Elevated concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polybrominated diphenyl ethers in hair from workers at an electronic waste recycling facility in eastern China.
Hair samples collected from e-waste recycling workers (n=23 males, n=4 females) were analyzed to assess occupational exposures to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) at a large e-waste recycling facility in Taizhou, eastern China. Hair samples from a reference population composed of residents of Shanghai (n=11) were analyzed for comparison. The mean concentration of ∑PBDEs (range, 22.8-1020 ng/g dw; mean, 157 ng/g dw) found in hair samples from e-waste recycling workers was approximately 3 times higher than the mean determined for the reference samples. The congener profiles of PBDEs in hair from e-waste recycling workers were dominated by BDE 209, whereas the profiles in the reference-population samples showed comparable levels of BDE 47 and BDE 209. Total PCDD/F concentrations in hair from e-waste workers (range, 126-5820 pg/g dw; mean, 1670 pg/g dw) were approximately 18-fold greater than the concentrations measured in hair from the reference population. Concentrations of PCDFs were greater than concentrations of PCDDs, in all of the hair samples analyzed (samples from e-waste and non-e-waste sites). Tetrachlorodibenzofurans (TCDFs) were the major homologues in hair samples. Overall, e-waste recycling workers had elevated concentrations of both PBDEs and PCDD/Fs, indicating that they are exposed to high levels of multiple persistent organic pollutants.
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
Jing
J
Ma
Jinping
J
Cheng
Wenhua
W
Wang
Tatsuya
T
Kunisue
Minghong
M
Wu
Kurunthachalam
K
Kannan
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000032:analysis*; D002681:China; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004581:Electronics; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D059027:Recycling; D055815:Young Adult
D001572:Benzofurans; D000072338:Dibenzofurans, Polychlorinated; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls