Radiation levels following the Beirut seaport explosion: environmental survey and public dose exposure.

On August 4, 2020, an explosion at the Port of Beirut, Lebanon, ripped the city to shreds, killing more than 200 people, wounding 6500 others, and leaving about 300,000 residents temporarily homeless. The explosion raised many concerns regarding the possible presence of radioactive material and the associated public health risks. Accordingly, and after opening the affected sites for public access, an external radiological survey of the hit area was conducted. The dose rate reading in Beirut's seaport (ground zero) varied between 58 and 100 nSv/h. The detected levels were within the average worldwide annual gamma dose rate of 50 to 53 nSv/h set by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation. The recorded values were not significantly different from those measured by the Lebanese Atomic Energy Commission (LAEC) at the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS-L) in 2009 and 2010 at three locations in Beirut's seaport (minimum value 50 nSv/h and maximum value 140 nSv/h). Besides, in the surveyed area, radiological scans were conducted on 360 injured patients reported to the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), showing no signs of radiation exposure due to the explosion.

Impact of breast vs. formula feeding mode on primary teeth lead level. Retrospective clinical study and literature review.

UNLABELLED: Lead exposure is a global environmental problem inducing lifelong adverse health effects. Children's exposure to lead, from birth to 6 months, is typically dominated by dietary sources. The first primary mandibular molar could provide an integrated record of lead exposure. The aim of this study is to detect the level of lead in the first primary molar of a group of Lebanese children born between 1990 and 2000, living in Beirut and suburbs, and to compare the amount of lead according to gender and feeding mode. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A group of 53 first primary molars belonging to 53 Lebanese children (31 girls and 22 boys), and aged 9 to 12 years old, were included in the study. The primary outcome variable of the study was the amount of lead level (mg/kg) in the first primary mandibular molars taken at the time of the natural exfoliation and measured by ICP/MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry). Children included in the study were fed exclusively with formula feeding or maternal feeding for six months. RESULTS: The mean lead level of the first primary molar was 0.678 mg/kg +/- 0.717. The mean lead was significantly higher among children fed with instant formula milk (0.876 +/- 0.802) than breastfed children (0.455 +/- 0.540), (p = 0.044). No significant difference was found between girls (0.595 < or = 0.548) and boys (0.794 +/- 0.905), (p = 0.440). CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of this study, we found a statistically significant difference in the teeth lead level between breastfeeding and formula feeding, in favor of breastfeeding. This difference proves once more the importance of breastfeeding ; on the other hand, the Lebanese children accumulated lead in their teeth to levels below the international levels.