration, activated carbon filtration, aeration, ozonization, precipitation with aluminum hydroxide?

views

Textbook Question

he concentration of H2O in the stratosphere is about 5 ppm. It undergoes photodissociation according to:

H2O(𝑔)⟶H(𝑔)+OH(𝑔)

b.Given that the average bond enthalpy for an O−H bond is 463 kJ/mol, calculate the maximum wavelength for a photon that could cause this dissociation.