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. 2019 Jan 28;16(3):360.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph16030360.

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

Chimere May Ohajinwa  1 , Peter M Van Bodegom  2 , Qing Xie  3 , Jingwen Chen  4 , Martina G Vijver  5 , Oladele O Osibanjo  6 , Willie J G M Peijnenburg  7   8
Affiliations

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

Chimere May Ohajinwa et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Nigeria; PBDEs; dust; electronic waste; informal recycling; soil.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Map of Nigeria showing the study locations.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic flow diagram of sample collection in the study locations.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Exceedances of ∑13PBDE concentrations in the samples from the e-waste recycling sitescompared to the control sites across locations.
Figure 4
Figure 4
PBDE concentrations in top soils across the sites. The PBDE congeners influenced by activity at the sites are indicated with *, and an additional * for those influenced by location, and # for interaction between activity and location.
Figure 5
Figure 5
PBDEs concentration in floor dust across the sites. The PBDE congeners influenced by activity at the sites are indicated with *.
Figure 6
Figure 6
PBDE concentration in roadside dust across the sites. The PBDE congeners influenced by activity at the sites are indicated with *.
Figure 7
Figure 7
PBDE concentration in direct dust from electronics at the sites. Generally, there were no significant differences in the PBDE concentrations, except for BDE-100.
Figure 8
Figure 8
PCA plot of PBDE concentrations.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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