Web Release Date: March 14,
Spatial Distribution of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans in Soil and Combusted Residue at Guiyu, an Electronic Waste Recycling Site in Southeast China
and
Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences, and Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, PR China, and Vista Analytical Laboratory, Inc., 1104 Windfield Way, El Dorado Hills, California 95762
Received for review October 28, 2006
Revised manuscript received January 29, 2007
Accepted January 31, 2007
Abstract:
Surface soils and combusted residue from a village located in southeast China, which has been intensely involved in the dismantling and "recycling" of computer parts (e-waste) for the past decade, were analyzed for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). Total PBDE concentrations were highest in combusted residue of plastic chips and cables collected from a residential area (33 000-97 400 ng/g, dry wt), in soils from an acid leaching site (2720-4250 ng/g, dry w), and a printer roller dump site (593-2890 ng/g, dry wt). BDE-209 was the most dominant congener (35-82%) among the study sites indicating the prevalence of commercial Deca-BDE, however signature congeners from commercial Penta- and Octa-BDE were also found. PCDD/F concentrations were also highest in soil from the acid leaching site (12 500-89 800 pg/g, 203-1100 pg WHO-TEQ/g, dry wt) and in combusted residue (13 500-25 300 pg/g, 84.3-174 pg WHO-TEQ/g, dry wt) and were comparable to PCDD/F levels of some open dumping sites in Asian developing countries. Of the e-waste activities, acid leaching and open burning emitted the highest concentrations of PBDEs and PCDD/Fs. This study is among the very few studies dealing with the important issue of pollution generated from crude e-waste recycling. Our results show that the crude processing of e-waste has become one of the major contributors of PBDEs and PCDD/Fs to the terrestrial environment.
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