Health hazards resulting from exposure to heavy metals generated during the incineration of electronic and electrical waste in developing countries on the example of Agbogbloshie

Zieliński Ewa, Wielgus Adriana, Sas Katarzyna, Zukow Walery. Health hazards resulting from exposure to heavy metals generated during the incineration of electronic and electrical waste in developing countries on the example of Agbogbloshie. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. 2018;8(12):633-640. eISNN 2391-8306. DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.2527054

http://ojs.ukw.edu.pl/index.php/johs/article/view/6421

https://pbn.nauka.gov.pl/sedno-webapp/works/893799

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© The Authors 2018;

This article is published with open access at Licensee Open Journal Systems of Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Poland

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Received: 10.12.2018. Revised: 26.12.2018. Accepted: 26.12.2018.

Health hazards resulting from exposure to heavy metals generated during the incineration of electronic and electrical waste in developing countries on the example of Agbogbloshie

Zagrożenia zdrowia wynikające z narażenia na metale ciężkie powstające podczas spalania elektrośmieci w krajach rozwijających się na przykładzie Agbogbloshie

Ewa Zieliński¹, Adriana Wielgus², Katarzyna Sas², Walery Zukow³

¹Chair of Emergency Medicine and Medicine Disaster Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz,

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland

²Chair and Institute of Pedagogy and Teaching Nursing Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz,

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Torun, Poland

³Department of Spatial Management and Tourism, Faculty of Earth Sciences,

Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, Torun, Poland

Słowa klucz: e-wysypiska, metale ciężkie, Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Key words: e-waste, heavy metals, Agbogbloshie, Ghana

Streszczenie

Spalanie elektrośmieci jest jedną z podstawowych metod utylizacji sprzętu elektronicznego w krajach rozwijających się. Podczas spalania telefonów komórkowych, komputerów, telewizorów, kabli oraz sprzętu AGD do atmosfery oraz gleby uwalniają się toksyczne dymy zawierające kwaśne gazy, wielopierścieniowe węglowodory aromatyczne (WWA), dioksyny i metale ciężkie. Próbki powietrza pobrane od pracowników i środowiskowe próbki powietrza w Agbogbloshie wykazały podwyższone poziomy dla aluminium, miedzi, żelaza, cynku i ołowiu. W artykule omówiono negatywne skutki narażenia na wybrane wskazane metale ciężkie najbardziej negatywnie wpływające na zdrowie człowieka.

Summary

Combustion of electro-waste is one of the basic methods of e-waste processing in developing countries. When burning mobile phones, computers, TVs, cables and household appliances, toxic fumes containing acid gases, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins and heavy metals are released into the atmosphere and the soil. Personal air samples collected from workers and the environment air samples in Agbogbloshie indicated elevated levels for aluminum, copper, iron, zinc and lead. The article discusses the negative effects of exposure to the some indicated most dangerous heavy metals for human health.