Severe dioxin-like compound (DLC) contamination in e-waste recycling areas: An under-recognized threat to local health

Qingyuan Dai; Xijin Xu; Brenda Eskenazi; Kwadwo Ansong Asante; Aimin Chen; Julius Fobil; Åke Bergman; Lesley Brennan; Peter D. Sly; Innocent Chidi Nnorom; Antonio Pascale; Qihua Wang; Eddy Y. Zeng; Zhijun Zeng; Philip J. Landrigan; Marie-Noel Bruné Drisse; Xia Huo

Environment International (Jun 2020)

Severe dioxin-like compound (DLC) contamination in e-waste recycling areas: An under-recognized threat to local health

Qingyuan Dai,
Xijin Xu,
Brenda Eskenazi,
Kwadwo Ansong Asante,
Aimin Chen,
Julius Fobil,
Åke Bergman,
Lesley Brennan,
Peter D. Sly,
Innocent Chidi Nnorom,
Antonio Pascale,
Qihua Wang,
Eddy Y. Zeng,
Zhijun Zeng,
Philip J. Landrigan,
Marie-Noel Bruné Drisse,
Xia Huo

Affiliations

Qingyuan Dai: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, China
Xijin Xu: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, China
Brenda Eskenazi: School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, USA
Kwadwo Ansong Asante: CSIR Water Research Institute, Accra, Ghana
Aimin Chen: Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University of Pennsylvania, USA
Julius Fobil: School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Ghana
Åke Bergman: Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, Sweden; Department of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Sweden; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, China
Lesley Brennan: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Alberta, Canada
Peter D. Sly: Child Health Research Centre, University of Queensland, Australia
Innocent Chidi Nnorom: Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University, Nigeria
Antonio Pascale: Department of Toxicology, University of the Republic, Uruguay
Qihua Wang: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, China
Eddy Y. Zeng: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, China
Zhijun Zeng: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Shantou University Medical College, China
Philip J. Landrigan: Department of Biology, Boston College, USA
Marie-Noel Bruné Drisse: Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
Xia Huo: Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, China; Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, School of Environment, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511443, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 139

Abstract

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Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) burning and recycling activities have become one of the main emission sources of dioxin-like compounds (DLCs). Workers involved in e-waste recycling operations and residents living near e-waste recycling sites (EWRS) are exposed to high levels of DLCs. Epidemiological and experimental in vivo studies have reported a range of interconnected responses in multiple systems with DLC exposure. However, due to the compositional complexity of DLCs and difficulties in assessing mixture effects of the complex mixture of e-waste-related contaminants, there are few studies concerning human health outcomes related to DLC exposure at informal EWRS. In this paper, we have reviewed the environmental levels and body burdens of DLCs at EWRS and compared them with the levels reported to be associated with observable adverse effects to assess the health risks of DLC exposure at EWRS. In general, DLC concentrations at EWRS of many countries have been decreasing in recent years due to stricter regulations on e-waste recycling activities, but the contamination status is still severe. Comparison with available data from industrial sites and well-known highly DLC contaminated areas shows that high levels of DLCs derived from crude e-waste recycling processes lead to elevated body burdens. The DLC levels in human blood and breast milk at EWRS are higher than those reported in some epidemiological studies that are related to various health impacts. The estimated total daily intakes of DLCs for people in EWRS far exceed the WHO recommended total daily intake limit. It can be inferred that people living in EWRS with high DLC contamination have higher health risks. Therefore, more well-designed epidemiological studies are urgently needed to focus on the health effects of DLC pollution in EWRS. Continuous monitoring of the temporal trends of DLC levels in EWRS after actions is of highest importance.

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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