Halogenated and organophosphorous flame retardants in surface soils from an e-waste dismantling park and its surrounding area: Distributions, sources, and human health risks

Xiang Ge; Shengtao Ma; Xiaolan Zhang; Yan Yang; Guiying Li; Yingxin Yu

Environment International (Jun 2020)

Halogenated and organophosphorous flame retardants in surface soils from an e-waste dismantling park and its surrounding area: Distributions, sources, and human health risks

Xiang Ge,
Shengtao Ma,
Xiaolan Zhang,
Yan Yang,
Guiying Li,
Yingxin Yu

Affiliations

Xiang Ge: Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China; Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
Shengtao Ma: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou 515041, PR China
Xiaolan Zhang: Institute of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, PR China
Yan Yang: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; Synergy Innovation Institute of GDUT, Shantou 515041, PR China
Guiying Li: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China
Yingxin Yu: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China; Corresponding author at: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Guangzhou Key Laboratory Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, PR China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 139

Abstract

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Electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling is an important source of flame retardant emissions, and may have potentially adverse effects on surrounding area. This study investigated their influence on the surrounding area and the human health risks after an industrial park was built in 2015 and environmentally friendly technologies were introduced at an e-waste dismantling site in South China. The concentrations of flame retardants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polybromobenzenes (PBBzs), Dechlorane plus (DP), and organophosphate esters (OPEs), in the soils were measured. The results showed that soil contamination was greater in the industrial park than in the surrounding area. The PBDE concentrations were the highest with BDE209, a daca-BDE, being the dominant congener, followed by OPEs, where triphenyl phosphate levels were the highest. Furthermore, triphenyl phosphate can be used as an indicator of flame retardant emissions during e-waste dismantling in this region. The fanti value of DP was stable at around 0.75. The principal component analysis showed that direct emission was the major source of pollutants in the industrial park. The direct emission proportion decreased in the surrounding area, but migration and transformation increased. None of the chemicals posed a non-carcinogenic risks to children and adults via oral uptake or dermal contact when the absorption factors of the chemicals were included in the estimation. However, the total hazard quotients for children were close to a unit in the industrial park, of which, the PBDE and OPE proportions accounted for 84.2% and 15.8% of the total, respectively. However, the PBBz and DP percentages were negligible. Therefore, PBDEs and OPEs should be given more attention in the future.

Published in Environment International

ISSN: 0160-4120 (Print)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Environmental sciences
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/environment-international

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