Volatile organic compounds in an e-waste dismantling region: From spatial-seasonal variation to human health impact

Daijin Chen; Ranran Liu; Qinhao Lin; Shengtao Ma; Guiying Li; Yingxin Yu; Chaosheng Zhang; Taicheng An

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130022

Volatile organic compounds in an e-waste dismantling region: From spatial-seasonal variation to human health impact

Chemosphere. 2021 Jul:275:130022. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130022. Epub 2021 Feb 20.

Authors

Daijin Chen¹, Ranran Liu¹, Qinhao Lin², Shengtao Ma², Guiying Li², Yingxin Yu², Chaosheng Zhang³, Taicheng An⁴

Affiliations

¹ Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
² Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Technology Research Center for Photocatalytic Technology Integration and Equipment Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
³ GIS Centre, Ryan Institute and School of Geography and Archaeology, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
⁴ Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory for Contaminants Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Health Risk Control, Institute of Environmental Health and Pollution Control, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China; Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Catalysis and Pollution Control, Guangdong Technology Research Center for Photocatalytic Technology Integration and Equipment Engineering, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, China. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 33647682
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130022

Abstract

The dismantling of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) can release various Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), impacting the surrounding ambient environment. We investigated the spatio-temporal characteristics and health risks of the ambient VOCs emitted in a typical e-waste dismantling region by conducting multi-site sampling campaigns in four seasons. The pollution of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) in the e-waste dismantling park has relation to e-waste dismantling by seasonal trend analysis. The highest concentrations of most VOCs occurred in winter and autumn, while the lowest levels were observed in summer and spring. The spatial distribution map revealed the e-waste dismantling park to be a hotspot of BTEX, 1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), and 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-DCA), while two major residential areas were also the hotspots of BTEX. The e-waste emission source contributed 20.14% to the total VOCs in the e-waste dismantling park, while it was absent in the major residential and rural areas. The cancer risk assessment showed that six VOCs exceeded 1.0 × 10^-6 in the e-waste dismantling park, while only three or four compounds exceeded this risk in other areas. The noncancer risks of all compounds were below the safety threshold. This study supplements the existing knowledge on VOC pollution from e-waste dismantling and expands the research scope of chemical pollution caused by e-waste.

Keywords: E-waste dismantling region; Health risk; Seasonal variation; Source apportionment; Spatial distribution; Volatile organic compounds.

MeSH terms

Air Pollutants* / analysis
Electronic Waste*
Environmental Monitoring
Humans
Seasons
Toluene / analysis
Volatile Organic Compounds* / analysis

Substances

Air Pollutants
Volatile Organic Compounds
Toluene