Characterization of Size-Fractionated Airborne Particles Inside an Electronic Waste Recycling Facility and Acute Toxicity Testing in Mice.
Disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in landfills, incinerators, or at rudimentary recycling sites can lead to the release of toxic chemicals into the environment and increased health risks. Developing e-waste recycling technologies at commercial facilities can reduce the release of toxic chemicals and efficiently recover valuable materials. While these e-waste operations represent a vast improvement over previous approaches, little is known about environmental releases, workplace exposures, and potential health impacts. In this study, airborne particulate matter (PM) was measured at various locations within a modern U.S.-based e-waste recycling facility that utilized mechanical processing. In addition, composite size fractionated PM (coarse, fine and ultrafine) samples were collected, extracted, chemically analyzed, and given by oropharyngeal aspiration to mice or cultured with lung slices for lung toxicity tests. Indoor total PM concentrations measured during the study ranged from 220 to 1200 μg/m(3). In general, the coarse PM (2.5-10 μm) was 3-4 times more abundant than fine/ultrafine PM (<2.5 μm). The coarse PM contained higher levels of Ni, Pb, and Zn (up to 6.8 times) compared to the fine (0.1-2.5 μm) and ultrafine (<0.1 μm) PM. Compared to coarse PM measurements from a regional near-roadway study, Pb and Ni were enriched 170 and 20 times, respectively, in the indoor PM, with other significant enrichments (>10 times) observed for Zn and Sb, modest enrichments (>5 times) for Cu and Sr, and minor enrichments (>2 times) for Cr, Cd, Mn, Ca, Fe, and Ba. Negligible enrichment (<2 times) or depletion (<1 time) were observed for Al, Mg, Ti, Si, and V. The coarse PM fraction elicited significant pro-inflammatory responses in the mouse lung at 24 h postexposure compared to the fine and ultrafine PM, and similar toxicity outcomes were observed in the lung slice model. We conclude that exposure to coarse PM from the facility caused substantial inflammation in the mouse lung and enrichment of these metals compared to levels normally present in the ambient PM could be of potential health concern.
Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.|National Research Council , Washington, District of Columbia 20001, United States.
Yong Ho
YH
Kim
ARCADIS-US, Inc. , Durham, North Carolina 27713, United States.
Barbara
B
Wyrzykowska-Ceradini
ARCADIS-US, Inc. , Durham, North Carolina 27713, United States.
Abderrahmane
A
Touati
Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.
Q Todd
QT
Krantz
Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.
Janice A
JA
Dye
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.
William P
WP
Linak
Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.
Brian
B
Gullett
Environmental Public Health Division, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency , Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711, United States.
M Ian
MI
Gilmour
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D059029:Electronic Waste; D005260:Female; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000032:analysis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced; D059027:Recycling; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
D000393:Air Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D008670:Metals; D052638:Particulate Matter; C086401:pentabromodiphenyl ether