Pollution of Heavy Metal Threat Posed by E-waste Burning and Its Assessment of Human Health Risk

Abstract

Improper treatment during recycling of e-waste materials by means of open burning is on the rise which has led to increase in air pollution. This study looked at heavy metal concentrations, concentration in relation to threshold values and assessment of risk for non-carcinogenic and cancer risk threat. MP-AES 4210 series instrument of Agilent technology, USA was used in analyzing the heavy metals (Cd, Cu, and Pb) concentration. The result of the analysis at Kuka Bulukiya treatment point revealed Pb has the highest mean concentration of 0.0693 ppm, Cu 0.0525 ppm and Cd having 0.0042 ppm. The mean concentration at PRP G/Ruwa for Cd was found to be 0.0059 ppm, Cu was 0.0363 ppm and Pb was 0.049 ppm respectively. The result of the adult and children population calculated shows that the HQ and HI values are not up to 1 in all the pathways (inhalation, ingestion, and dermal) at both treatment points (1.2 ˟ 10-4 and 9.8 ˟10-5) and (6.4 ˟ 10-4 and 5.9 ˟10-4) respectively. The cancer risk for Kuka Bulukiya 6 ˟ 10-10 and PRP G/Ruwa 5 ˟ 10-10 for adults and 7 ˟ 10-10 and 4 ˟ 10-10 for children were both lower than the threshold set for cancer risk by United States Environmental Protection Agency. This meant that both adults and children were not at risk of cancer and non-carcinogenic threat based on the assessment in this study. The study concluded that informal e-waste burning has substantially helped in the relatively high levels of air pollution identified in the treatment points and in turn posed environmental and public health concerns to people around the area. Climate change adaptation has to do with an environmentally friendly method of dismantling, extracting, refurbishing and recycling of valuable materials that should be at the forefront of policies that will be specifically enacted on e-waste management in developing countries. If not the adverse effects on the environment, humans (damage reproductive, nervous system, kidney, liver, heart and also lead to birth defects and diseases) and animals will be enormous. Government should identify a suitable location for e-waste collection and treatment points to avert the danger posed to the agricultural practices at PRP G/Ruwa treatment point and the pond at Kuka Bulukiya treatment point. Samples of the vegetable products at PRP G/Ruwa treatment point should be investigated immediately and adequate restrictions and regulations should be enacted and enforced in order to safeguard the environment and the populace. There is need for caution from the authorities to avert the possible implications (e-waste extractors and the public) of being affected with non-carcinogenic or carcinogenic ailments over time.