Hydrophobic Organic Pollutants in Soils and Dusts at Electronic Waste Recycling Sites: Occurrence and Possible Impacts of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers

Concerns about the adverse consequences of informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is increasing, because e-waste contains some hazardous substances such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) which is used as flame retardants in electronics. There is dearth of information on the concentrat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2019-01, Vol.16 (3), p.360
Main Authors: Ohajinwa, Chimere May, Van Bodegom, Peter M, Xie, Qing, Chen, Jingwen, Vijver, Martina G, Osibanjo, Oladele O, Peijnenburg, Willie J G M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Burning
Chemical industry
Congeners
Developing countries
Dismantling
Drinking water
Dust
Dust - analysis
Electronic equipment
Electronic waste
Electronic Waste - analysis
Emissions
Environmental Monitoring - methods
Ethers
Flame retardants
Food contamination
Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis
Hazardous Substances - analysis
Hydrophobicity
Industrialized nations
LDCs
Manufacturing
Municipal wastes
Nigeria
Organic chemistry
Organic soils
Pollutants
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Recycling
Sediment pollution
Shopping centers
Soil - chemistry
Soil contamination
Soil Pollutants - analysis
Soil pollution
Waste disposal
Waste disposal sites
Waste management
Water pollution
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Summary:Concerns about the adverse consequences of informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is increasing, because e-waste contains some hazardous substances such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) which is used as flame retardants in electronics. There is dearth of information on the concentrations of PBDEs and the pattern of distribution at the various e-waste recycling sites in Nigeria. This study therefore measured the concentrations of 13 PBDE congeners, in top soils (0⁻10 cm) and in various dust samples from different e-waste recycling sites (burning, dismantling, repair). PBDE concentrations at e-waste sites were compared with the concentrations in samples from corresponding control sites in three study locations in Nigeria (Lagos, Ibadan, and Aba). There were significant differences in the level of PBDEs congeners between each of the e-waste recycling sites and the corresponding control sites. The levels of PBDEs at the e-waste recycling sites exceeded the levels at the controls sites by a factor of 100 s to 1000 s. In general, PBDE concentrations at the e-waste sites decreased with the intensity of the e-waste recycling activities: burning sites > dismantling sites > repair sites > control sites. Our results suggest that the informal e-waste recycling has negative impacts on the enviroment and human health.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph16030360