Does Involving Parents in Soil Sampling Identify Causes of Child Exposure to Lead? A Case Study of Community Engagement in Mining-Impacted Towns in Peru.

Over a million people in Peru may be exposed to lead (Pb) due to past or present mining-related activities; however, neither soil Pb nor blood Pb are routinely monitored throughout the country. Because little is known about Pb contamination in smaller mining-impacted towns, soil Pb was mapped in four such towns with a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer in 2015. The roadside mapping delineated hotspots of highly contaminated soil (1,000-6,000 mg/kg Pb) in two of the towns. The local health department, provided with a LeadCare II analyzer, then measured blood-Pb levels >5 in 65% and >10 μg/dL in 15% of children (n = 200) up to 6 years of age in these same four communities. There were no clear relations between child blood-Pb levels and Pb levels in soil samples collected inside (n = 50) or outside the home (n = 50). Increased child blood Pb was associated with decreased level of cleanliness of parent clothing (n = 136) and shoes (n = 138), linking a possible behavioral factor for transferring contaminated soil and dust to children. In order to explore individual exposure and variations in soil Pb, 10 parents of children with blood Pb >10 μg/dL and 10 parents of children with blood Pb <5 μg/dL were invited to collect soil samples in areas where their children play and screen it for Pb using a color-based field procedure. Importantly, parents identified a new hotspot of Pb contamination that had been missed by the previous portable X-ray fluorescence soil mapping. The findings highlight the feasibility and value of involving families impacted by environmental contamination to identify and reduce environmental health risk.