Biological impact of lead from halide perovskites reveals the risk of introducing a safe threshold

Abstract

Regulations currently in force enable to claim that the lead content in perovskite solar cells is low enough to be safe, or no more dangerous, than other electronics also containing lead. However, the actual environmental impact of lead from perovskite is unknown. Here we show that the lead from perovskite leaking into the ground can enter plants, and consequently the food cycle, ten times more effectively than other lead contaminants already present as the result of the human activities. We further demonstrate that replacing lead with tin represents an environmentally-safer option. Our data suggest that we need to treat the lead from perovskite with exceptional care. In particular, we point out that the safety level for lead content in perovskite-based needs to be lower than other lead-containing electronics. We encourage replacing lead completely with more inert metals to deliver safe perovskite technologies.

Origin of Sn(ii) oxidation in tin halide perovskites

“…Tin halide perovskite materials have recently gained the attention of the photovoltaic community due to their advantages over leadbased perovskites, such as their close-to ideal bandgap, 1 lower environmental toxicity 2 and potential to be the bottom cell in all-perovskite tandem solar cells. 3 However, the efficiency of tin-based perovskite solar cells has only recently surpassed 10%, 4 mainly due to the instability of the Sn(II) oxidation state, easily oxidised to Sn(IV).…”

Indoor application of emerging photovoltaics—progress, challenges and perspectives

“…A recent research study revealed that the Pb from halide perovskites is more harmful than initially expected, and is 10 times more bioavailable than other sources of lead contaminants that already exist around human life. 109 Therefore, lead-free perovskites (e.g. Sn-, Ge-and all-inorganic based) and QDPVs (e.g.…”

Third‐Generation Solar Cells: Toxicity and Risk of Exposure

“…It has been shown that perovskite lead is more readily taken up by plants than other lead in nature. [138] TiO 2 , both in its bulk form and as nanoparticles, is used extensively in many consumer products, and is already abundantly present in the environment. There are also natural sources of TiO 2 , so finding a way to identify anthropogenic TiO 2 NM is necessary to allow for a complete impact analysis of the human activities.…”