system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is lead so much more poisonous than other metals?

I've been using an aluminum rake for my yard and a lot of the aluminum dust comes off on my hands. Why is this not considered highly toxic if the aluminum dust can easily get into my lungs? Same with other metals.
gpt
Lead is not really the most toxic metal.

Keep in mind that arsenic and mercury are metals too.

What makes lead so special is that it sits in a sweet spot between stuff that is really bad for you (most heavy metals are) and which exist in large quantities and has useful properties.

You won't built tools or stuff like water pipes out of arsenic, but lead is a good candidate for that.