Soil lead concentrations in samples collected by high-school students in mining towns of the Peruvian Andes

Exposure to lead (Pb) in contaminated soil is a significant health threat for children in Peru. Our team designed a module for the science curriculum of Peruvian high-schools organized around a kit to screen soil for Pb. This data set contains total Pb concentrations measured by X-ray fluorescence in Lima, along with GPS coordinates. For “alumnos” samples collected by the students, the resolution of GPS coordinates was degraded to 0.01 in latitude and longitude, approximately 1 km in each direction, to protect privacy. Some of these samples may have been on collected on private property. GPS coordinates for “communidad” samples of soil collected from public location by CREEH staff are provided at full resolution. Total Pb concentrations measured by XRF in soil collected from the mining town of Cerro de Pasco and the smelter town of La Oroya averaged 2,000±4,000 ppm and 600±500 ppm overall, respectively, and where considerably higher than in the Lima neighborhood of Ate (200±300 ppm), the ore shipping port of Callao (200±300 ppm), or the urban area north of Lima Mi Perú (100±100 ppm).