Investigating aluminum cookpots as a source of lead exposure in Afghan refugee children resettled in the United States.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Afghan refugee children resettled in Washington State have the highest prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) of any other refugee or immigrant population. Resettled families brought several lead-containing items with them from Afghanistan, including aluminum cookpots.

Objectives

To evaluate the potential contribution of lead-containing cookpots to elevated BLLs in Afghan children and determine whether safer alternative cookware is available.

Methods

We screened 40 aluminum cookpots for lead content using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer and used a leachate method to estimate the amount of lead that migrates into food. We also tested five stainless steel cookpots to determine whether they would be safer alternatives.

Results

Many aluminu

SUBMITTER: Fellows KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9119854 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature