Toxicity trends in E-Waste: A comparative analysis of metals in discarded mobile phones

Singh, Narendra1,2; Duan, Huabo1; Ogunseitan, Oladele A.3; Li, Jinhui4; Tang, Yuanyuan2

2019-12-15

10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.120898

JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS   影响因子和分区

0304-3894

1873-3336

Mobile phones and various electronic products contribute to the world's fastest-growing category of hazardous waste with international repercussions. We investigated the trends in potential human health impacts and ecotoxicity of waste mobile phones through quantitative life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) methods and regulatory total threshold limit concentrations. A market-dominant sample of waste basic phones and smartphones manufactured between 2001 and 2015, were analyzed for toxicity trends based on 19 chemicals. The results of the LCIA (using USEtox model) show an increase in the relative mass of toxic materials over the 15-year period. We found no significant changes in the use of toxic components in basic phones, whereas smartphones contained a statistically significant increase in the content of toxic materials from 2006 to 2015. Nickel contributed the largest risk for carcinogens in mobile phones, but the contributions of lead and beryllium were also notable. Silver, zinc and copper contents were associated with non-cancer health risks. Copper components at 45,818-77,938 PAF m(3)/kg dominated ecotoxicity risks in mobile phones. Overall, these results highlight the increasing importance of monitoring trends in materials use for electronic product manufacturing and electronicwaste management processes that should prevent human and environmental exposures to toxic components.

Mobile phones Human health Ecotoxicity Toxic elements E-waste

SCI ; EI

英语

通讯

Development of Science and Technology Fund of Macau[FDCT 0011/2018/A]

Engineering ; Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Engineering, Environmental ; Environmental Sciences

WOS:000491683300069

ELSEVIER

20193007225229

Cellular telephones ; Copper ; Health ; Health risks ; Life cycle ; Smartphones ; Toxicity ; Wastes

Medicine and Pharmacology:461.6 ; Health Care:461.7 ; Copper:544.1 ; Telephone Systems and Equipment:718.1

ENGINEERING

Web of Science

1.Shenzhen Univ, Sch Civil Engn, Room 304, Shenzhen 518060, Peoples R China
2.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
3.Univ Calif Irvine, Program Publ Hlth, Dept Populat Hlth & Dis Prevent, Irvine, CA 92697 USA
4.Tsinghua Univ, Sch Environm, State Key Joint Lab Environm Simulat & Pollut Con, Beijing 100084, Peoples R China

Singh, Narendra,Duan, Huabo,Ogunseitan, Oladele A.,et al. Toxicity trends in E-Waste: A comparative analysis of metals in discarded mobile phones[J]. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS,2019,380.

Singh, Narendra,Duan, Huabo,Ogunseitan, Oladele A.,Li, Jinhui,&Tang, Yuanyuan.(2019).Toxicity trends in E-Waste: A comparative analysis of metals in discarded mobile phones.JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS,380.

Singh, Narendra,et al."Toxicity trends in E-Waste: A comparative analysis of metals in discarded mobile phones".JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 380(2019).