Use
Lead tetraoxide is most often used as a pigment for primer paints for iron objects. Due to its toxicity, its use is being limited. In the past, it was used in combination with linseed oil as a thick, long-lasting anti-corrosive paint. The combination of minium and linen fibres was also used for plumbing, now replaced with PTFE tape. Currently it is mostly used for manufacture of glass, especially lead glass. It finds limited use in some amateur pyrotechnics as a relatively potent oxidizer.
Red lead was also used for engineer's scraping, before being supplanted by Engineer's blue. In traditional Chinese medicine, red lead is used to treat ringworms and ulcerations, though the practice is limited due to its toxicity. Also, azarcon, a Mexican folk remedy for gastrointestinal disorders contains up to 95% lead tetroxide.
Read more about this topic: Lead Tetroxide
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