To understand potential ecotoxicological effects of electrical and electronic equipment waste （e-waste） recycling and polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） bioaccumulation in loaches, a semi-field experiment usin...To understand potential ecotoxicological effects of electrical and electronic equipment waste （e-waste） recycling and polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） bioaccumulation in loaches, a semi-field experiment using Chinese loach （Misgurnus anguiUicaudatus） as experimental fish was performed. Larval loaches were kept in net-cage for three months in an e-wastes recycling site and a reference site in Southeastern China. There was significant difference of the survival rate between the loaches from the e-wastes recycling site （27%, 19/70） and from reference site （70%, 49/70）. Histopathological responses were also found in all the livers examined in loaches from the e-wastes recycling site. These results showed that mixed pollutants resulted from e-wastes recycling led to ecotoxicological effects on loaches. The bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs）, the main pollutants in e-waste, in loaches was also studied, the mean concentration of total PBDEs in sediment was 6726.17 ng/g wet weight and in water samples was 4.08 ng/L （dissolved phase）. BDE 209 was the dominant congener in sediment and with relatively high concentration in water. Relatively low concentration of BDE 209 （less than 0.01% of total PBDEs） and high concentration of BDE47 （up to 39.34% of total PBDEs） were detected in loaches.展开更多
The fate of end-of-life electronics (e-wastes) is of increasing concern because of their toxicity and ever increasing volumes. Addressing these concerns requires proper management plans and strategy which in turn requ...The fate of end-of-life electronics (e-wastes) is of increasing concern because of their toxicity and ever increasing volumes. Addressing these concerns requires proper management plans and strategy which in turn requires reliable estimates of e-waste generation in the present as well as future times. In this study, a material flow model for the analysis of e-waste generation from computer equipments inNigeriahas been developed. Data used to develop the model are the sales data from major distributors of electronics, usage time of computer equipments and transfer coefficients of the electronics from one stage to another. The analysis of individual flows of computer from the material flow model showed that the fate of obsolete computer equipments were storage (41%), reuse (35%) and direct disposal (24%). The projections of the flows for a period of 15 years also indicated that storage and reuse of computer equipments would be preferred over direct disposal;and computer equipments would continue to remain in either storage, re-use or gradually disposed off for about 11 years after its inflow. This delay or staggering disposal is of advantage as it would reduce the amount of e-waste disposed yearly and also afford the country some time to make plans to accommodate and manage the e-wastes generated more efficiently.展开更多
Electrical and electronic waste(e-waste)is a growing challenge,matching the widespread boom in the use of information and communication technology.Opposite to an alarming increasing amount of e-waste,a low rate of con...Electrical and electronic waste(e-waste)is a growing challenge,matching the widespread boom in the use of information and communication technology.Opposite to an alarming increasing amount of e-waste,a low rate of consumer engagement in ensuring the proper disposal of such materials intensifies the pressure on the exist‐ing e-waste crisis.To deal with this thorny problem,it is of great interest to grasp consumers’disposal and re‐cycling behavioral intentions.Therefore,this study attempts to understand complementary perspectives around consumers’e-waste recycling intention based on the integration of the valence theory and the norm activation theory.Four data mining models using classification and prediction-based algorithms,namely Chi squared automatic interaction detector(CHAID),Neural network,Discriminant analysis,and Quick,unbiased,efficient statistical tree(QUEST),were employed to analyze a set of the 398 data collected in Vietnam.The re‐sults revealed that the social support value is by far the most critical predictor,followed by the utilitarian value,task difficulty,and monetary risk.It is also noteworthy that the awareness of consequences,education background,the ascription of responsibility,and age were also ranked as critical affecting factors.The lowest influential predictors found in this study were income and gender.In addition,a comparison was made in terms of the classification performance of the four utilized data mining techniques.Based on several evalua‐tion measurements(confusion matrix,accuracy,precision,recall,specificity,F-measure,ROC curve,and AUC),the aggregated results suggested that CHAID and Neural network performed the best.The findings of this research are expected to assist policymakers and future researchers in updating all information surround‐ing consumer behavioral intention-related topics focusing on e-waste.Furthermore,the adoption of data min‐ing algorithms for prediction is another insight of this study,which may shed the light on data mining applica‐tions in such environmental studies in the future.展开更多
This study investigated the groundwater quality and health risks associated with informal e-waste processing in the Alaba International Market in Lagos, Nigeria. Twenty-two groundwater samples were collected from hand...This study investigated the groundwater quality and health risks associated with informal e-waste processing in the Alaba International Market in Lagos, Nigeria. Twenty-two groundwater samples were collected from hand-dug wells in the market area and analyzed for physicochemical properties and heavy metal concentrations. The results showed that the groundwater quality was poor, with high levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, and chromium. The health index (HI) for children and adults was above the tolerable threshold levels, indicating a potential health risk to the population. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to identify the sources of metals in groundwater, and the results showed that informal e-waste processing was a significant source of contamination. The study highlights the need for effective management strategies to mitigate the potential health risks associated with informal e-waste processing and ensure public health and environmental safety.展开更多
Electronic waste(e-waste)and diabetes are global challenges to modern societies.However,solving these two challenges together has been challenging until now.Herein,we propose a laser-induced transfer method to fabrica...Electronic waste(e-waste)and diabetes are global challenges to modern societies.However,solving these two challenges together has been challenging until now.Herein,we propose a laser-induced transfer method to fabricate portable glucose sensors by recycling copper from e-waste.We bring up a laser-induced full-automatic fabrication method for synthesizing continuous heterogeneous Cu_(x)O(h-Cu_(x)O)nano-skeletons electrode for glucose sensing,offering rapid(<1 min),clean,air-compatible,and continuous fabrication,applicable to a wide range of Cu-containing substrates.Leveraging this approach,h-Cu_(x)O nanoskeletons,with an inner core predominantly composed of Cu_(2)O with lower oxygen content,juxtaposed with an outer layer rich in amorphous Cu_(x)O(a-Cu_(x)O)with higher oxygen content,are derived from discarded printed circuit boards.When employed in glucose detection,the h-Cu_(x)O nano-skeletons undergo a structural evolution process,transitioning into rigid Cu_(2)O@CuO nano-skeletons prompted by electrochemical activation.This transformation yields exceptional glucose-sensing performance(sensitivity:9.893 mA mM^(-1) cm^(-2);detection limit:0.34μM),outperforming most previously reported glucose sensors.Density functional theory analysis elucidates that the heterogeneous structure facilitates gluconolactone desorption.This glucose detection device has also been downsized to optimize its scalability and portability for convenient integration into people’s everyday lives.展开更多
Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has ...Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has reached the end of its life is mainly informal. This professional environment is characterized by the disintegration of the sector and the social heterogeneity that can be found there. The objective of this study is to assess the standard of living of electrical and electronic equipment waste handlers in the Dakar region, as well as their perception of their health. A survey was used to obtain information on sociodemographic background, living arrangements, perception of health status, and good practices to be implemented in case of work-related health problems. Life style, perception of general health and health problems were ranged as excellent, very good, good, average and poor. Informal recyclers in the Dakar region lived mainly in rooms and buildings as tenants (49.1%), or in family homes (48.4%) before starting this activity, and 51.2% continue to live in rooms and buildings as tenants compared to 41.4% who still live in a family home. The perception of health status ranged from poor to excellent, and 4.9% believe that they are limited in work due to a disability or health problem. Informal work is a heterogeneous phenomenon that makes research and policymaking particularly complex. There are several external factors within informal WEEE re-cyclers that can cause health problems or functional disability. However, the living conditions and the perception they have of their state of health are contradictory to the working conditions and the social environment to which they belong. A biomedical approach would consolidate these achievements by confirming or invalidating them.展开更多
PM2.5, total suspended particles （TSP） and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle pa...PM2.5, total suspended particles （TSP） and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distribution of the atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） were studied to assess the current state of atmospheric PCBs after the phase out of massive historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes. The average ∑38PCBs concentration in the ambient air （TSP plus gas phase） near the e-waste dismantling area was （12,407 ± 9592） pg/m^3 in winter, which was substantially lower than that found one decade ago. However, the atmospheric PCBs level near the e-waste dismantling area was 54 times of the reference urban site, indicating that the impact of the historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes was still significant. Tri-Penta-CBs were dominant homologues, consisting with their dominant global production. Size distribution of particle-bound PCBs showed that higher chlorinated CBs tended to partition more to the fine particles, facilitating its long range air transportation.展开更多
Objective To study the effects of environmental multi-media lead pollution on blood lead and sex hormone levels among lead exposed males engaged in E-waste dismantling, and the correlation between confounding factors ...Objective To study the effects of environmental multi-media lead pollution on blood lead and sex hormone levels among lead exposed males engaged in E-waste dismantling, and the correlation between confounding factors and sex hormone levels. Methods An E-waste dismantling area in Taizhou of Zhejiang Province was selected as the research site. One hundred and fifty two samples were collected from the groundwater, soil, rice, corn, chicken, and pork in the dismantling area. The effects of the multi-media lead pollution on the male blood lead and sex hormone levels of FSH, LH, and T, as well as the correlation with confounding factors, were studied. Results The blood lead concentrations in the males aged under 31, from 31 to 45 and from 46 to 60 were 98.55, 100.23, and 101.45 I~/L, respectively. Of all the environmental media lead exposures, the groundwater, rice and soil were main contributing factors to the lead accumulation in humans. FSH and LH levels increased with the age while the T levels decreased with the age instead. There was a significant correlation between the FSH and LH levels and wearing masks. Conclusion There was correlation between the FSH, LH, and T levels, and the mean values of lead concentrations in environmental media, and the sex hormone levels were correlated with the confounding factor of wearing masks.展开更多
Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technol...Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technology for E-waste is a significant question. This study establishes a Monte-Carlo mathematical model of cost minimization, given the constraints of environmentally sound handling of the e-waste, in the context of Crystal Ball risk assessment and evaluation software. By following the streams of the different treatment processes, which consist of various technologies including disassembly, recycling and disposal, the econom-ics of various possibilities were identified and the optimal recycling technology proposed. The key factors of the proposed scenarios were determined by using sensitivity analysis. The results of this study show that, for discarded refrigerators, the operating life span plays the key role. The model supports maintenance and resale of the short lived refrigerators. For the longer lived refrigerators material recycling is recommended by the model. Sensitivity analysis shows that purchase cost, plastic sale price, condenser sale price and disassembly costs are the main effects. This study provides a significant technical support for policy making in E-waste management.展开更多
Soil is an essential resource for agricultural production.In order to investigate the pollution situation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system in the e-waste dismantling area,the crop and soil samples(226 pairs,inc...Soil is an essential resource for agricultural production.In order to investigate the pollution situation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system in the e-waste dismantling area,the crop and soil samples(226 pairs,including leaf vegetables,solanaceous vegetables,root vegetables,and fruits)around the e-waste dismantling area in southeastern Zhejiang Province were collected.The concentrations of Cd,Cu,Pb,and Cr were determined.The average concentrations of Cd,Cu,Pb,and Cr in soils were 0.94,107.79,80.28,and 78.14 mg kg-1,respectively,and their corresponding concentrations in crops were 0.024,0.7,0.041,and 0.06 mg kg-1,respectively.The transfer capacity of leaf vegetables was significantly higher than that of non-leaf vegetables,and the accumulation of four heavy metals in crops tended to be Cd>Cu>Cr/Pb.The pollution index’s results revealed that the soil pollution degree under different land uses ranked as root vegetables soil>leaf vegetables soil>solanaceous vegetables soil>fruit soil.The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metal exposure were ranked as food intake>accidental ingestion>dermal contact>inhalation.The comprehensive non-carcinogenic risk was ranked as Cr>Cd>Pb/Cu.Our results could be used to provide useful information for further crop cultivation layout in the study area,which can guarantee the local residents’health and food safety.展开更多
This study aims to identify processes, current situations and issues of recycling systems for four home appliances, namely, air conditioners, television receivers, refrigerators, and washing machines, among e-wastes i...This study aims to identify processes, current situations and issues of recycling systems for four home appliances, namely, air conditioners, television receivers, refrigerators, and washing machines, among e-wastes in China and Japan for understanding and comparison of their characteristics. In accordance with results of a literature search, review of information disclosed online, and questionnaire survey conducted, the findings of this study are summarized in the following two points： （1） The results show that in Japan most of the home appliances mentioned above have been collected through home appliance recycling tickets, resulting in an issue of ＂requiring some effort＂ in treatment and recycling stages, and most plants have contracted out their e-waste recycling; （2） It is found out that advantages of the recycling system in Japan include easiness to monitor concrete data and thorough environmental friendliness ensured while its disadvantages include illegal dumping and export. It becomes apparent that advantages of the recycling system in China include a high reuse rate, low treatment cost, and fewer illegal dumping while its disadvantages include less safe reused products, environmental pollution caused by e-waste treatment, illegal import and difficulty in obtaining data.展开更多
WEEE(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment),also called e-waste,has become the world’s fastest-growing waste stream but only has a 17.4%recycling rate according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020.The collection r...WEEE(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment),also called e-waste,has become the world’s fastest-growing waste stream but only has a 17.4%recycling rate according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020.The collection rate for sWEEE(Small WEEE),e.g.,used mobile phones,is even lower than 10%due to stockpiling at home and improper disposal via the general waste or private informal channels.The purpose of this paper was to(a)review how the TPB(Theory of Planned Behavior)was applied in the literature related to consumer behavioral intention for WEEE recycling and determine the most significant TPB predictors by comparing their standardized influence coefficients across various studies,and(b)identify additional behavior determinants specific to sWEEE recycling and thus develop a new TPB-sWEEE theoretical framework by integrating the TPB model with these new determinants in order to improve the predictability of consumers’sWEEE recycling behavioral intention.This paper reviewed over 30 peer-reviewed studies from Scopus and high impact factor journals and led to the following three key findings:(a)More variables of recycling behavioral intention determinants such as the size of WEEE need to be considered;(b)Eight sWEEE-specific behavioral determinants have been identified and included in the newly developed TPB-sWEEE model,including consumers’Sentimental Attachment,Data Security Concern,Economic Incentives,and How-to Knowledge;(c)For some sWEEE-specific determinants,their extent of influence differs across various regions and countries.This paper contributes to the sWEEE-specific consumer recycling behavior theoretical framework to fill the existing gap in the literature and provides recommendations through the new model for research-based behavioral intervention strategies and policy designs globally.展开更多
The amount of electronic waste generated globally is alarming especially that it is on the rise. The impact of the generated amounts is not only Environmental. The electronic waste sector is unregulated in most develo...The amount of electronic waste generated globally is alarming especially that it is on the rise. The impact of the generated amounts is not only Environmental. The electronic waste sector is unregulated in most developing countries;this results in the informal sector being heavily involved in managing and handling it. Due to the lack of regulations, informal handlers are exposed to hazardous materials that affect both their health and health of the communities living in their proximity. Moreover, the informal sector involves illegal child and women labor under harsh conditions. In addition to the social impact, the lack of regulations leads to missing major economic opportunities associated with developing a recycling industry for the safe handling and material recovery from the generated e-waste volumes. Electronic waste may contain up to 60 different materials including precious and rare-earth metals with estimated equivalent economic value of 48 billion Euros. Egypt is one the countries which lack policies and regulations dedicated to e-waste, hence the Egyptian economy is missing the economic potential and job creation opportunities associated with developing the e-waste sector as well as facing major Environmental and health challenges due to the improper handling of the generated amounts. This paper briefly reviews the current situation of e-waste in Egypt. The paper then proposes an adapted guideline for the sustainable management of e-waste in Egypt. The guideline is based on the international regulations and guidelines especially those of countries similar to the Egyptian socioeconomic context. The produced guideline focuses on establishing a collection and recycling framework for e-waste in Egypt with EPR at its center. The guideline also establishes a financing system to help foster the recycling industry in Egypt while fulfilling the three main pillars of sustainability.展开更多
This study was carried out to ascertain the peoples’ level of awareness of the regulation, their mode of disposal of the e-wastes and their awareness of the dangers inherent in improper handling and disposal of waste...This study was carried out to ascertain the peoples’ level of awareness of the regulation, their mode of disposal of the e-wastes and their awareness of the dangers inherent in improper handling and disposal of wastes. Data for this study were collected through the distribution of 247 well-structured questionnaires. Likert Scale was adopted for the analysis of the respondents. The results revealed that awareness is critically low. Though the respondents have concern for their environment in various degrees, majority dispose their e-waste alongside municipal wastes without knowing the implications. Awareness strategy was designed for sensitization campaign.展开更多
Electrical and electronic equipment waste, or e-waste, is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States. The main objective of this study is to estimate the future quantities of e-waste of thirteen sel...Electrical and electronic equipment waste, or e-waste, is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States. The main objective of this study is to estimate the future quantities of e-waste of thirteen selected electric and electronic products in the United States in 2025. To estimate the future amount of e-waste, the authors performed a material flow analysis. The model inputs are historical and future product sales data and the product’s average life span. Sensitivity analysis was constructed to evaluate the effect of the model inputs (average life span and future sales data) in the generation of e-waste. The results show that about 1.0835 billion units will reach their end of life (EOL) in 2025;cell phone devices are the highest occurring product among the thirteen selected products and weighted for about 66.0% of units of the total amount, followed by computer products at 18.0%, TV products at 11.6%, computer monitors at 1.7%, hard copy peripherals (HCP) at 1.6%, and computer accessories at 1.0%. The sensitivity analysis shows that the product life span has an effect on the e-waste generation amounts from the products under study, while the sensitivity analysis of forecasted future sales indicates that the generated waste will increase or decrease according to the sales trend.展开更多
Sediment is a sink for organic materials, nutrients and heavy metals and sediment condition affects the overlying water Though Serin River is a source of drinking water, agricultural and waste disposal activities in t...Sediment is a sink for organic materials, nutrients and heavy metals and sediment condition affects the overlying water Though Serin River is a source of drinking water, agricultural and waste disposal activities in the watershed may impact the sediment of the river. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals in the sediment of the Serin River. Five stations were selected for sediment sample collection. Results of the study show that organic matter （OM） ranged from 0.7% to 5.9%, TP was 100 -366 （mg/kg）, TAN was 16-141 （mg/kg）, TON was 550-3019（mg/kg）, and TKN was 566-3160 （mg/kg）. Sediment oxygen demand （SOD20） ranged from 5.6 to 14.2 （g O2/m^2/d）. Among the five stations OM, TKN, and SOD of the sediment were second highest at the two stations downstream of animal （fish, chicken and pig） farming. TP and TAN were the second highest at the station downstream of fish farming and third highest at the station downstream of pig farming. Zn, Cu and Cd ranged from 132-357 （mg/kg）, 26.7-96.7 （mg/kg） and 4.0-19.3（mg/kg）. According to USEPA guideline, sediments at four stations were heavily polluted with Zn, Cu and Cd whereas the station that was farthest upstream, near a village, was slightly polluted with Zn and Cu. This study indicates that animal farming has an impact on the organic matter content, nutrients （N and P）, oxygen demand and heavy metals of the sediment. Motor vehicles and discarded e-waste also contributed to the heavy metals in the sediment. Farm effluents and storm water should be treated and e-waste recycled to protect the water quality of the river for its designated use.展开更多
This paper summarizes the situation of e-waste recycling in China, points out several key problems, identify the causes and draw lessons and experiences abroad about e-waste management, propose systematic suggestions ...This paper summarizes the situation of e-waste recycling in China, points out several key problems, identify the causes and draw lessons and experiences abroad about e-waste management, propose systematic suggestions from the production side, the recovery side, consumers side, government departments and thelegislation.展开更多
Background: Several studies have demonstrated that e-waste workers had a risk to develop the respiratory disorders but this was not specifically differentiated according to the type of the e-waste activities. The main...Background: Several studies have demonstrated that e-waste workers had a risk to develop the respiratory disorders but this was not specifically differentiated according to the type of the e-waste activities. The main aim of this study was to evaluate if the risk to develop respiratory disorders was different according to the type of activities carried out by the e-waste workers. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Abidjan and Cotonou, two big cities in West Africa. The participants were randomly selected based on the list of e-waste workers provided by the census of different sites of e-waste. The spirometry was performed on all the study participants to assess whether they had respiratory disorders. A regression logistic model was performed to estimate the risk of developing respiratory disorders according to the type of activities carried out by the e-waste workers. Results: In total 308 e-waste workers including 149 at Abidjan and 159 at Cotonou were interviewed. Participants of this study ranged in age from 14 years to 69 years and the mean age was 33.71 ± 10.96. The main activities carried out by the study participants were respectively repairing (44.8%), buying or selling (40.3%), dismantling (31.8%). The prevalence of respiratory disorders was 20.1%. The multivariate analysis had not found a significant association between the type of activities and the presence of respiratory disorders. Conclusion: The effect of exposure to e-waste on respiratory health of workers was not different according to the type of activities. So, any policy that aims to reduce the risk of exposure on respiratory health must take into account all the e-waste workers regardless of the type of activities they perform in this sector.展开更多
This study was designed to investigate the possible variation in bioaccumulation of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, chromium, nickel, and manganese) in the tissue of harvested Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia...This study was designed to investigate the possible variation in bioaccumulation of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, chromium, nickel, and manganese) in the tissue of harvested Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) and the associated fungi from vials treated with soil from e-waste dumpsite and soil without e-waste. E-waste is electronic waste which contains valuable metals as well as potential environmental contaminants. The heavy metals in soil and fish samples were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) after homogeneity and digestion of samples. The associated fungi were identified using standard microbiological methods. The genera of the associated fungi were: Penicillium, Candida, Articulospora, Aspergillus, Aspergillus, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Mucor, Zoopage, Varicosporium and Rhodoturula. The quantity of fungi isolated from each pollution treatments showed that the number of fungi were inversely proportional to the quantity of e-waste soil pollution and directly proportional to the quantity of soil without e-waste pollution. The occurrence of the fungi species revealed that the untreated (control) vial had the highest occurrence (191) while the lowest occurrence (103) occurred in the vial polluted with the highest quantity of soil from e-waste dumpsite. The pH and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the vials were significantly affected by the pollutions. Variations were also observed in the bioaccumulation of the heavy metals by Oreochromis niloticus. Cadmium (0.01 mg/kg) and nickel (0.02 - 0.08 mg/kg) were the least recorded metal in the tissue of the fish while cobalt was not detected after the five weeks period. The sequence of the heavy metals concentrations in Oreochromis niloticus tissue samples was Zn > Mn > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cd > Co. The accumulation of the metals in the fish tissue were, however, lower than the international maximum guidelines, except for manganese (0.29 - 3.13 mg/kg) that exceeded the 0.01 - 0.05 mg/kg threshold levels for manganese by Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA). Protecting the environments from toxic metals is necessary, hence a need for public awareness on the dangers of these toxic metals and law for proper disposal of e-waste.展开更多
In this digital era,usage of electric and electronic devices has become the need of people.Evolution of technology triggers the adoption of new devices over old and discarded appliances turned into the electronic wast...In this digital era,usage of electric and electronic devices has become the need of people.Evolution of technology triggers the adoption of new devices over old and discarded appliances turned into the electronic wastes also termed as e-waste/s.E-waste from any source has become a major concern to the society.The disposal of these wastes into the landfills causes many hazardous impacts to the ecosystem.As a promising solution construction industry can utilize the e-wastes effectively.The wastes may be used either as fine filler or aggregates in concrete and bituminous based constructions efficiently.Usage of waste/s conserves the natural resources also.Present study magnifies the scenario of application of electronic wastes in different forms i.e.,plastic,metal etc.in bituminous and concrete based mixtures.A critical review has been carried the effects of electronic wastes in concrete and bituminous mixes and findings confirm the praxis of electronic wastes is possible within certain limits.展开更多
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No. KZCX2-YW-420-3)the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No. 2003CB415005)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.20437020, 20677074)
文摘To understand potential ecotoxicological effects of electrical and electronic equipment waste （e-waste） recycling and polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs） bioaccumulation in loaches, a semi-field experiment using Chinese loach （Misgurnus anguiUicaudatus） as experimental fish was performed. Larval loaches were kept in net-cage for three months in an e-wastes recycling site and a reference site in Southeastern China. There was significant difference of the survival rate between the loaches from the e-wastes recycling site （27%, 19/70） and from reference site （70%, 49/70）. Histopathological responses were also found in all the livers examined in loaches from the e-wastes recycling site. These results showed that mixed pollutants resulted from e-wastes recycling led to ecotoxicological effects on loaches. The bioaccumulation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers （PBDEs）, the main pollutants in e-waste, in loaches was also studied, the mean concentration of total PBDEs in sediment was 6726.17 ng/g wet weight and in water samples was 4.08 ng/L （dissolved phase）. BDE 209 was the dominant congener in sediment and with relatively high concentration in water. Relatively low concentration of BDE 209 （less than 0.01% of total PBDEs） and high concentration of BDE47 （up to 39.34% of total PBDEs） were detected in loaches.
文摘The fate of end-of-life electronics (e-wastes) is of increasing concern because of their toxicity and ever increasing volumes. Addressing these concerns requires proper management plans and strategy which in turn requires reliable estimates of e-waste generation in the present as well as future times. In this study, a material flow model for the analysis of e-waste generation from computer equipments inNigeriahas been developed. Data used to develop the model are the sales data from major distributors of electronics, usage time of computer equipments and transfer coefficients of the electronics from one stage to another. The analysis of individual flows of computer from the material flow model showed that the fate of obsolete computer equipments were storage (41%), reuse (35%) and direct disposal (24%). The projections of the flows for a period of 15 years also indicated that storage and reuse of computer equipments would be preferred over direct disposal;and computer equipments would continue to remain in either storage, re-use or gradually disposed off for about 11 years after its inflow. This delay or staggering disposal is of advantage as it would reduce the amount of e-waste disposed yearly and also afford the country some time to make plans to accommodate and manage the e-wastes generated more efficiently.
文摘Electrical and electronic waste(e-waste)is a growing challenge,matching the widespread boom in the use of information and communication technology.Opposite to an alarming increasing amount of e-waste,a low rate of consumer engagement in ensuring the proper disposal of such materials intensifies the pressure on the exist‐ing e-waste crisis.To deal with this thorny problem,it is of great interest to grasp consumers’disposal and re‐cycling behavioral intentions.Therefore,this study attempts to understand complementary perspectives around consumers’e-waste recycling intention based on the integration of the valence theory and the norm activation theory.Four data mining models using classification and prediction-based algorithms,namely Chi squared automatic interaction detector(CHAID),Neural network,Discriminant analysis,and Quick,unbiased,efficient statistical tree(QUEST),were employed to analyze a set of the 398 data collected in Vietnam.The re‐sults revealed that the social support value is by far the most critical predictor,followed by the utilitarian value,task difficulty,and monetary risk.It is also noteworthy that the awareness of consequences,education background,the ascription of responsibility,and age were also ranked as critical affecting factors.The lowest influential predictors found in this study were income and gender.In addition,a comparison was made in terms of the classification performance of the four utilized data mining techniques.Based on several evalua‐tion measurements(confusion matrix,accuracy,precision,recall,specificity,F-measure,ROC curve,and AUC),the aggregated results suggested that CHAID and Neural network performed the best.The findings of this research are expected to assist policymakers and future researchers in updating all information surround‐ing consumer behavioral intention-related topics focusing on e-waste.Furthermore,the adoption of data min‐ing algorithms for prediction is another insight of this study,which may shed the light on data mining applica‐tions in such environmental studies in the future.
文摘This study investigated the groundwater quality and health risks associated with informal e-waste processing in the Alaba International Market in Lagos, Nigeria. Twenty-two groundwater samples were collected from hand-dug wells in the market area and analyzed for physicochemical properties and heavy metal concentrations. The results showed that the groundwater quality was poor, with high levels of heavy metals, including cadmium, lead, and chromium. The health index (HI) for children and adults was above the tolerable threshold levels, indicating a potential health risk to the population. Principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to identify the sources of metals in groundwater, and the results showed that informal e-waste processing was a significant source of contamination. The study highlights the need for effective management strategies to mitigate the potential health risks associated with informal e-waste processing and ensure public health and environmental safety.
基金funded by the Hong Kong Research Grants Council(25201620/C6001-22Y)the Hong Kong Innovation Technology Commission(ITC)under project No.MHP/060/21support of the State Key Laboratory of Advanced Displays and Optoelectronics Technologies at HKUST.
文摘Electronic waste(e-waste)and diabetes are global challenges to modern societies.However,solving these two challenges together has been challenging until now.Herein,we propose a laser-induced transfer method to fabricate portable glucose sensors by recycling copper from e-waste.We bring up a laser-induced full-automatic fabrication method for synthesizing continuous heterogeneous Cu_(x)O(h-Cu_(x)O)nano-skeletons electrode for glucose sensing,offering rapid(<1 min),clean,air-compatible,and continuous fabrication,applicable to a wide range of Cu-containing substrates.Leveraging this approach,h-Cu_(x)O nanoskeletons,with an inner core predominantly composed of Cu_(2)O with lower oxygen content,juxtaposed with an outer layer rich in amorphous Cu_(x)O(a-Cu_(x)O)with higher oxygen content,are derived from discarded printed circuit boards.When employed in glucose detection,the h-Cu_(x)O nano-skeletons undergo a structural evolution process,transitioning into rigid Cu_(2)O@CuO nano-skeletons prompted by electrochemical activation.This transformation yields exceptional glucose-sensing performance(sensitivity:9.893 mA mM^(-1) cm^(-2);detection limit:0.34μM),outperforming most previously reported glucose sensors.Density functional theory analysis elucidates that the heterogeneous structure facilitates gluconolactone desorption.This glucose detection device has also been downsized to optimize its scalability and portability for convenient integration into people’s everyday lives.
文摘Electrical and electronic devices are becoming an increasingly important part of our society. In Africa, and in Senegal in particular, the handling and management of electronic and electrical equipment (EEE) that has reached the end of its life is mainly informal. This professional environment is characterized by the disintegration of the sector and the social heterogeneity that can be found there. The objective of this study is to assess the standard of living of electrical and electronic equipment waste handlers in the Dakar region, as well as their perception of their health. A survey was used to obtain information on sociodemographic background, living arrangements, perception of health status, and good practices to be implemented in case of work-related health problems. Life style, perception of general health and health problems were ranged as excellent, very good, good, average and poor. Informal recyclers in the Dakar region lived mainly in rooms and buildings as tenants (49.1%), or in family homes (48.4%) before starting this activity, and 51.2% continue to live in rooms and buildings as tenants compared to 41.4% who still live in a family home. The perception of health status ranged from poor to excellent, and 4.9% believe that they are limited in work due to a disability or health problem. Informal work is a heterogeneous phenomenon that makes research and policymaking particularly complex. There are several external factors within informal WEEE re-cyclers that can cause health problems or functional disability. However, the living conditions and the perception they have of their state of health are contradictory to the working conditions and the social environment to which they belong. A biomedical approach would consolidate these achievements by confirming or invalidating them.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.40775084)the Shanghai Leading Academic Disciplines (No.S030109)
文摘PM2.5, total suspended particles （TSP） and gas phase samples were collected at two sites of Talzhou, a major e-waste dismantling area in China. Concentrations, seasonal variations, congener profiles, gas-particle partitioning and size distribution of the atmospheric polychlorinated biphenyls （PCBs） were studied to assess the current state of atmospheric PCBs after the phase out of massive historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes. The average ∑38PCBs concentration in the ambient air （TSP plus gas phase） near the e-waste dismantling area was （12,407 ± 9592） pg/m^3 in winter, which was substantially lower than that found one decade ago. However, the atmospheric PCBs level near the e-waste dismantling area was 54 times of the reference urban site, indicating that the impact of the historical dismantling of PCBs containing e-wastes was still significant. Tri-Penta-CBs were dominant homologues, consisting with their dominant global production. Size distribution of particle-bound PCBs showed that higher chlorinated CBs tended to partition more to the fine particles, facilitating its long range air transportation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.21177119)the Ministry of Environmental Protection Funded Project (No.200909101)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(21007005)
文摘Objective To study the effects of environmental multi-media lead pollution on blood lead and sex hormone levels among lead exposed males engaged in E-waste dismantling, and the correlation between confounding factors and sex hormone levels. Methods An E-waste dismantling area in Taizhou of Zhejiang Province was selected as the research site. One hundred and fifty two samples were collected from the groundwater, soil, rice, corn, chicken, and pork in the dismantling area. The effects of the multi-media lead pollution on the male blood lead and sex hormone levels of FSH, LH, and T, as well as the correlation with confounding factors, were studied. Results The blood lead concentrations in the males aged under 31, from 31 to 45 and from 46 to 60 were 98.55, 100.23, and 101.45 I~/L, respectively. Of all the environmental media lead exposures, the groundwater, rice and soil were main contributing factors to the lead accumulation in humans. FSH and LH levels increased with the age while the T levels decreased with the age instead. There was a significant correlation between the FSH and LH levels and wearing masks. Conclusion There was correlation between the FSH, LH, and T levels, and the mean values of lead concentrations in environmental media, and the sex hormone levels were correlated with the confounding factor of wearing masks.
基金Projects 50574094 supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaCPEUKF06-11 by the Key Laboratory Open Project of Education Ministry of China200600242 by the Science and Technology Innovation Project of Xuzhou
文摘Disassembly and recycling of E-waste creates a series of environmental problems. The selection of a technologically reliable, environmentally friendly, economically affordable and socially acceptable recycling technology for E-waste is a significant question. This study establishes a Monte-Carlo mathematical model of cost minimization, given the constraints of environmentally sound handling of the e-waste, in the context of Crystal Ball risk assessment and evaluation software. By following the streams of the different treatment processes, which consist of various technologies including disassembly, recycling and disposal, the econom-ics of various possibilities were identified and the optimal recycling technology proposed. The key factors of the proposed scenarios were determined by using sensitivity analysis. The results of this study show that, for discarded refrigerators, the operating life span plays the key role. The model supports maintenance and resale of the short lived refrigerators. For the longer lived refrigerators material recycling is recommended by the model. Sensitivity analysis shows that purchase cost, plastic sale price, condenser sale price and disassembly costs are the main effects. This study provides a significant technical support for policy making in E-waste management.
基金supported by the National College Students’Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program(202110341014).
文摘Soil is an essential resource for agricultural production.In order to investigate the pollution situation of heavy metals in the soil-crop system in the e-waste dismantling area,the crop and soil samples(226 pairs,including leaf vegetables,solanaceous vegetables,root vegetables,and fruits)around the e-waste dismantling area in southeastern Zhejiang Province were collected.The concentrations of Cd,Cu,Pb,and Cr were determined.The average concentrations of Cd,Cu,Pb,and Cr in soils were 0.94,107.79,80.28,and 78.14 mg kg-1,respectively,and their corresponding concentrations in crops were 0.024,0.7,0.041,and 0.06 mg kg-1,respectively.The transfer capacity of leaf vegetables was significantly higher than that of non-leaf vegetables,and the accumulation of four heavy metals in crops tended to be Cd>Cu>Cr/Pb.The pollution index’s results revealed that the soil pollution degree under different land uses ranked as root vegetables soil>leaf vegetables soil>solanaceous vegetables soil>fruit soil.The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks of heavy metal exposure were ranked as food intake>accidental ingestion>dermal contact>inhalation.The comprehensive non-carcinogenic risk was ranked as Cr>Cd>Pb/Cu.Our results could be used to provide useful information for further crop cultivation layout in the study area,which can guarantee the local residents’health and food safety.
文摘This study aims to identify processes, current situations and issues of recycling systems for four home appliances, namely, air conditioners, television receivers, refrigerators, and washing machines, among e-wastes in China and Japan for understanding and comparison of their characteristics. In accordance with results of a literature search, review of information disclosed online, and questionnaire survey conducted, the findings of this study are summarized in the following two points： （1） The results show that in Japan most of the home appliances mentioned above have been collected through home appliance recycling tickets, resulting in an issue of ＂requiring some effort＂ in treatment and recycling stages, and most plants have contracted out their e-waste recycling; （2） It is found out that advantages of the recycling system in Japan include easiness to monitor concrete data and thorough environmental friendliness ensured while its disadvantages include illegal dumping and export. It becomes apparent that advantages of the recycling system in China include a high reuse rate, low treatment cost, and fewer illegal dumping while its disadvantages include less safe reused products, environmental pollution caused by e-waste treatment, illegal import and difficulty in obtaining data.
文摘WEEE(Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment),also called e-waste,has become the world’s fastest-growing waste stream but only has a 17.4%recycling rate according to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020.The collection rate for sWEEE(Small WEEE),e.g.,used mobile phones,is even lower than 10%due to stockpiling at home and improper disposal via the general waste or private informal channels.The purpose of this paper was to(a)review how the TPB(Theory of Planned Behavior)was applied in the literature related to consumer behavioral intention for WEEE recycling and determine the most significant TPB predictors by comparing their standardized influence coefficients across various studies,and(b)identify additional behavior determinants specific to sWEEE recycling and thus develop a new TPB-sWEEE theoretical framework by integrating the TPB model with these new determinants in order to improve the predictability of consumers’sWEEE recycling behavioral intention.This paper reviewed over 30 peer-reviewed studies from Scopus and high impact factor journals and led to the following three key findings:(a)More variables of recycling behavioral intention determinants such as the size of WEEE need to be considered;(b)Eight sWEEE-specific behavioral determinants have been identified and included in the newly developed TPB-sWEEE model,including consumers’Sentimental Attachment,Data Security Concern,Economic Incentives,and How-to Knowledge;(c)For some sWEEE-specific determinants,their extent of influence differs across various regions and countries.This paper contributes to the sWEEE-specific consumer recycling behavior theoretical framework to fill the existing gap in the literature and provides recommendations through the new model for research-based behavioral intervention strategies and policy designs globally.
文摘The amount of electronic waste generated globally is alarming especially that it is on the rise. The impact of the generated amounts is not only Environmental. The electronic waste sector is unregulated in most developing countries;this results in the informal sector being heavily involved in managing and handling it. Due to the lack of regulations, informal handlers are exposed to hazardous materials that affect both their health and health of the communities living in their proximity. Moreover, the informal sector involves illegal child and women labor under harsh conditions. In addition to the social impact, the lack of regulations leads to missing major economic opportunities associated with developing a recycling industry for the safe handling and material recovery from the generated e-waste volumes. Electronic waste may contain up to 60 different materials including precious and rare-earth metals with estimated equivalent economic value of 48 billion Euros. Egypt is one the countries which lack policies and regulations dedicated to e-waste, hence the Egyptian economy is missing the economic potential and job creation opportunities associated with developing the e-waste sector as well as facing major Environmental and health challenges due to the improper handling of the generated amounts. This paper briefly reviews the current situation of e-waste in Egypt. The paper then proposes an adapted guideline for the sustainable management of e-waste in Egypt. The guideline is based on the international regulations and guidelines especially those of countries similar to the Egyptian socioeconomic context. The produced guideline focuses on establishing a collection and recycling framework for e-waste in Egypt with EPR at its center. The guideline also establishes a financing system to help foster the recycling industry in Egypt while fulfilling the three main pillars of sustainability.
文摘This study was carried out to ascertain the peoples’ level of awareness of the regulation, their mode of disposal of the e-wastes and their awareness of the dangers inherent in improper handling and disposal of wastes. Data for this study were collected through the distribution of 247 well-structured questionnaires. Likert Scale was adopted for the analysis of the respondents. The results revealed that awareness is critically low. Though the respondents have concern for their environment in various degrees, majority dispose their e-waste alongside municipal wastes without knowing the implications. Awareness strategy was designed for sensitization campaign.
文摘Electrical and electronic equipment waste, or e-waste, is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States. The main objective of this study is to estimate the future quantities of e-waste of thirteen selected electric and electronic products in the United States in 2025. To estimate the future amount of e-waste, the authors performed a material flow analysis. The model inputs are historical and future product sales data and the product’s average life span. Sensitivity analysis was constructed to evaluate the effect of the model inputs (average life span and future sales data) in the generation of e-waste. The results show that about 1.0835 billion units will reach their end of life (EOL) in 2025;cell phone devices are the highest occurring product among the thirteen selected products and weighted for about 66.0% of units of the total amount, followed by computer products at 18.0%, TV products at 11.6%, computer monitors at 1.7%, hard copy peripherals (HCP) at 1.6%, and computer accessories at 1.0%. The sensitivity analysis shows that the product life span has an effect on the e-waste generation amounts from the products under study, while the sensitivity analysis of forecasted future sales indicates that the generated waste will increase or decrease according to the sales trend.
文摘Sediment is a sink for organic materials, nutrients and heavy metals and sediment condition affects the overlying water Though Serin River is a source of drinking water, agricultural and waste disposal activities in the watershed may impact the sediment of the river. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals in the sediment of the Serin River. Five stations were selected for sediment sample collection. Results of the study show that organic matter （OM） ranged from 0.7% to 5.9%, TP was 100 -366 （mg/kg）, TAN was 16-141 （mg/kg）, TON was 550-3019（mg/kg）, and TKN was 566-3160 （mg/kg）. Sediment oxygen demand （SOD20） ranged from 5.6 to 14.2 （g O2/m^2/d）. Among the five stations OM, TKN, and SOD of the sediment were second highest at the two stations downstream of animal （fish, chicken and pig） farming. TP and TAN were the second highest at the station downstream of fish farming and third highest at the station downstream of pig farming. Zn, Cu and Cd ranged from 132-357 （mg/kg）, 26.7-96.7 （mg/kg） and 4.0-19.3（mg/kg）. According to USEPA guideline, sediments at four stations were heavily polluted with Zn, Cu and Cd whereas the station that was farthest upstream, near a village, was slightly polluted with Zn and Cu. This study indicates that animal farming has an impact on the organic matter content, nutrients （N and P）, oxygen demand and heavy metals of the sediment. Motor vehicles and discarded e-waste also contributed to the heavy metals in the sediment. Farm effluents and storm water should be treated and e-waste recycled to protect the water quality of the river for its designated use.
文摘This paper summarizes the situation of e-waste recycling in China, points out several key problems, identify the causes and draw lessons and experiences abroad about e-waste management, propose systematic suggestions from the production side, the recovery side, consumers side, government departments and thelegislation.
文摘Background: Several studies have demonstrated that e-waste workers had a risk to develop the respiratory disorders but this was not specifically differentiated according to the type of the e-waste activities. The main aim of this study was to evaluate if the risk to develop respiratory disorders was different according to the type of activities carried out by the e-waste workers. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in Abidjan and Cotonou, two big cities in West Africa. The participants were randomly selected based on the list of e-waste workers provided by the census of different sites of e-waste. The spirometry was performed on all the study participants to assess whether they had respiratory disorders. A regression logistic model was performed to estimate the risk of developing respiratory disorders according to the type of activities carried out by the e-waste workers. Results: In total 308 e-waste workers including 149 at Abidjan and 159 at Cotonou were interviewed. Participants of this study ranged in age from 14 years to 69 years and the mean age was 33.71 ± 10.96. The main activities carried out by the study participants were respectively repairing (44.8%), buying or selling (40.3%), dismantling (31.8%). The prevalence of respiratory disorders was 20.1%. The multivariate analysis had not found a significant association between the type of activities and the presence of respiratory disorders. Conclusion: The effect of exposure to e-waste on respiratory health of workers was not different according to the type of activities. So, any policy that aims to reduce the risk of exposure on respiratory health must take into account all the e-waste workers regardless of the type of activities they perform in this sector.
文摘This study was designed to investigate the possible variation in bioaccumulation of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, zinc, cobalt, chromium, nickel, and manganese) in the tissue of harvested Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) and the associated fungi from vials treated with soil from e-waste dumpsite and soil without e-waste. E-waste is electronic waste which contains valuable metals as well as potential environmental contaminants. The heavy metals in soil and fish samples were determined using flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS) after homogeneity and digestion of samples. The associated fungi were identified using standard microbiological methods. The genera of the associated fungi were: Penicillium, Candida, Articulospora, Aspergillus, Aspergillus, Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Mucor, Zoopage, Varicosporium and Rhodoturula. The quantity of fungi isolated from each pollution treatments showed that the number of fungi were inversely proportional to the quantity of e-waste soil pollution and directly proportional to the quantity of soil without e-waste pollution. The occurrence of the fungi species revealed that the untreated (control) vial had the highest occurrence (191) while the lowest occurrence (103) occurred in the vial polluted with the highest quantity of soil from e-waste dumpsite. The pH and the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) of the vials were significantly affected by the pollutions. Variations were also observed in the bioaccumulation of the heavy metals by Oreochromis niloticus. Cadmium (0.01 mg/kg) and nickel (0.02 - 0.08 mg/kg) were the least recorded metal in the tissue of the fish while cobalt was not detected after the five weeks period. The sequence of the heavy metals concentrations in Oreochromis niloticus tissue samples was Zn > Mn > Pb > Cr > Ni > Cd > Co. The accumulation of the metals in the fish tissue were, however, lower than the international maximum guidelines, except for manganese (0.29 - 3.13 mg/kg) that exceeded the 0.01 - 0.05 mg/kg threshold levels for manganese by Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA). Protecting the environments from toxic metals is necessary, hence a need for public awareness on the dangers of these toxic metals and law for proper disposal of e-waste.
文摘In this digital era,usage of electric and electronic devices has become the need of people.Evolution of technology triggers the adoption of new devices over old and discarded appliances turned into the electronic wastes also termed as e-waste/s.E-waste from any source has become a major concern to the society.The disposal of these wastes into the landfills causes many hazardous impacts to the ecosystem.As a promising solution construction industry can utilize the e-wastes effectively.The wastes may be used either as fine filler or aggregates in concrete and bituminous based constructions efficiently.Usage of waste/s conserves the natural resources also.Present study magnifies the scenario of application of electronic wastes in different forms i.e.,plastic,metal etc.in bituminous and concrete based mixtures.A critical review has been carried the effects of electronic wastes in concrete and bituminous mixes and findings confirm the praxis of electronic wastes is possible within certain limits.
