Nepal August 2006

Sources, Fates, and

Environmental and Health Effects
of Persistent Toxic Substances
from E-waste Recycling

MH Wong*
Croucher Institute for Environmental Sciences,
and Department of Biology
Hong Kong Baptist University

*mhwong@hkbu.edu.hk
Content

„ General Introduction
„ Objectives of our Group Research
„ Progress of the Project
„ Main Findings
„ Conclusion
„ Future Work
 What is E-Waste?
„ End-of-life electronic products (computers,
printers, photocopy machines, TVs, mobile
phones, etc.)
„ US is a large producer of e-waste
‰ Between 1997-2004, over 315 M obsolete
computers in US 1
‰ Smaller amounts from Japan, Republic of
Korea, Europe
„ 80% of all e-waste are exported to Asia
‰ Of these, 90% are destined to China

11
National Safety Council, Washington DC, May 1999 “Electronic Product Recovery and Recycling Baseline Report”
 Taizhou City

Guiyu Village

Map of China showing our sampling site

Primitive E-Waste “Recycling”
Technologies
„ Guiyu, PR China: A Case Study
‰ Since 1995, e-waste from US & elsewhere have
been continuously transported to Guiyu &
“recycled” by villagers

‰ “Recycling” operations
- melting circuit boards over makeshift grills
- acid stripping of printed circuit boards
- burning wires to recover metals, etc.

‰ Works undertaken by men, women, and even

children with little or no protection to health
Open Burning of E-Waste
PCDD/Fs
PBDD/Fs
PBDEs
PAHs
PCBs
Heavy Metals

Photos by CIES, 2004

Circuit Board Recycling

Toxic lead-tin fumes

Heavy metals
Toxic respirable
suspended particulates
(RSP)

Photos by CIES, 2004

Acid Stripping of Chips & Printed Circuit Boards

HNO3
HCl
Cl2
SO2

Photos by CIES, 2004

Daily Life in Guiyu

Photos by CIES, 2004

 Taizhou City , Zhejiang Province

Recycling transformer oil River water contaminated by

from e-waste transformer oil (with PCB)
Burning of wire Open burning to extract
insulation to recover Cu valuable metals from e-waste
Status of Information on E-Waste
„ Data on the impacts of e-waste is limited
„ Exposure pathways have not been clearly
unidentified
„ Long-term effects on environmental health
and human health are still unknown
„ Increased awareness and education are
needed

E-waste has evolved into a complex social and

global problem with deep-rooted issues
Objectives
„ Conduct environmental contamination evaluation of
typical e-waste recycling sites

„ Study body loading of different toxic chemicals in human

milk, placenta and hair samples collected from workers
and local residents

„ Assess toxic effects of different toxic chemicals generated

during the e-waste recycling processes, by means of
bioassay tests

„ Assess fates of toxic chemicals, in different ecological

compartments; and uptake & bioaccumulation in workers
(& local residents) using different models
 E-waste pollution sources

Wet and dry deposition Irrigation

Dust Air Soil Surface Sediment

Runoff water

(Inhalation) Aquatic
Vegetables Fish
plants
(Ingestion) Ducks Ducks
(Dermal)
(Inhalation) Swimming
(Ingestion)
(Dermal) Groundwate (Dermal)
Food
(Inhalation) r (Ingestion)
Drinking
(Ingestion)
Washing
Food
clothes
Plants (Ingestion)
Bathing and (Dermal)
washing
clothes
(Dermal)

(Adult) Humans (Child)

Milk
(Ingestion) (Infant)

Exposure pathways from e-waste pollution sources to

humans
Potential interactions among source,environmental
media, exposure media, and exposure routes in a
multimedia, multiple pathway exposure assessment

Source: Caltox, Department of Toxic Substances Control, California Environment Protection Agency,1993
Progress of Research
„ Determined level of pollution in environmental
media and in biotia
‰ POPs & heavy metals in soil, sediment, air (TSP &
PM2.5), roadside dust & workshop dust
‰ Soil maps
‰ POPs and heavy metals in fish (environmental and
dietary exposure
‰ Human samples to investigate body loading (breast
milk, placenta, hair)

„ Toxicological assessments (will not be reported)

 Distribution of E-waste Recycling Activities

Acid
Leaching

Yaocouwei Computer
Ximei
Dismantling
尤丘尾 西美 Nanyang
南陽
Printed Circuit
Nanyang River
Boards Baking 南陽河
Beilin
北林

Longgang Open Burning

Plastic 龍崗
Recycling
I. Soil Pollution
- Heavy metals
- PAHs
- PCBs
- PBDEs
- PCDD/Fs
Distributions of Pb and Cu in Soil
Giyu Soil Survey
Heavy metals
Comparison with regulatory
standards (mg/kg)
GB 15618-1995 Dutch standard
Mean Median
Ⅰ Ⅱ Ⅲ background action
Cd 1.66 3.36 0.2 0.6 1 0.8 12
Cr 186 152 90 300 400 100 380
Cu 653 64.5 35 100 400 36 190
Ni 45.2 17.9 40 50 200 35 210
Pb 348 105 35 300 500 85 530
Zn 224 43.9 100 250 500 140 720

• Elevated trace metal concentrations in soils

• Some unsuitable for agricultural purposes
• Remedial actions required in some areas
Guiyu Soil Survey
Total PAHs in Guiyu Soils

•Near open burning

sites: average PAHs =
1400 μg/kg (highest 3200
μg/kg).

• Near circuit board

heating site: PAHs conc
were 1000 μg/kg.

•Reservoir & forests:

low levels of PAHs - no point
sources of pollution.
Guiyu Soil Survey

Comparison with published data - PAHs

Total 16 PAHs concentration
No. of (μg/kg)
Location References
sample
Lowest Highest Mean
Guangzhou, China 43 42 3077 376 Chen et al, 2005
Hangzhou, China 3 60 616 298 Chen et al, 2004
Shantou, China 131 22 1257 317 Hao et al, 2004
Zhang et al, in
Hong Kong, China 53 7 410 55
press
North American Wilcke & Amelung,
18 63 321 142
(20 PAHs) 2000
South Korea 226 23.3 2834 236 Nam et al, 2003
Brazil 47 5 347 73 Wilcke et al, 2003
Switzerland 23 50 619 225 Bucheli et al, 2004
Guiyu, China 49 45 3206 582 This study
 PCDD/F in soil and open burn sites
Reservoir Rice Duck Printer roller Acid Open
Analyte
field pond dump site leaching burning
2,3,7,8-TCDD ND 1.51 3.58 ND 10.5 652
P 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD ND ND ND ND ND 1912
1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDD ND 0.288 0.646 0.021 ND 160
C 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDD ND 0.528 1.41 0.116 3.24 335
D 1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDD 0.059 0.691 1.48 0.110 ND 206
1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD 0.037 0.675 1.11 0.082 2.40 209
D OCDD 0.039 0.078 0.075 0.017 0.070 2.99
Sum 0.135 3.77 8.30 0.346 16.2 3478

2,3,7,8-TCDF 0.041 1.17 2.95 0.442 45.9 569

P 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDF 0.033 0.502 1.52 0.190 32.1 505
2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF 0.354 4.02 13.2 2.62 249 5965
C 1,2,3,4,7,8-HxCDF 0.079 0.737 2.51 0.451 46.4 1180
D 1,2,3,6,7,8-HxCDF 0.076 0.615 2.17 0.260 49.9 1030
F 2,3,4,6,7,8-HxCDF 0.067 0.498 1.97 0.338 37.1 991
1,2,3,7,8,9-HxCDF ND 0.265 0.673 0.082 19.6 434
1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDF 0.017 0.137 0.565 0.125 7.47 303
1,2,3,4,7,8,9-HpCDF ND 0.014 0.072 ND 2.02 47.0
OCDF 0.000035 0.001 0.003 0.001 0.026 1.19
Sum 0.667 7.96 25.7 4.51 489 11000

Total PCDD/Fs 0.8 11.7 34 4.86 506 14500

Range (pg WHO-TEQ/g) 0.39-1.5 10-13 15-48 2.1-8.2 203-1096 13600-15400

Total PCDD/Fs 465 2730 7360 546 39300 883000

Range (pg/g) 228-834 2320-3130 3870-9700 508-609 12500-89800 788000-968000
Soil guidelines for PCDD/Fs
Country Guideline/Standard Residential Agriculture

US Preliminary remediation goal 1000 pg-TEQ/g ---

(2000)

Canada Environmental quality 4 pg-TEQ/g 4 pg-TEQ/g

guidelines (2003) X X
New Guideline interim value 1500 pg I-TEQ/g 10 pg I-TEQ/g
Zealand
X
Sweden Sweden 10 pg I-TEQ/g 10 pg I-TEQ/g
X
X
Japan Environmental quality 1000 pg WHO- 1000 pg
standard (2003) TEQ/g WHO-TEQ/g
X
Comparison of PCDD/Fs in soils from
dump sites in Asian countries
16000
28x higher than
PCDD/F concentration (pg WHO-TEQ/g)

14000
Philippines
12000

10000 Open burn sites

8000

6000
Acid leaching site
4000

2000

0
Guiyu Philippines Guiyu Cambodia Vietnam India Vietnam
(Hanoi) (Ho Chi
Minh)
Minh et al., 2003
 PBDE Homologue Concentrations (ng/g, dry wt, n=3)
Soil Combusted residue
PBDE Rice Duck Printer roller Acid Open Riverbank
Reservoir
Homologues field pond dump site leaching burning site

Total Mono-BDE ND 0.116 0.115 0.080 23.1 88 2.64

Total Di-BDE 0.017 0.367 0.417 0.631 71.8 251 13.4
Total Tri-BDE 0.054 0.769 1.00 4.05 167 598 39.4
Total Tetra-BDE 0.351 1.31 3.99 150 263 1100 55.0
Total Penta-BDE 0.276 0.665 2.82 411 426 1111 64.4
Total Hexa-BDE 0.103 1.01 6.35 81.70 378 809 1507
Total Hepta-BDE 0.086 2.62 20.1 128 357 1473 3060
Total Octa-BDE 0.090 1.93 17.0 104 332 1010 6359
Total Nona-BDE 0.102 2.05 18.8 50.9 283 1051 3550
Total Deca-BDE 2.76 37.3 328 510 1269 16160 48633

Total PBDEs 3.80 48.2 398.0 1440 3570 23640 63300

Penta BDE 18x

BDE-209
USEPA standard in residential soil warranting preliminary remediation 120,000 610,000
Deca-BDE
USEPA (BDE-209)
standard was
in industrial soil the most dominant
warranting preliminaryhomologue/congener
remediation 1,200,000 accounting
6,200,000
for 35-82% of total PBDEs
Profiles of PBDE congeners in soil samples
90

80 Reservoir
Rice field
70 D uck pond
P rinter roller dum p site
A cid leaching
60 Open burning site
% PBD E c ongener to total PBD Es

Riverbank
50

40

30

20

10

0
BDE-47 BDE-49 BDE-66 BDE-99 BDE-100 BDE-153 BDE-154 BDE-183 BDE-197 BDE-203 BDE-207 BDE-209

PBDE c ongeners
 Comparison with other PBDE soil studies
(ng/g, dry wt.)
Description Concentration Concentration Reference

Background UK 0.07 - 12 Hassanin et al., 2004

(grassland/
woodland) Guiyu: 2 - 6.2
Non e-waste USA 76 Hale et al., 2002
site: near foam
manufacturing Guiyu: 56x ;
plant
E-waste HK 274 - 32746 Greenpeace China,
storage site 2005
Guiyu:
34.7 - 97400
II. Air Pollution

- Suspended Particulates
- PCDD/Fs
- Heavy metals
 Mass Concentration in Air Samples Collected
from Guiyu
(µg/m3 ) Guiyu HK HK GZ GZ Guideline
Site 1 Site 2 Site 1 Site 2
TSP 124.1 80.1 57.8 162 139 260
(HK)
PM2.5 (Quartz) 62.1 49.9 31.9 40.2 30.9
65
PM2.5 (Teflon) 50.5 44.9 32.7 51.1 47.3 (USEPA)

TSP: Guangzhou (GZ) > Guiyu > Hong Kong (HK)

PM2.5: Guiyu > Guangzhou > Hong Kong
 Dioxins Levels in Air Particulates from Guiyu
Compared with Hong Kong & Guangzhou
0.7
0.65 Japan: 0.6 pg TEQ/m3
Concentration of PCDD/Fs

0.6 Tianhe ~Hok Tsui

(pg WHO-TEQ/m3)

0.5 Liwan > Yuen Long

0.4 September 2004 (1.3 times)
0.35
0.3
Guiyu > Yuen Long
0.23 (2.8 times)
0.2
0.14
0.1
0.10 0.07 Guiyu (conc of PCDD/Fs)
0.0 above Japanese standard
Beilin
Guiyu Liwan Tianhe Yuen Long Tsuen Wan Hok Tsui
China Hong Kong

Comparison of dioxins levels in S China with air quality standards

60 54
Concentration of 2,3,7,8-TCDD

50 September 2004
Tianhe ~ Hok Tsui
40
~Tsuen Wan
USA (Indiana, Kansas and Washington): 30 fg/m3
(fg/m3)

30 Liwan ~ Yuen Long

20
Guiyu >>HK
9.8 10.2 Guiyu above USA guideline
10 4.6 5.3 4.8

0
Beilin
Guiyu Liwan Tianhe Yuen Long Tsuen Wan Hok Tsui

China Hong Kong

Pb in atmospheric particulates
Summer 2004
900 PM2.5
Inhalable particulates! Guiyu
800 TSP
700
Pb concentrations (ng/m3)

600

Guangzhou
500 Hong Kong
400

300

200

100

0
TH LW BL YL TW HT

A large fraction of Pb in the form of PM2.5 – a greater health risk!

III. Water Bodies
- Heavy metals
- PBDE
- PCBs
Heavy metals in the sediments collected
from Lianjiang River

mg/kg Cd Cr Cu Ni Pb Zn
Mean 4.09 57.7 1068 181 230 324
Median 3.94 53.9 512 165 137 284
Stand dev 3.92 8.97 1208 156 169 143
Min n.d. 48.6 125 26.0 79.5 121
Max 10.3 74.9 4535 543 590 628
CCME (PEL)* 3.50 90.0 197 N.A. 91.3 315
*Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines, Probable effect levels
Total Hg in Sediment of Guiyu
1.8
Open
1.6 burn site
1.4
Lianjiang
1.2 River
Total Hg (ug/g)

Nanyang
1
River
0.8

0.6 Reservoir

0.4

0.2

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Sample number
 Profiles of PBDE Congeners in Sediment Samples
90%

80%

70%
NY0#
% of total PBDEs

60% NY1#
NY2#
50%
NY3#
LJ(-2)#
40%
LJ(-1)#
LJ0#
30%
LJ1#
20% LJ2#

10%

0%
BDE-28 BDE-47 BDE-66 BDE-100 BDE-99 BDE-154 BDE-153 BDE-183 BDE-209

PBDE congeners
 PBDE Congeners in Fish Samples

60%

50%

40%

30%

LJ-Tilapia NY-Crucian NY-BH

20%

10%

0%
BDE-28 BDE-47 BDE-66 BDE-100 BDE-99 BDE-154 BDE-153 BDE-183

ng/g w. w Bighead Carp-muscles Bighead Carp-abdomen LianJiang-Tilapia

Medium Largest Lowest Medium Largest Lowest Medium Largest Lowest
BDE-28 7.64 9.50 5.35 203.72 438.43 48.22 13.41 22.62 8.77
BDE-47 18.95 21.89 12.97 465.28 955.16 136.27 69.04 110.40 42.94
BDE-100 0.65 0.73 0.48 15.66 33.69 3.45 3.58 5.40 2.13
BDE-99 0.25 0.64 0.07 5.87 11.67 2.37 3.99 8.33 1.73
BDE-154 0.54 0.62 0.49 6.68 13.08 1.37 8.83 21.05 4.02
BDE-153 0.56 1.43 0.14 11.75 22.97 2.52 5.27 10.38 2.64
BDE-183 0.01 0.02 0.00 0.15 0.36 0.00 0.01 0.08 0.00
Total BDE 34.22 45.01 24.49 802 1628 228 114 196 69.57
IV. Roadside and
Workshop Dust

- Heavy metals
Intensive study (8 study sites)

1. Inside workshops 2. Street of workshops

3. Main trunk road 4. School

 5. Outdoor food market
6. Longgang

7. Gurao 8. Shantou University

 Pb in dust
Logarithmic scale
110000
1000000
a 530
100000 b Guiyu Outside
Exceedence Guiyu
Pb concentration (mg/kg)

of New Dutch 632

List Action
10000
de c d
Value for ef
Lead 1000 f 530
f f
>200x! 100
140

85
99x ; than 10
Pb/Zn mine
tailings 1
Guangdong

2)
6)

6)

6)
)
)

)
2)

=8
14
=4

=4
=1

=1
=1

=1
=1

province

(n
n=
(n
(n

(n
(n

(n

(n
(n

g
t(
l
d

oo

ity
1

-2

an

ao
ar

ke
W

2-

ch
-2

rs
gg
y

ur
BR

B-

50x ; ar

ve
B

ol

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G
n
m
ho
et
et
PC

ni
Lo
ea

od
tr e

tre

U
Sc

Korean
N

Fo

ou
S

nt
abandoned

ha
S
mines
New Dutch List Action New Dutch List Canadian Environmental Quality
Value (The Netherlands) Optimum Value Guideline Residential/park
 Cu in dust
Logarithmic scale
100000

a b
10000
c
Cu concentration (mg/kg)

cd
1000
de de
de
e 190
ALL exceeds
New Dutch 100 e 63
List Action
Value for
copper 10 36

6)
6)

2)
6)
2)

=8
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=4

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14

=1
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=1

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sc

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ar
B
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et

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et

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re

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Sc

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Fo
S

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to
an
Sh
New Dutch List Action New Dutch List CEQG Residential/park
Value (The Netherlands) Optimum Value (Canada)
 Heavy metals in dust:
Estimation of non-cancer toxic risk (HI)
Scenario: Adult worker - printed circuit board workshop
Average daily dose Reference dose Hazard quotient Hazard index
(mg/kg/day) (mg/kg/day)
ADDingest ADDdermal ADDinhale RfDoral RfDdermal RfDinhale HQingest HQdermal HQinhale HI

Cd 4.58E-05 3.65E-07 1.35E-08 0.001 1.00E-05 - 0.046 0.0365 1.350E-05 0.082

Co 3.82E-05 3.05E-07 1.12E-08 0.02 0.016 5.71E-06 0.002 1.910E-05 0.002 0.004
Cr 1.40E-04 1.12E-06 4.13E-08 0.003 6.00E-05 2.86E-05 0.047 0.019 0.0014 0.067
Cu 0.025 1.96E-04 7.21E-06 0.04 0.012 - 0.61 0.016 1.800E-04 0.63
Mn 9.90E-04 7.90E-06 2.91E-07 0.046 0.00184 1.43E-05 0.022 0.004 0.02 0.046
Ni 0.0055 4.35E-05 1.60E-06 0.02 0.0054 - 0.27 0.008 8.020E-05 0.28
Pb 0.141 1.13E-03 4.15E-05 0.0035 5.25E-04 - 40.3 2.2 0.012 42.5
Zn 0.0070 5.56E-05 2.05E-06 0.3 0.06 - 0.023 9.260E-04 6.830E-06 0.02
HI 41.40 2.23 0.036 43.6
Pb:
„Impaired mental &
ƒHQ (dust ingestion) exceeded the “safe”
reference dose level by > 40x physical development
„Neurological Problems
ƒ92% of the total HI
„Autism
ƒFor child, exceeded safe level by 753x ! „IQ ª

19x ; than for adult scenario.

IV. Foods and Human Body
Loadings
- PCDD/Fs
- PBDE
- PCBs
- Heavy metals
 PCDD/Fs in human milk and placenta
Human milk

50
45
pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat

40
E-waste recycling site (TZ)
35
Control site (HZ)
30
„ Permitted max value
25
20 for milk
15
10
3 pg WHO-TEQ/g fat = 3 pg WHO-
5 PCDD/F-TEQ/g
0
ve fat
ve

17

21

22

23

27

28

31

33

50
No guideline for
M

_A
_A

M
„
M
_M

Z_
TZ

Donor ID PCDD/Fs in placenta

Placenta
a
60

E-waste recycling site (TZ) b

pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g fat

50

40
PCDD/Fs in milk & placenta
Control site (HZ)
30 R2=0.55, p<0.001
20

10

0
ve

ve
17

21

22

23

27

28

31

33

50
5
_A

_A
P

P
_P

P
Z_
TZ

Donor ID
E
-w
as p g W H O - P C D D /F- TE Q /g fa t
te
re
cy
cl S

0
5
10
15
20
25
in ib
g er
si ia
Th t e E
e T ( gy
N ai z pt
et h
he o
r l u)
a
B nds
el
gi
um
Lu K
xe o r
m ea
bo
ur
g
G It a
er ly
m
an
S y
p
U ai n
ka
r
S ine
C w
on ed
tr Fi e n
ol nl
si an
te
E-waste recycling site

( R d
S H u
l o an s s i
va g a
k zh
R ou
ep )
R ubl
o m ic
C an
ze ia
ch
R H
ep K
ub

R e g i o n /co u n try
I r l ic
el
a
N nd
or
w
Ta a y
iw
N an
ew U
Z S
Control site

ea A
l
H an
un d
ga
C ry
ro
B a ti
ul a
g
A a ri
us a
tr
al
D ia
S al i
h e an
P ny
hi
l i p a ng
PCDD/Fs in human milk from 33 regions/countries during 1998 to 2005

pi
ne
B s
ra
zi
l
Comparison of PCDD/Fs in human milk

Fi
ji
 PCDD/Fs in hair from Taizhou
Human hair
70 a
pg WHO-PCDD/F-TEQ/g dry wt

60

50 E-waste recycling site (TZ) b

40 Control site (HZ)

30

20

10

0
ve

ve
5

17

21

22

23

27

28

31

50
H
_A

_A
H

H
_H

H
Z_
TZ

Hair

„ E-waste recycling site sig. higher than control site

(t-test, P < 0.05, 2-tailed)
 PBDEs in human specimen
collected from Zhejiang

490,000 pg/g, dw Human milk Placenta Hair

120000

100000
E-waste recycling site, i.e. Taizhou
Sig. correlation (Spearman’s) between
PBDEs (pg/g dw)

80000
Human milk & placenta (P < 0.001)
60000 Human milk & hair (P < 0.001)
Placenta & hair (P < 0.05)
40000

20000

0
TZ_Ave #5 #17 #21 #22 #23 HZ_Ave #27 #28 #31 #33 #50
Samples
 PBDEs (ng/g lipid wt)

0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Ta
iz U
ho SA
u,
C
hi
na
C
an
ad
a
Ja
Fa pa
ro n
e
Is
la
nd

U
Sw K
ed
en
M
E-waste recycling site

al
ay
Ph si
il i a
pp
in
es
BDE-47

K
or
C e

Region/country
am a
bo
Control site

di
BDE-99

H In
d a
an
gz o n
ho esi
u, a
with other studies (1998-2005)

C
hi
na
BDE-100

Vi
et
na
R m
us
si
a In
(B di
a
BDE-153

ur
PBDEs in human milk: Comparison

ya
tia
)
Comparison on concentration of PCBs in food
samples from two e-waste sites
PCB concentrations(ng/g wet wt)
PCB levels in fish and seafood
TZ GY
100
80
60
40
20
0

ian d
Bi llet
t

M lapia
ak b

sh l
ian h

m l
Po p

as rp

C o ac k p
w am

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y e od d
rp

fre

rp

od p
ite nai

ira

lv e p

on rp
M k er

uc ea
sn cra
uc loac

B l C ar
rim
blo hea

blo c ar
Si car

cla
Gr ca
Ca

Ca

mm Ca
u
m
sp
llo cl

Cr g h
wh d s
a

Ti
ud
e

cro

s
r
u
Cr

se
ine
Ch

Food items

•Fish and seafood

•In general, TZ<GY
•Dioxin-like PCBs contributed to about 10% in Guiyu’s samples,
while 15% in Taizhou’s samples.
•Vegetables: TZ>GY=0
PCB levels in human samples of Taizhou

PCB levels in human samples of Taizhou

and Lin'an (control site)
450
400
P C B c o n c . (n g /g d ry w t)

350 TZ
300
LA
250
200
150
100
50
0
H air P lacenta M ilk
Comparison of total PCB levels in human
milk with other countries
Comparison of total PCBs levels in human milk

400
350
PCBs(ng/g lipid)

300
250
200
150
100
50
0

New Zealand
Canada

Canada
USA

USA
Dneprodzerzhinsk

Netherlands
Taizhou, China

Guangzhou，China

Shenyang，China

Guiyu，China
HK
Kyiv

Korean

Dalian，Chian
Italy

Country/city

Taizhou women have the highest (363 ng/g lipid)

 Relationship between different human
samples (PCBs)
Relationship of PCB level in human milk and placenta of Relationship of PCB levels in human milk and hair of TZ
TZ

140
140 120
Milk (ng/g dry wt)

y = 0.2178x - 0.4094

Milk (ng/g dry wt)

120
100
100 R 2 = 0.9308
2
R = 0.5329 80
80
60
60
40
40
20 20

0 0
0 5 10 15 -20 0 100 200 300 400 500

Placenta (ng/g dry wt) Hair (ng/g dry wt)

Good relationship between average pattern of different human samples

However, total PCB Levels in different persons do not correlate well for tissues
Total Hg in hair and placenta (Guiyu)

Hair Placenta
(µg/g) (µg/g)
Guiyu (34) 0.132-1.47 Guiyu (25) ND – 0.0418 µg/g
Ave = 0.492 ± 0.278 Ave.= 0.0152 ± 0.0093
Korea 1.1-1.7
Japan 2.02-2.98
Hong Kong 1.57-3.97
Malaysia 3.38
Quebec 2.4-3.7
Columbia 1.33-2.4
Sweden 0.9
Finland 2.1
Conclusions
„ e-waste is a hotspot for PBDEs, PCDDs, PAHs,
especially at open burning sites & acid leaching sites
„ PBDE and PCDD/Fs levels in Guiyu are one of the
highest in the world
„ One of first studies on PBDE in soil from e-waste site
„ Dust at printed circuit board recycling district contains an
excessive amount of heavy metals (especially Pb)
„ Potential ingestion of dust would result in high risk of
adverse health impacts
‰ i.e. High non-cancer risks for child and adult at
workshops and street
„ Other public areas in Beilin district (i.e. school yard, food
market) would pose a moderate to minimal risks
Conclusions

„ PBDE and PCB concentrations in fish and PCDD/Fs in

human milk suggest bioaccumulation and
biomagnification

„ Bioassay tests using human cell lines demonstrate

cytotoxic effects due to Guiyu pollution

„ The first detailed study on PTS and heavy metals and

human health risk assessment of an e-waste site
Research Grant:
HKBU1/03, Group Research Central Allocation, Research
Grants Council of Hong Kong
The Research Team:
Team Members:
Prof MH Wong, CIES/Biol Dept, HKBU (PI)
Drs CKC Wong, KC Cheung MS Yang, Prof KKL Yung, RNS
Wong, NK Mak, CIES/Biol Dept, HKBU
Dr ZW Cai, Dioxins Lab, HKBU
Dr CKM Leung (MD), In Vitro Fertilization Centre, HK
Dr PKK Louie, Air Services Group, HKEPD
Dr NS Duzgoren-Aydin, Dept Earth Sci, HKU
Prof KWK Liu, Dept Anatomy, CUHK
Prof TW Wong, Dept Community & Family Medicine, CUHK
Prof J Fu, Guangzhou Inst Geochem, CAS, PRC
Research staff/students:
J Chan, WJ Deng, A Leung, Q Luo, XL Peng, F Wang, C Wong,
SC Wu, GH Xing, XZ Yu
Thank You