Spatial and temporal variation, source profile, and formation mechanisms of PCDD/FS in the atmosphere of an e-waste recycling area, south China.

ABSTRACT

The present study investigated the impact of typical electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling activities on the distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in the adjacent atmospheric environment. The target areas included the town of Longtang, a well known e-waste recycling site, and 2 affected neighborhoods, all of which were within the city of Qingyuan,Guangdong Province, China. Air samples were collected from the 3 locations and analyzed following the standard methods. The results showed that the atmospheric PCDD/F level in Longtang was 159.41 pg m(-3), which was approximately 16 to 17 times higher than its neighborhoods and 2 to 4 orders of magnitude higher than baseline levels reported for urban cities of the world. The homologue profiles were quite different from the typical urban air patterns, as de novo synthesis was likely to be the dominant formation pathway of the detected PCDD/Fs. The seasonal variations were minor, and the concentration change of PCDD/Fs between day and night did not follow a clear pattern. Given the unique atmospheric PCDD/F concentrations, similar homologue profiles, and the elemental carbon/organic carbon relationships of the 3 sampling sites, the relatively high dioxin levels in its 2 neighborhoods were most likely the result of the primitive e-waste dismantling activities undertaken in the town of Longtang. A simple risk assessment also showed that the residents of Qingyuan were at high risk of exposure to PCDD/Fs.