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Soil Screening by High School Students to Map Lead Contamination From Mining in Peru
Johny Ponce-Canchihuamán1,2, Franziska Landes3, Eda Palacios1
1Center for Research in Environmental Health (CREEH) Lima Perú.
Geohealth
|February 12, 2026
Summary
Student-led soil testing effectively mapped patchy lead (Pb) contamination in Peruvian towns. This approach identified contamination patterns more closely related to historical child blood-lead levels than total lead measurements.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Public Health
- Citizen Science
Background:
- Soil lead (Pb) contamination is a significant environmental and public health concern, particularly in mining-impacted areas.
- Mapping patchy soil contamination is challenging and resource-intensive.
- Understanding the spatial distribution of bioavailable lead is crucial for targeted remediation and health risk assessment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of student-conducted soil screening for mapping lead contamination in three Peruvian towns.
- To compare student-generated lead contamination data with laboratory-based X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements.
- To assess the relationship between soil lead patterns and historical child blood-lead levels.
Main Methods:
- Nearly 2,000 students collected and tested 1,500 soil samples using a field kit for simulated gastric extractable lead.
- An additional 2,000 soil samples were analyzed by field staff.
- Results were mapped and compared with total soil lead concentrations determined by XRF, with laboratory quality control.
Main Results:
- Soil lead contamination varied significantly across and within the study sites.
- Total lead concentrations were highest in Cerro de Pasco, followed by La Oroya, and then Callao.
- Extractable lead proportions, indicated by visual readings, showed an inverse pattern, increasing from Cerro de Pasco to La Oroya to Callao, correlating better with historical child blood-lead levels.
Conclusions:
- Student-conducted soil screening is a viable and effective method for identifying lead contamination patterns in mining-impacted communities.
- This citizen science approach provides valuable educational opportunities alongside environmental monitoring.
- The study highlights the importance of assessing bioavailable lead, not just total lead, for understanding health risks.
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