“…Patterson found that Pb resulting from human activity was everywhere, including water, soil, arctic ice, and most troubling, in people. Indeed, the development of Pb isotopic techniques has significantly enhanced our understanding of sources of additional Pb to the environment and cycling of Pb in soils (Deboudt et al, 1999;Sañudo-Wilhelmy and Gill, 1999;Kurkjian and Flegal, 2003) and in human tissues (Graziano et al, 1996;Gwiazda and Smith, 2000;Manton et al, 2000;Rothenberg et al, 2001). Showing an academic bravery just short of foolishness, Patterson not only published his troubling findings of Pb contamination and potential poisoning in humans in peer-reviewed scientific journals (e.g., Settle and Patterson, 1980), but he also raised the alarm to regulators, industries, and lawmakers, pointing out that the sources of this contaminant were clear and could be completely eliminated.…”