Heavy metal contamination of surface soil in electronic waste dismantling area: site investigation and source-apportionment analysis

• Published in: Waste management & research Vol. 29; no. 7; pp. 727 - 738
• Main Authors: Li, Jinhui, Duan, Huabo, Shi, Pixing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.07.2011; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Beryllium; Burning; China; Contamination; Developing countries; Dismantling; Electronic Waste; Electronics; Environmental health; Environmental impact; Environmental monitoring; Health risks; Heavy metal content; Heavy metals; Humans; LDCs; Metal concentrations; Metalloids; Metalloids - analysis; Metals, Heavy - analysis; Plastics; Pollution sources; Public health; Recycling; Sediment pollution; Soil (material); Soil contamination; Soil investigations; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil pollution; Soil surfaces; Soils; Toxic substances; Waste disposal; Waste management; Wastes; China; China, People's Rep., Guangdong Prov; soil; dismantling; Heavy metal; electronic waste; contamination
• ISSN: 0734-242X; 1096-3669
• DOI: 10.1177/0734242X10397580

The dismantling and disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in developing countries is causing increasing concern because of its impacts on the environment and risks to human health. Heavy-metal concentrations in the surface soils of Guiyu (Guangdong Province, China) were monitored to determine the status of heavy-metal contamination on e-waste dismantling area with a more than 20 years history. Two metalloids and nine metals were selected for investigation. This paper also attempts to compare the data among a variety of e-waste dismantling areas, after reviewing a number of heavy-metal contamination-related studies in such areas in China over the past decade. In addition, source apportionment of heavy metal in the surface soil of these areas has been analysed. Both the MSW open-burning sites probably contained invaluable e-waste and abandoned sites formerly involved in informal recycling activities are the new sources of soil-based environmental pollution in Guiyu. Although printed circuit board waste is thought to be the main source of heavy-metal emissions during e-waste processing, requirement is necessary to soundly manage the plastic separated from e-waste, which mostly contains heavy metals and other toxic substances.