This rain water samples harvested for drinking and agriculture from Gaza collected
in November 2012 were analyzed for different rare metals (Rb, Zr, Ti, Tl, Sb, Sc, Y),
and rare earth metals (La, and Ce). These metals usually have no maximum acceptable
limits as there is no sufficient data about their toxicity to human health. Their
control should be therefore controlled in water to monitor their concentration in
water (ground, harvested, etc.). This study was conducted to determine the water
quality of harvested water which is used for drinking in the study area. 43 water
samples were collected in November 2012 during the first rain from house wells and
rain water pools. The concentrations of the metals detected in the collected harvested
rainwater vary significantly between the 43 samples, and all of them were detected in
all water samples analyzed in this study. The results obtained from this study suggest
a possible risk to the population of the study area given the high concentration of
some metals that have no maximum allowed concentration, and the fact that for
many people in the study area, harvested rain water is a main source of their water
supply.The authors are grateful to the Association of Arab Universities for their financial support.
The authors would like also to thank the volunteers at MECA (Middle East
Children’s Alliance) who worked tirelessly on short notice to mobilize volunteers and
collect water samples across the entire Gaza strip during the first rain after the bombings
in November, 2012