title: Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and biphenyls (PCBs) in blood of informal e-waste recycling workers from Agbogbloshie, Ghana, and controls.
abstract: The formation and environmental release of highly toxic organohalogen compounds associated with informal recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment (e-waste) is a growing problem at e-waste dumps/recycling sites (EWRSs) in many developing countries worldwide. We chose a cross-sectional study design to measure the internal exposure to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) as well as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) of individuals working on one of the largest EWRSs of Africa, located at Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana, and in controls from a suburb of Accra without direct exposure to EWRS activities. In whole blood samples of 21 age matched male exposed individuals (mean age: 24.7 years, SD 6.0) and 21 male controls (mean age: 24.4 years, SD 5.7) 17 PCDD/F congeners were determined. Moreover three indicator PCB congeners (#138, #153 and #180) were measured in blood of 39 exposed (mean age: 27.5 years, SD 11.7) and 19 non-exposed (mean age: 26.8 years, SD 9.7) patients. Besides a health examination, biometric and demographic data, residential and occupational history, occupational exposures and working conditions were recorded using a standardized questionnaire. In the exposed group, median PCDD/F-concentrations were 6.18 pg/g lipid base WHO2005-TEq (range: 2.1-42.7) and significantly higher compared to the control group with 4.60 pg/g lipid base WHO2005-TEq (range: 1.6-11.6). Concentrations were different for 2,3,7,8-TetraCDD, three HexaCDD and all 10 PCDF congeners, indicating a combustion pattern. Using a multivariate regression analysis exposure to EWRS activities was the most important determinant for PCDD/F exposure. Median PCB levels for the indicator congeners #138, #153 and #180 were 0.011, 0.019 and 0.008 μg/l whole blood (ranges: 0.002-0.18, 0.003-0.16, 0.002-0.078) in the exposed group and, surprisingly, significantly higher in the controls (0.037, 0.062 and 0.022; ranges: 0.005-0.46, 0.010-0.46, 0.004-0.21). In a multivariate regression approach e-waste related activities had no positive influence on internal PCB exposure, but rather the time living in Accra. The internal PCB exposure is in particular notable for a country where PCBs have historically never been produced or used. The impact of EWRS activities on organohalogen compound exposure of individuals working at and living in the surroundings of the Agbogbloshie EWRS, and the surprisingly high PCB exposure of people living in Accra not involved in e-waste activities require further investigation.
authors: Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: wittsiepe@hygiene.ruhr-uni-bochum.de.
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Wittsiepe
authors: Department of Biological, Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG13, Legon, Ghana.
authors: Julius N
authors: JN
authors: Fobil
authors: GIZ-Regional Coordination Unit for HIV & TB (GiZ-ReCHT), P.O. Box 9698, K.I.A. 32, Cantonment Crescent, Cantonment, Accra, Ghana.
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Till
authors: Clinical Research Unit, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; Department of Medicine, Section Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.
authors: Gerd-Dieter
authors: GD
authors: Burchard
authors: Department of Hygiene, Social and Environmental Medicine, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Wilhelm
authors: Clinical Research Unit, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Bernhard-Nocht Str. 74, 20359 Hamburg, Germany; Clinic of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors: Torsten
authors: T
authors: Feldt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000097:blood*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004147:Dioxins / Q000097:blood*; D059029:Electronic Waste; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D059027:Recycling; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D000072317:Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins; C023614:dibenzofuran; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C020887:dibenzo(1,4)dioxin
keywords: Agbogbloshie; E-waste; Ghana; Human blood; Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)