Zhao Leicheng, Zhu Hongkai, Cheng Zhipeng, Shi Yumeng, Zhang Qiuyue, Wang Yu, Sun Hongwen
MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.
Sci Total Environ. 2023 Jun 20;878:163176. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163176. Epub 2023 Mar 31.
Electronic waste (e-waste) dismantling facilities are a well-known source of emerging contaminants including organophosphate esters (OPEs). However, little information is available regarding the release characteristics and co-contaminations of tri- and di-esters. This study, therefore, investigated a broad range of tri- and di-OPEs in dust and hand wipe samples collected from an e-waste dismantling plant and homes as comparison. The median ∑tri-OPE and ∑di-OPE levels in dust and hand wipe samples were approximately 7- and 2-fold higher than those in the comparison group, respectively (p < 0.01). Triphenyl phosphate (median: 11,700 ng/g and 4640 ng/m) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate (median: 5130 ng/g and 940 ng/m) were the dominant components of tri- and di-OPEs, respectively. The combination of Spearman rank correlations and the determinations of molar concentration ratios of di-OPEs to tri- OPEs revealed that apart from the degradation of tri-OPEs, di-OPEs could originate from direct commercial application, or as impurities in tri-OPE formulas. Significant positive correlations (p < 0.05) were found for most tri- and di-OPE levels between the dust and hand wipes from dismantling workers, whereas this was not observed in those from the ordinary microenvironment. Our results provide robust evidence that e-waste dismantling activities contribute to OPEs contamination in the surroundings and further human exposure pathways and toxicokinetics are needed to be elucidated.
电子垃圾（电子废弃物）拆解设施是包括有机磷酸酯（OPEs）在内的新兴污染物的一个众所周知的来源。然而，关于三酯和二酯的释放特征及共污染情况，目前所知甚少。因此，本研究调查了从一家电子垃圾拆解厂采集的灰尘和手擦拭样本中的多种三酯和二酯类OPEs，并采集了家庭样本作为对照。灰尘和手擦拭样本中三酯类OPEs和二酯类OPEs的中位数水平分别比对照组高约7倍和2倍（p < 0.01）。磷酸三苯酯（中位数：11,700 ng/g和4640 ng/m²）和磷酸二（2-乙基己基）酯（中位数：5130 ng/g和940 ng/m²）分别是三酯类和二酯类OPEs的主要成分。Spearman秩相关分析以及二酯类OPEs与三酯类OPEs摩尔浓度比的测定结果表明，除了三酯类OPEs的降解外，二酯类OPEs可能源于直接的商业应用，或作为三酯类OPEs配方中的杂质。在拆解工人的灰尘和手擦拭样本中，大多数三酯类和二酯类OPEs水平之间存在显著正相关（p < 0.05），而在普通微环境样本中未观察到这种情况。我们的研究结果提供了有力证据，表明电子垃圾拆解活动导致了周围环境中的OPEs污染，并且需要进一步阐明人类的暴露途径和毒代动力学。
