[Oxidative damage and immunotoxicity effect of people who exposed to electronic waste].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between risk factors and the effects of antioxidation and immune function in adults who exposed to electronic waste( e-waste). METHODS: The exposed group was chosen from the people who lived in the e-waste disposing areas of Zhejiang province. The control group was chosen from people who lived in unpolluted area. Anticoagulation and coagulation peripheral venous blood samples were collected from 40 exposed persons (22 employees, 18 non-employees) and 36 exposed persons respectively. The oxidative, immune, Cd, Pb, Cr, Hg, and PCB indexes were detected. RESULTS: The contents of Cd, total PCB, MDA statistically increased in exposed group comparing with the control group (P < 0.05). The activity of SOD, GSH-Px, the percentage of helper/inducer T lymphocytes (CD4+) and the content of Cr in exposed group were less than those in the controlgroup (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Oxidative damage and immunotoxicity were observed in the group that lived in e-waste disposing areas. These effects were mainly related to the increase of Cd content or Cd and Pb contents in peripheral venous blood.

Correlations of PCBs, DIOXIN, and PBDE with TSH in children's blood in areas of computer E-waste recycling.

OBJECTIVE: To study correlations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DIOXIN, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) with thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) in children, and assess the impact on children's health. METHODS: Three hundred and sixty nine children aged from 6 to 8, including 195 from Luqiao, the computer E-waste recycling area, and 174 from Longyou, the control area, were selected for this investigation to elucidate the correlation of PCBs, DIOXIN, and PBDE with TSH in children's blood samples. The children had a physical examination and their blood levels of PCBs, DIOXIN, PBDE, and TSH were detected after sample collection. RESULTS: In the E-waste recycling area, the contents of PCBs, PBDE, DIOXIN, and TSH in the blood samples of children were 484.00 ± 84.86 ng·g(-1) lipid weight, 664.28 ± 262.38 ng·g(-1) lipid weight, 26.00 ± 19.58 ng·g(-1) lipid weight and 1.88 ± 0.42 µIU/mL (serum) respectively, while in the control area, the PCBs, PBDE, DIOXIN, and TSH contents were 255.38 ± 95 ng·g(-1) lipid weight, 375.81 ± 262.43 ng·g(-1) lipid weight, 39.64 ± 31.86 ng·g(-1) lipid weight, and 3.31±1.04 µIU/mL respectively. CONCLUSION: The health status of children in the control area are better than that in the contaminated area. Among children who are exposed to persistent organic pollutants, the pollutant content increases significantly in their serum, and the distribution of TSH levels in their bodies are also affected.

[Pollution characteristics of PCBs in electronic waste dismantling areas of Zhejiang province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pollution level and distribution pattern of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment media in electronic waste dismantling area of Zhejiang province. METHODS: Water, soil and PM10 were sampled in electronic waste dismantling areas. The contents, distribution characteristics and toxic equivalents (TEQs) of PCBs in local environment were evaluated by ultra-trace detection methods. RESULTS: The PCBs contents of water, soil and PM10 in Luqiao and Zhenhai, the relatively high polluted areas, were higher than those in Longyou, the control area. The dominant PCBs detected from the environment in Luqiao were hexa-CBs (PCB138 and PCB153), while penta-CBs were dominant in Zhenhai and Longyou. TEQs in electronic waste recycling area were higher than those in control areas. The TEQs of PCBs in water and soil were the highest in Zhenhai, while the TEQs of PM10 were the highest in Luqiao. CONCLUSIONS: The local environment has been polluted by PCBs emitted from electronic waste recycling. PCBs pollution monitoring in electronic waste recycling area should be strengthened to prevent PCBs-induced health effects.

[Study of between persistent organic pollutants (POPs) content in children vein blood and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in the capcitors dismantlement area].

OBJECTIVE: To explore, in the capacitor dismantlement area, the exposure level of the PDP (PCB, Dioxin and PBDE) and the discrement situation of TSH in children vein blood. And analyze the correlation between the above 3 polluants and the TSH level in children. METHODS: In 2 places, LuQiao and Long You, 108 and 123 children aged between 6 and 8 were selected to detect the health situation and measure the PCB, DIOXIN, PBDE, TSH levels in the vein blood, and use the SPSS software to get the correlation result between PCB, DIOXIN, PBDE and TSH and the difference of the above measurements in these 2 places. RESULTS: In LuQiao, the PCB, DIOXIN, PBDE, TSH measurements in the children vein blood were 484.00 +/- 84.66 ng g(-1) lipid weight, 26.00 +/- 19.58 ng/g lipid weight, ng/g lipid 664.28 +/- 262.38 weight, 1.88 +/- 0.42 mIU/L; In LongYou, the PCB, DIOXIN, PBD, TSH measurements in the children vein blood were 255.38 +/- 95.12 ng/g lipid weight, 39.64 +/- 31.86 ng/g lipid weight, 375.81 +/- 262.43 ng/g lipid weight, 3.31 +/- 1.04 mIU/L. In both places, the TSH measurements were in the range of normal reference; the correlation differences between PCB, DIOXIN, PBDE and TSH were relatively significant. In Lu Qiao area, the correlations between PCB, PBDE and TSH show relatively strong positive correlation, but DIOXIN and TSH shows slightly weak negative correlation. In Long You area, all of the 3 polluants show relatively strong positive correlations with TSH. There are significant difference TSH levels between except Lu Qiao and LongYou, other all no significant difference. CONCLUSION: PCB, DIOXIN and PBDE, these three kinds of matters have certain effect on the TSH discrement.

[Study on the environmental pollution of PCBs].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the environmental pollution of PCBs from the place where the disused transformers were taken apart. METHODS: Take town F as the high exposed district for investigating and the town P which 100 kilometres is away from the town F as the low exposed district. At the same time, take town DXG which is 500 kilometres away from town F as the district for contrast. It was random and stated to extract samples of piped water, farmland rice and eggs. Then, the exceed-mark-quantity detecting methods were used to detect the PCBs and TEOs level in these samples. RESULTS: The content of PCBs in the samples was different except for piped water. Thediversity of the PCBs level in the hen's eggs was the most significant, duck's eggs took second place and farmland was the least. The order of PCBs level in the samples was: hen' s eggs > duck's eggs > farmland > rice > river water ( stream) > piped water. CONCLUSION: The content of PCBs in each sample from Town F was higher than town P and town DXG on different levels. So the industry of taking the disused transformer apart had caused pollution of local environment.

[Case-matched study of pcbs toxiciy effects to women and children case in the areas which disused transformers were dismantled].

OBJECTIVE: To Study the health-related effects of PCBs pollution to women and children living near the dismantling factories of disused transformers. METHODS: 49 couples which include a pair of preschool child(8 - 10 years old) and his/her mother were matched as the objects from the central junior school of F neighborhood where the study was progressing. Fasting Venous blood was collected from the objects, in which the content of PCBs (including 13 isomers) was determined by ultrasonic trace analyses methods as well as blood and urine were subjected to biochemical test while investigation by questionnaire and physical examination were also required. RESULTS: The mean content(G) of PCBs is 176ng/g lipid in the venous blood of the women and 192 ng/g lipid in that of the children. There are 6% of the females found blood pressure abnormality in the physical examination, while 28% of those were found urinary routine abnormality and 4% lymph node tumefaction. Among the children, 82% of them were suffered from caries, 6% were found lymph node tumefaction and 16% urinary abnormality. CONCLUSIONS: Both the results of the blood and urine biochemical analyses as well as the physical examination indicated the prevalent abnormal status of the women and children in the area. The accumulating concentration of the PCBs in blood suggested that the dismantling of the disused transformers had resulted in a noticeable negative effect to the local environment.

Association of PCB, PBDE and PCDD/F body burdens with hormone levels for children in an e-waste dismantling area of Zhejiang Province, China.

Increased electronic waste (e-waste) has raised public concerns regarding exposure to numerous toxic contaminants, particularly polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). In China, the body burdens of PCBs, PBDEs and PCDD/Fs are associated with thyroid hormones in populations from e-waste dismantling sites; however, it is unclear whether this association occurs in children. In this study, we determined the serum levels of PCBs, PBDEs and PCDD/Fs and the endocrine hormones including free triiodothyronine (FT3), total triiodothyronine (TT3), free thyroxine (FT4), total thyroxine (TT4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol and growth hormone (GH) in 21 children from an e-waste dismantling area and 24 children from a control area. The results showed that the mean levels of ∑PCBs and ∑PBDEs in the exposure group were significantly higher than in the control group (40.56 and 32.09 ng g(-1) lipid vs. 20.69 and 8.43 ng g(-1) lipid, respectively, p<0.01 for each), and the mean level of ∑PCDD/Fs in the exposure group was higher than in the control group, but the difference was not significant (206.17 vs. 160.27 pg g(-1) lipid, p>0.05). For the endocrine hormones, we did not find significant differences between the exposed and control groups, although the mean levels of FT3, TT3, TT4, ACTH, cortisol and GH were higher, whereas the mean levels of FT4 and TSH were lower in the exposed group. The mean level of ∑PBDEs was positively correlated with the mean levels of ∑PCBs (r=0.60, p<0.05) and ∑PCDD/Fs (r=0.61, p<0.05). Furthermore, the mean level of ∑PBDEs was positively correlated with ACTH (r=0.61, p<0.05). In conclusion, our data suggested that exposure to e-waste dismantling environment increased the body burdens of PCBs and PBDEs in local children and that these contaminants released from the e-waste might contribute to abnormal changes in hormone levels.

Distribution of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs and organochlorine residues in children's blood from Zhejiang, China.

Concentrations and congener specific profiles of PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs and organochlorine residues were measured in 22 pooled blood samples representing 66 children from both polluted areas (E-waste recycling region) and case control areas in Zhejiang province, China. To our knowledge, this is the first report on these pollutants in the blood of Chinese children. The mean concentrations of [summation operator]PCDD/Fs, [summation operator]PCBs, [summation operator]PBDEs, HCB and pp'-DDE in pooled blood samples from polluted areas (Luqiao) were 206+/-157 pg g(-1) lipid, 40.6+/-7.01 ng g(-1) lipid, 32.1+/-17.5 ng g(-1) lipid, 14.6+/-20.1 ng g(-1) lipid and 108+/-21.8 ng g(-1) lipid, respectively. WHO-TEQ-2005 for PCBs and PCDD/Fs were 11.9+/-4.62 pg g(-1) lipid and 10.3+/-6.39 pg g(-1) lipid, respectively. The results showed that PCBs, PBDEs and organochlorine residues in the E-waste recycling area were significantly (P<0.001) higher than the case control areas. High levels of PCDD/Fs were detected in the case control area (Longyou), where Na-PCP had been widely sprayed to prevent snailborne schistosomiasis. The contamination levels and profiles were compared with those documented in previous publications.