Inhalation exposure and urinary level of heavy metals of electronic waste dismantling workers in Buriram, Thailand.

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to assess the health risk of electronic waste dismantling workers exposed to heavy metal (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Mn, and Zn) in PM10 using urinary heavy metals as a biomarker. The levels of heavy metals in the urine of non- and e-waste dismantling workers in consequence of the exposure to heavy metals in PM10 were investigated at Daengyai sub-district, Banmaichaiyapot district, and Banpao sub-district, Phutthaisong district, Buriram province, from February to March 2019. A face-to-face interview using a questionnaire was carried out to get additional information from the target participants. The heavy metals in PM10 and urine were analyzed by ICP-MS. The result showed that the mean concentration of heavy metals in PM10 of e-waste dismantling workers (exposure group) was significant higher than that of non-e-waste dismantling workers (control group) at p < 0.05, especially the concentrations of Cu (0.37±0.29 µg/m3) and Pb (0.37±0.22 µg/m3)for the exposure group were higher than those of the control groups, i.e. 0.20±0.17 and 0.22±0.11 µg/m3, respectively. The mean concentration of Cd and Pb in the urine of the exposure group (0.90±0.47 and 8.19±6.13 µg/g creatinine) were higher than the control groups (0.72±0.53 and 4.38±3.32 µg/g creatinine, respectively) at p < 0.05. The amount of Pb in the urine of both target groups was positive significantly correlated to its concentration in PM10 (p < 0.05). The health risk assessment of non-carcinogenic substances found that 95% CI of HQ of the e-waste dismantling worker exposed to As, Cr, and Mn were 16.7-28.6, 3.4-5.3 and 4.2-5.5, respectively, and those of the control group were 12.6-18.5, 1.8-3.8 and 2.81-4.4 respectively, which were higher than the acceptable risk (HQ >1). For the 95% CI of lifetime cancer risk (LCR) over the life expectancy of 70 years of both groups, the LCR of exposure to Cd, Cr and Ni in this study area was found to exceed an acceptable criteria (10-6), the LCRs of the e-waste dismantling workers were 8.61 -11. 9 × 10-6, 1.45-2.48 × 10-3, and 4.20-6.39 × 10-6, and those for the control group were the values of 4.62-8.80 × 10-6, 0.84-1.80 × 10-3, and 3.22-6.62 × 10-6, respectively.