Quality & Mutagenicity of Water Supply in Syrian and Palestinian Refugee Camps in Lebanon

Abstract

As a country hosting the highest refugee population per capita and per square kilometer in the world, Lebanon’s refugee crisis is aggravating the already deteriorating infrastructure. Amidst political, economic, and governance structural challenges, the burden of disease among Syrian and Palestinian refugees in Lebanon from environmental degradation and poor WASH conditions is alarming. This study aimed to examine the quality and mutagenicity of water supplies in two Syrian and Palestinian refugee camps, by assessing the water physico-chemical, microbiological, and cytotoxic activity, using both an in vitro approach and certified water quality testing techniques. Representative water samples were collected between October and November 2022. Water mutagenicity was examined using the Ames Test with and without rat liver extracts. Results showed mutagenic activity in water supply from the Palestinian refugee camp in Dbayeh. In addition, several samples from both camps revealed potential cytotoxic effects. On the other hand, almost all samples showed high levels of fecal coliform. In addition, many physical (Turbidity, Electrical Conductivity, and Total Dissolved Solids) and chemical (Total Hardness, Calcium Hardness, Chlorides, Nitrite Nitrogen, Nitrate Nitrogen, and Ammonia Nitrogen) parameters exceeded the maximum admissible levels. Findings from this study provide new baseline data on important WASH components in two major vulnerable communities in Lebanon and provide a strong insight into the potential association between water safety and prevalent epidemics among targeted groups, particularly cancer incidence and developmental and reproductive health indicators.