title: Interplay of metals and bromine with dioxin-related compounds concentrated in e-waste open burning soil from Agbogbloshie in Accra, Ghana.
abstract: Open burning of electronic waste (e-waste) releases various metals and organohalogen compounds in the environment. Here we investigated the interplay of metals (Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe, Co, and Sr) and bromine (Br) in the formation of dioxin-related compounds (DRCs), including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PCDD/Fs) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs), as well as non-regulated DRCs such as polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans (PBDD/Fs) and their monobrominated PCDD/Fs in soils sampled from open burning e-waste sites at Agbogbloshie in Accra, Ghana. The predominant DRCs were PBDFs, PCDFs, PCDDs, and DL-PCBs. Statistical analyzes, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and the PCDF/PCDD ratio suggested possible formation paths of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs by catalytic behaviors of copper chlorides (CuCl, CuCl2, and Cu2(OH)3Cl) and thermal breakdown of polyvinyl chloride. Predominant formation of brominated furans may be derived from electron transfer from intermediates of PBDE to copper, Cu(II) → Cu(I). Lead chloride also contributed to generate DRCs and may become highly bioaccessible through the open burning of e-waste. The main zinc species (ZnCl2 and ZnS) suggested a possible relationship to generate DRCs and specific zinc source such as tire burning. Cu, Pb, Zn, and Br contained in various e-wastes, wires/cables, plastics, and tires strongly influenced generation of many DRCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Global Ecology, Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nisikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8540, Japan; Department of Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nisikyo-ku, Kyoto, 615-8540, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujimori
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan. Electronic address: itai@sci.ehime-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itai
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Akitoshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan; CSIR Water Research Institute, PO Box AH 38, Achimota, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Kwadwo A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Asante
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan; Ehime Prefectural Institute of Public Health and Environmental Science, 8-234 Sanban-cho, Matsuyama 790-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Masanari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan; Department of Environmental Conservation, Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Bunkyo-cho 2-5, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanabe
mesh_terms: D001966:Bromine / Q000032:analysis*; D004147:Dioxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D059029:Electronic Waste / Q000032:analysis*; D004581:Electronics; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005869:Ghana; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis*; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D008670:Metals; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D001966:Bromine
keywords: Dioxin-related compounds; Metals; Open burning; XAFS; e-waste