@article{4fbea67b43f443a18e23f8e0f7e3f079,
title = "HBM4EU E-waste study: assessing persistent organic pollutants in blood, silicone wristbands, and settled dust among E-waste recycling workers in Europe",
abstract = "E-waste recycling is an increasingly important activity that contributes to reducing the burden of end-of-life electronic and electrical apparatus and allows for the EU's transition to a circular economy. This study investigated the exposure levels of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in workers from e-waste recycling facilities across Europe. The concentrations of seven polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and eight polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congeners were measured by GC-MS. Workers were categorized into five groups based on the type of e-waste handled and two control groups. Generalized linear models were used to assess the determinants of exposure levels among workers. POPs levels were also assessed in dust and silicone wristbands (SWB) and compared with serum. Four PCB congeners (CB 118, 138, 153, and 180) were frequently detected in serum regardless of worker's category. With the exception of CB 118, all tested PCBs were significantly higher in workers compared to the control group. Controls working in the same company as occupationally exposed (Within control group), also displayed higher levels of serum CB 180 than non-industrial controls with no known exposures to these chemicals (Outwith controls) (p < 0.05). BDE 209 was the most prevalent POP in settled dust (16 μg/g) and SWB (220 ng/WB). Spearman correlation revealed moderate to strong positive correlations between SWB and dust. Increased age and the number of years smoked cigarettes were key determinants for workers exposure. Estimated daily intake through dust ingestion revealed that ΣPCB was higher for both the 50th (0.03 ng/kg bw/day) and 95th (0.09 ng/kg bw/day) percentile exposure scenarios compared to values reported for the general population. This study is one of the first to address the occupational exposure to PCBs and PBDEs in Europe among e-waste workers through biomonitoring combined with analysis of settled dust and SWB. Our findings suggest that e-waste workers may face elevated PCB exposure and that appropriate exposure assessments are needed to establish effective mitigation strategies.",
keywords = "Biomonitoring, e-waste, Europe, Occupational exposure, PBDEs, PCBs",
author = "Adam Cseresznye and Hardy, {Emilie M.} and {Ait Bamai}, Yu and Paulien Cleys and Giulia Poma and Govindan Malarvannan and Scheepers, {Paul T.J.} and Susana Viegas and Carla Martins and Porras, {Simo P.} and Tiina Santonen and Lode Godderis and Jelle Verdonck and Katrien Poels and {Jo{\~a}o Silva}, Maria and Henriqueta Louro and Inese Martinsone and Lāsma Akūlova and {van Dael}, Maurice and {van Nieuwenhuyse}, An and Selma Mahiout and Duca, {Radu Corneliu} and Adrian Covaci",
note = "Funding Information: Adam Cseresznye acknowledges the Flemish Exposome Project (Flexigut - FFB200392) for his PhD fellowship. Paulien Cleys was supported by the Research Foundation – Flanders-Belgium ( FWO ) under Grant number 1S70820N, which provided her a PhD fellowship at the University of Antwerp . Yu Ait Bamai acknowledges a fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science ( JSPS ) through the Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A), grant number 19KK0288). Giulia Poma was supported by the Exposome Centre of Excellence of the University of Antwerp ( BOF grant, Antigoon database number 41222). This project has also received funding from the European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020research and innovation program under grant agreement No 733032 (HBM4EU). In addition, the Finnish Work Environment fund participated in financing this work (grant number 200345). Funding Information: Adam Cseresznye acknowledges the Flemish Exposome Project (Flexigut - FFB200392) for his PhD fellowship. Paulien Cleys was supported by the Research Foundation – Flanders-Belgium (FWO) under Grant number 1S70820N, which provided her a PhD fellowship at the University of Antwerp. Yu Ait Bamai acknowledges a fellowship from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) through the Fund for the Promotion of Joint International Research (Fostering Joint International Research (A), grant number 19KK0288). Giulia Poma was supported by the Exposome Centre of Excellence of the University of Antwerp (BOF grant, Antigoon database number 41222). This project has also received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020research and innovation program under grant agreement No 733032 (HBM4EU). In addition, the Finnish Work Environment fund participated in financing this work (grant number 200345). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 Elsevier Inc.",
year = "2024",
month = jun,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2024.118537",
language = "English",
volume = "250",
journal = "Environmental Research",
issn = "0013-9351",
publisher = "Academic Press | Elsevier",
}