Heavy Metals Concentrations of Surface Dust from e-Waste Recycling and Its Human Health Implications in Southeast China

Abstract

The recycling of printed circuit boards in Guiyu, China, a village intensely involved in e-waste processing, may present a significant environmental and human health risk. To evaluate the extent of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) contamination from printed circuit board recycling, surface dust samples were collected from recycling workshops, adjacent roads, a schoolyard, and an outdoor food market. ICP-OES analyses revealed elevated mean concentrations in workshop dust (Pb 110 000, Cu 8360, Zn 4420, and Ni 1500 mg/kg) and in dust of adjacent roads (Pb 22 600, Cu 6170, Zn 2370, and Ni 304 mg/kg). Lead and Cu in road dust were 330 and 106, and 371 and 155 times higher, respectively, than non e-waste sites located 8 and 30 km away. Levels at the schoolyard and food market showed that public places were adversely impacted. Risk assessment predicted that Pb and Cu originating from circuit board recycling have the potential to pose serious health risks to workers and local residents of Guiyu, especially children, and warrants an urgent investigation into heavy metal related health impacts. The potential environmental and human health consequences due to uncontrolled e-waste recycling in Guiyu serves as a case study for other countries involved in similar crude recycling activities.

Use of scalp hair as indicator of human exposure to heavy metals in an electronic waste recycling area

“…Previous studies conducted in Guiyu, another notorious e-waste recycling area in Guangdong province in China, found significantly high amounts of these two metals in the local rivers and sediments (Wong et al, 2007a) and atmosphere (Deng et al, 2006). Another study found extremely elevated levels of Cu and Pb in dust samples inside workshops (Cu: 8360 mg/g and Pb: 110,000 mg/g) and roads (106 and 330 mg/g) near these recycling facilities (Leung et al, 2008). Dismantling workers and residents are then at risk of being exposed to toxic levels of these metals through inhalation of fumes, ingestion of dust, and intake of contaminated food and drinking water.…”

Emissions of brominated compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during pyrolysis of E-waste debrominated in subcritical water

“…WEEE can be a serious threat to human health (Leung et al, 2008) and the environment (Owens et al, 2007) if they are not properly treated. In this way, the Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment aims to promote the recycling, reuse and recovery of these types of wastes (European Commission, 2012).…”

Effect of combined exposure to lead and decabromodiphenyl ether on neurodevelopment of zebrafish larvae

“…In e-waste recycling areas, Pb is one of the most common heavy metals, and high levels of Pb have been detected in workshop dust, environmental water samples, sediments, and soil samples Leung et al, 2008). High Pb levels, ranging from 57 to 120 μg/L, have been reported in river waters near e-waste recycling areas in South China , while the concentrations of Pb in surface water of other rivers are generally in the 1-29 μg/L range (Cheung et al, 2003).…”