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The Chemistry and Health Outcomes of Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Leachate: Exposure to E-Waste Is Toxic to Atlantic Killifish ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) Embryos

Author

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  • Juliet Kelechi Igbo

    (Department of Biological Oceanography, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, 3 Wilmot Point Road, P.O. Box 12729, Lagos 106104, Nigeria)

  • Lucian Obinna Chukwu

    (Department of Marine Sciences, University of Lagos, P.O. Box 156, Lagos 100218, Nigeria)

  • Emmanuel Olusegun Oyewo

    (Department of Biological Oceanography, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, 3 Wilmot Point Road, P.O. Box 12729, Lagos 106104, Nigeria)

  • Jason L. Blum

    (Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
    Current address: Product Safety Labs, 2394 US Highway 130, Dayton, NJ 08810, USA.)

  • Ariana Schanzer

    (Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA)

  • Isaac Wirgin

    (Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA)

  • Gabriella Y. Meltzer

    (Department of Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA)

  • Nirmal K. Roy

    (Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA)

  • Judith T. Zelikoff

    (Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA)

Abstract

Although there is rising global concern over the environmental, ecological, and human health risks associated with the discharge of leachates from e-waste dumpsites into the aquatic ecosystems, little is known in this research area. Thus, for this study, we first defined the chemistry of the test leachate, followed by assessment of the leachate on the development of a model aquatic organism ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) used extensively as a bioassay organism in pollution studies. Chemical analyses revealed that levels of phosphate (20.03 mg/L), cadmium (Cd) (0.4 mg/L), lead (Pb) (0.2 mg/L), and chromium (Cr) (0.4 mg/L) were higher than the 2009 US EPA and the 2009 National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) permissible limits. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) burdens were dominated mainly by the high molecular weight congeners, specifically the ∑4rings (73 µg/L). Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) levels ranged from 0.00 to 0.40 µg/L with the ∑deca PCBs reaching the highest concentration. For the biological studies, F. heteroclitus embryos (48-h post-fertilization) were divided randomly into groups and exposed to one of six e-waste leachate concentrations (10, 1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001%). Significant differences ( p ≤ 0.05) between treated and control groups were observed in standard and total length, and head size. Further analysis using Duncan’s post-hoc test of multiple comparison also revealed specific differences within and between specific treatment groups. We conclude that e-waste leachate arising from indiscriminate dumping into aquatic ecosystems in Nigeria contains mixtures of toxic constituents that can threaten ecosystem and public health.

Suggested Citation

  • Juliet Kelechi Igbo & Lucian Obinna Chukwu & Emmanuel Olusegun Oyewo & Jason L. Blum & Ariana Schanzer & Isaac Wirgin & Gabriella Y. Meltzer & Nirmal K. Roy & Judith T. Zelikoff, 2022. "The Chemistry and Health Outcomes of Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Leachate: Exposure to E-Waste Is Toxic to Atlantic Killifish ( Fundulus heteroclitus ) Embryos," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:18:p:11304-:d:910591
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrea A. Cortinois & Anne‐Emanuelle Birn, 2021. "What’s Technology Got to Do With It? Power, Politics, and Health Equity Beyond Technological Triumphalism," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S6), pages 75-79, July.
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