Blood lead level among Palestinian schoolchildren: a pilot study

Area of Science:

• Environmental Health
• Pediatric Toxicology
• Public Health

Background:

• Chronic lead exposure in children is a global health issue, yet understudied in Palestine.
• Lead poisoning poses risks to neurological development and overall child health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess blood lead levels (BLLs) in schoolchildren in Nablus, Palestine.
• To identify potential risk factors associated with elevated BLLs in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey of 178 children (ages 6-8) from 3 Nablus schools.
• Collection of blood samples for lead level analysis.
• Gathering of demographic, clinical, and environmental data.

Main Results:

• The mean BLL was 3.2 (SD 2.4) microg/dL, with 4.5% of children exceeding 10 microg/dL.
• Higher BLLs were observed in children from refugee camps near industrial/high traffic zones.
• BLLs showed positive correlation with family size and negative correlation with household area.

Conclusions:

• Palestinian schoolchildren exhibit higher BLLs compared to international benchmarks where leaded gasoline is banned.
• Socioeconomic factors, including living in refugee camps and economic deprivation, appear to contribute to increased lead exposure.
• Urgent public health interventions are needed to address childhood lead exposure in Palestine.