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Kwarteng L, Devasurendra AM, Laskaris Z, Arko-Mensah J, Amoabeng Nti AA, Takyi S, Acquah AA, Dwomoh D, Basu N, Robins T, Fobil JN, Batterman S. Occupational exposures to particulate matter and PM 2.5-associated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at the Agbogbloshie waste recycling site in Ghana. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 158:106971. [PMID: 34991242 PMCID: PMC8745907 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Electronic waste (e-waste) disposal and recycling activities such as burning and smelting can emit particulate matter (PM), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other pollutants that expose workers and nearby communities. At informal e-waste recycling facilities, both emission controls and protective measures for workers are absent. This study characterizes personal exposures (breathing zone) of PM and PAHs of e-waste workers at the large Agbogbloshie e-waste site in Accra, Ghana. We collected gravimetric and optical measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 using shift samples for workers and for an age- and gender-matched reference population. PM2.5 filters were analyzed for 26 PAHs using gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Among e-waste workers, PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations were 99 ± 56 and 218 ± 158 µg/m3 (median ± interquartile range, optical measurements), respectively; these levels were 78 and 57% higher, respectively, than levels measured at a fixed site that was centrally located at the waste site. In the reference community, breathing zone PM2.5 and PM10 levels were lower, 49 ± 20 and 131 ± 108 µg/m3, respectively, and the fraction of coarse PM was larger. We detected all 26 target PAHs, of which naphthalene and phenanthrene were the most abundant. PAH concentrations were weakly correlated to PM levels, but PAH abundances, representing the fraction of PAH mass to the total PM2.5 mass collected, were strongly and inversely correlated to PM levels, suggesting multiple and different sources of PAHs and PM that affected exposures. Both PM and PAH levels were elevated for workers performing burning and dismantling, and both exceeded standards or risk-based guidelines, e.g., lifetime excess cancer risks for several PAHs were in the 10-4 to 10-6 range, indicating the need to reduce emissions as well as provide respiratory protection. The study emphasizes the importance of using personal and shift samples to accurately characterize worker exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lawrencia Kwarteng
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Amila M Devasurendra
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Zoey Laskaris
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - John Arko-Mensah
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Afua A Amoabeng Nti
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Sylvia Takyi
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Augustine A Acquah
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Duah Dwomoh
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montréal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Thomas Robins
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Julius N Fobil
- Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Accra, Ghana
| | - Stuart Batterman
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan, 1415 Washington Heights, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.
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Niu S, Tao W, Chen R, Hageman KJ, Zhu C, Zheng R, Dong L. Using Polychlorinated Naphthalene Concentrations in the Soil from a Southeast China E-Waste Recycling Area in a Novel Screening-Level Multipathway Human Cancer Risk Assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:6773-6782. [PMID: 33900727 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c00128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated naphthalene (PCN) concentrations in the soil at an e-waste recycling area in Guiyu, China, were measured and the associated human cancer risk due to e-waste-related exposures was investigated. We quantified PCNs in the agricultural soil and used these concentrations with predictive equations to calculate theoretical concentrations in outdoor air. We then calculated theoretical concentrations in indoor air using an attenuation factor and in the local diet using previously published models for contaminant uptake in plants and fruits. Potential human cancer risks of PCNs were assessed for multiple exposure pathways, including soil ingestion, inhalation, dermal contact, and dietary ingestion. Our calculations indicated that local residents had a high cancer risk from exposure to PCNs and that the diet was the primary pathway of PCN exposure, followed by dermal contact as the secondary pathway. We next repeated the risk assessment using concentrations for other carcinogenic contaminants reported in the literature at the same site. We found that polychlorinated dibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and PCNs caused the highest potential cancer risks to the residents, followed by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The relative importance of different exposure pathways depended on the physicochemical properties of specific chemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Niu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Utah State University, 0300 Old Main Hill, Logan 84322, United States
- National Research Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurement, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Wuqun Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center of Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Ruiwen Chen
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Utah State University, 0300 Old Main Hill, Logan 84322, United States
| | - Kimberly J Hageman
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Utah State University, 0300 Old Main Hill, Logan 84322, United States
| | - Chaofei Zhu
- National Research Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurement, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Ran Zheng
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture, Beijing 102202, China
| | - Liang Dong
- National Research Center for Environmental Analysis and Measurement, Beijing 100029, China
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Chen J, Xia X, Chu S, Wang H, Zhang Z, Xi N, Gan J. Cation-π Interactions with Coexisting Heavy Metals Enhanced the Uptake and Accumulation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Spinach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2020; 54:7261-7270. [PMID: 32434324 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c00363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have considered the effect of co-occurring heavy metals on plant accumulation of hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs), and less is known about the role of intermolecular interactions. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of Cu/Zn effects on hydroponic uptake of four deuterated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs-d10) by spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.). Both solubility enhancement experiment and quantum mechanical calculations demonstrated the existence of [PAH-Cu(H2O)0-4]2+ and [2·PAH-Cu(H2O)0-2]2+ via cation-π interactions when Cu2+ concentration was ≤100 μmol/L. Notably, PAH-d10 concentrations in both roots and shoots increased significantly with Cu2+ concentration. This was because the formation of phytoavailable PAH-Cu2+ complexes decreased PAH-d10 hydrophobicity and consequently decreased their sorption onto dissolved organic carbon (DOC, i.e., root exudates), thereby increasing phytoavailable concentrations and uptake of PAHs-d10. X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis showed that PAH-Cu2+ complexes could enter defective spinach roots via apoplastic pathway. However, Zn2+ and PAHs-d10 cannot form the cation-π interactions because of the high desolvation penalty of Zn2+. Actually, Zn2+ decreased the spinach uptake of PAHs-d10 due to the increase of DOC induced by Zn. This work provides molecular insights into how metals could selectively affect the plant uptake of HOCs and highlights the importance of considering the HOC phytoavailability with coexisting metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Chen
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Xinghui Xia
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Shengqi Chu
- Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haotian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Zhenrui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Nannan Xi
- Key Laboratory of Water and Sediment Sciences of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Water Environment Simulation, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Jay Gan
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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Qin Q, Xu X, Dai Q, Ye K, Wang C, Huo X. Air pollution and body burden of persistent organic pollutants at an electronic waste recycling area of China. ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH 2019; 41:93-123. [PMID: 30171476 DOI: 10.1007/s10653-018-0176-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
This paper reviews the concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in atmosphere of an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling town, Guiyu, in Southeast China, focusing on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). We assess the evidence for the association between air pollution and human body burden, to provide an indication of the severity of respiratory exposure. Compared with standards and available existing data for other areas, it clearly shows that four typical POPs, derived from recycling processes, lead to serious atmospheric pollution and heavy body burden. From published data, the estimated respiratory exposure doses of Guiyu adults and children, varied between 2.48-10.37 and 3.25-13.6 ng kg-1 body weight (bw) day-1 for PBDEs, 2.31-7.6 and 4.09-13.58 pg World Health Organization-Toxic Equivalent Quantity (WHO-TEQ) kg-1 bw day-1 for PCDD/Fs, 5.57 and 20.52 ng kg-1 bw day-1 for PCBs, and 8.59-50.01 and 31.64-184.14 ng kg-1 bw day-1 for PAHs, respectively. These results show that air pollution is more harmful to children. Furthermore, except for PBDEs, the hazard quotient (HQ) of the other three pollutants was rated more than 1 by respiratory exposure only, and all of them are at risk of carcinogenesis. So we speculate these pollutants enter the body mainly through air inhalation, making respiratory exposure may be more important than dietary exposure in the Guiyu e-waste recycling area. Effective management policies and remediation techniques are urgently needed to prevent the deterioration of ambient air quality in the e-waste recycling area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qilin Qin
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511486, Guangdong, China
| | - Xijin Xu
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingyuan Dai
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511486, Guangdong, China
| | - Kai Ye
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511486, Guangdong, China
| | - Chenyang Wang
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China
| | - Xia Huo
- Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, School of Environment, Jinan University, 855 East Xingye Avenue, Guangzhou, 511486, Guangdong, China.
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Deng S, Ke T, Wu Y, Zhang C, Hu Z, Yin H, Guo L, Chen L, Zhang D. Heavy Metal Exposure Alters the Uptake Behavior of 16 Priority Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) by Pak Choi ( Brassica chinensis L.). ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:13457-13468. [PMID: 30351035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b01405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals (HMs) are predominant pollutants normally coexisting at electronic waste dumping sites or in agricultural soils irrigated with wastewater. The accumulation of PAHs and HMs in food crops has become a major concern for food security. This study explored the hydroponic uptake of 16 priority PAHs and 5 HMs (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, and Zn) by pak choi ( Brassica chinensis L.). PAHs exhibited stronger inhibition on pak choi growth and physiological features than HMs. Five HMs were categorized into high-impact HMs (Cr, Cu, and Pb) and low-impact HMs (Cd and Zn) with distinct behavior under the coexposure with PAHs, and low-impact HMs showed synergistic toxicity effects with PAHs. Coexposure to PAHs and HMs slightly decreased the uptake and translocation of PAHs by pak choi, possibly attributing to the commutative hindering effects on root adsorption or cation-π interactions. The bioconcentration factors in PAHs + HMs treatments were independent of the octanol-water partition coefficient ( Kow), owing to the cation-π interaction associated change of Kow and induced defective root system. This study provides new insights into the mechanisms and influential factors of PAHs uptake in Brassica chinensis L. and gives clues for reassessing the environmental risks of PAHs in food crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songqiang Deng
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430079 , P.R. China
| | - Tan Ke
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Biomass-Resources Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology , Wuhan University , Wuhan 430074 , P.R. China
| | - Yanfang Wu
- Wuhan Wenke Ecological Environment, Ltd. , Wuhan 430223 , P.R. China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Biomass-Resources Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology , Wuhan University , Wuhan 430074 , P.R. China
| | - Zhiquan Hu
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430079 , P.R. China
| | - Hongmei Yin
- Hunan Institute of Microbiology , Changsha 410009 , P.R. China
| | - Limin Guo
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering , Huazhong University of Science and Technology , Wuhan 430079 , P.R. China
| | - Lanzhou Chen
- School of Resource and Environmental Sciences, Hubei Key Laboratory of Biomass-Resources Chemistry and Environmental Biotechnology , Wuhan University , Wuhan 430074 , P.R. China
| | - Dayi Zhang
- School of Environment , Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084 , P.R. China
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