Vertical profile of PCDD/Fs in soil and sediment around an abandoned e-waste dismantling site

Xiaotong Su; Yucheng Zhang; Nora F. Y. Tam; Xiaolan Lao; Meiling Zhong; Qihang Wu; Yingheng Fei; Huifang Lei; Zihui Chen; Bixian Mai; Laiguo Chen

doi:10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7

Vertical profile of PCDD/Fs in soil and sediment around an abandoned e-waste dismantling site

Xiaotong Su
, Yucheng Zhang
, Nora F. Y. Tam
, Xiaolan Lao
, Meiling Zhong
, Qihang Wu^*
, Yingheng Fei
, Huifang Lei
, Zihui Chen
, Bixian Mai
, Laiguo Chen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Chemistry

Research output: Journal Publications and Reviews › RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Purpose Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has been identified as a significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), which pose a health and environmental danger. The impact of PCDD/Fs in the e-waste dismantling sites depends on their concentration in environmental matrices. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution characteristic of PCDD/F content collected from an abandoned e-waste dismantling site in Guiyu, China, as well as the nearby paddy field and stream.
Material and methods One year after the e-waste dismantle site was abandoned, soil, sediment, and mud cores were taken from the site, the neighboring stream, and the paddy field. The source and distribution characteristics of PCDD/Fs in samples were revealed using a variety of statistical analytic methods.
Results and discussion The concentrations of PCDD/Fs steadily decreased with increasing soil depth at all sampling sites. The highest concentration of PCDD/Fs was discovered in the sub-layer (10–20 cm) of the e-waste disposal site, at 263,332.72 ng/kg. PCDD/Fs concentrations in soil, sediment, and mud samples were 314.21–16,037.39, 0.01–0.11, and 6.93–97.44 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, according to the International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ). The health risk assessment revealed the harsh working environment for the workers. The association between the three sampling sites was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The main source of PCDD/Fs was e-waste recycling, and one of the explanations for the similarity of PCDD/Fs distribution between the non-plough layer (0–20 cm) of paddy field and sediments was thought to be water management.
Conclusion Decades of informal e-waste recycling have led to PCDD/Fs reaching deep into the soil. The order of pollution levels was as follows: e-waste dismantling site > paddy field > stream. The utilization of the e-waste dismantling site and its neighboring lands necessitates meticulous planning and oversight.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	902–910
Journal	Journal of Soils and Sediments
Volume	23
Issue number	2
Online published	23 Sept 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7
Publication status	Published - Feb 2023

Funding

The project is supported by the Scientific research project of Guangzhou University (YK2020017), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41773130), Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (UGC/IDS(R)16/19), the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No. 2019A1515011617), and Innovative training program for College Students of Guangzhou University (XJ202111078171).

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Research Keywords

E-waste
I-TEQ
Paddy field
PCDD/Fs
Sediment
Soil

RGC Funding Information

RGC-funded

Access Output

10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7

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Cite this

@article{b9167b80db1c4a38bb86856feae6cfce,

title = "Vertical profile of PCDD/Fs in soil and sediment around an abandoned e-waste dismantling site",

abstract = "Purpose Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has been identified as a significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), which pose a health and environmental danger. The impact of PCDD/Fs in the e-waste dismantling sites depends on their concentration in environmental matrices. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution characteristic of PCDD/F content collected from an abandoned e-waste dismantling site in Guiyu, China, as well as the nearby paddy field and stream. Material and methods One year after the e-waste dismantle site was abandoned, soil, sediment, and mud cores were taken from the site, the neighboring stream, and the paddy field. The source and distribution characteristics of PCDD/Fs in samples were revealed using a variety of statistical analytic methods. Results and discussion The concentrations of PCDD/Fs steadily decreased with increasing soil depth at all sampling sites. The highest concentration of PCDD/Fs was discovered in the sub-layer (10–20 cm) of the e-waste disposal site, at 263,332.72 ng/kg. PCDD/Fs concentrations in soil, sediment, and mud samples were 314.21–16,037.39, 0.01–0.11, and 6.93–97.44 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, according to the International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ). The health risk assessment revealed the harsh working environment for the workers. The association between the three sampling sites was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The main source of PCDD/Fs was e-waste recycling, and one of the explanations for the similarity of PCDD/Fs distribution between the non-plough layer (0–20 cm) of paddy field and sediments was thought to be water management. Conclusion Decades of informal e-waste recycling have led to PCDD/Fs reaching deep into the soil. The order of pollution levels was as follows: e-waste dismantling site > paddy field > stream. The utilization of the e-waste dismantling site and its neighboring lands necessitates meticulous planning and oversight. {\textcopyright} The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022.",

keywords = "E-waste, I-TEQ, Paddy field, PCDD/Fs, Sediment, Soil",

author = "Xiaotong Su and Yucheng Zhang and Tam, \{Nora F. Y.\} and Xiaolan Lao and Meiling Zhong and Qihang Wu and Yingheng Fei and Huifang Lei and Zihui Chen and Bixian Mai and Laiguo Chen",

year = "2023",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7",

language = "English",

volume = "23",

pages = "902–910",

journal = "Journal of Soils and Sediments",

issn = "1439-0108",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Vertical profile of PCDD/Fs in soil and sediment around an abandoned e-waste dismantling site

AU - Su, Xiaotong

AU - Zhang, Yucheng

AU - Tam, Nora F. Y.

AU - Lao, Xiaolan

AU - Zhong, Meiling

AU - Wu, Qihang

AU - Fei, Yingheng

AU - Lei, Huifang

AU - Chen, Zihui

AU - Mai, Bixian

AU - Chen, Laiguo

PY - 2023/2

Y1 - 2023/2

N2 - Purpose Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has been identified as a significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), which pose a health and environmental danger. The impact of PCDD/Fs in the e-waste dismantling sites depends on their concentration in environmental matrices. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution characteristic of PCDD/F content collected from an abandoned e-waste dismantling site in Guiyu, China, as well as the nearby paddy field and stream. Material and methods One year after the e-waste dismantle site was abandoned, soil, sediment, and mud cores were taken from the site, the neighboring stream, and the paddy field. The source and distribution characteristics of PCDD/Fs in samples were revealed using a variety of statistical analytic methods. Results and discussion The concentrations of PCDD/Fs steadily decreased with increasing soil depth at all sampling sites. The highest concentration of PCDD/Fs was discovered in the sub-layer (10–20 cm) of the e-waste disposal site, at 263,332.72 ng/kg. PCDD/Fs concentrations in soil, sediment, and mud samples were 314.21–16,037.39, 0.01–0.11, and 6.93–97.44 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, according to the International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ). The health risk assessment revealed the harsh working environment for the workers. The association between the three sampling sites was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The main source of PCDD/Fs was e-waste recycling, and one of the explanations for the similarity of PCDD/Fs distribution between the non-plough layer (0–20 cm) of paddy field and sediments was thought to be water management. Conclusion Decades of informal e-waste recycling have led to PCDD/Fs reaching deep into the soil. The order of pollution levels was as follows: e-waste dismantling site > paddy field > stream. The utilization of the e-waste dismantling site and its neighboring lands necessitates meticulous planning and oversight. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022.

AB - Purpose Informal electronic waste (e-waste) recycling has been identified as a significant source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), which pose a health and environmental danger. The impact of PCDD/Fs in the e-waste dismantling sites depends on their concentration in environmental matrices. This study aimed to investigate the vertical distribution characteristic of PCDD/F content collected from an abandoned e-waste dismantling site in Guiyu, China, as well as the nearby paddy field and stream. Material and methods One year after the e-waste dismantle site was abandoned, soil, sediment, and mud cores were taken from the site, the neighboring stream, and the paddy field. The source and distribution characteristics of PCDD/Fs in samples were revealed using a variety of statistical analytic methods. Results and discussion The concentrations of PCDD/Fs steadily decreased with increasing soil depth at all sampling sites. The highest concentration of PCDD/Fs was discovered in the sub-layer (10–20 cm) of the e-waste disposal site, at 263,332.72 ng/kg. PCDD/Fs concentrations in soil, sediment, and mud samples were 314.21–16,037.39, 0.01–0.11, and 6.93–97.44 ng I-TEQ/kg, respectively, according to the International Toxicity Equivalency Quantity (I-TEQ). The health risk assessment revealed the harsh working environment for the workers. The association between the three sampling sites was determined using principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). The main source of PCDD/Fs was e-waste recycling, and one of the explanations for the similarity of PCDD/Fs distribution between the non-plough layer (0–20 cm) of paddy field and sediments was thought to be water management. Conclusion Decades of informal e-waste recycling have led to PCDD/Fs reaching deep into the soil. The order of pollution levels was as follows: e-waste dismantling site > paddy field > stream. The utilization of the e-waste dismantling site and its neighboring lands necessitates meticulous planning and oversight. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2022.

KW - E-waste

KW - I-TEQ

KW - Paddy field

KW - PCDD/Fs

KW - Sediment

KW - Soil

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85138744646

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85138744646#tab=impact

U2 - 10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7

DO - 10.1007/s11368-022-03340-7

M3 - RGC 21 - Publication in refereed journal

SN - 1439-0108

VL - 23

SP - 902

EP - 910

JO - Journal of Soils and Sediments

JF - Journal of Soils and Sediments

IS - 2

ER -

Vertical profile of PCDD/Fs in soil and sediment around an abandoned e-waste dismantling site

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Research Keywords

RGC Funding Information

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