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Soil contamination by halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from open burning of e-waste in Agbogbloshie (Accra, Ghana)

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Abstract

Detailed composition of chlorinated and brominated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (Cl-PAHs and Br-PAHs) generated during informal recycling of e-waste and their toxic relevance are still poorly understood. This study investigated the occurrence of Cl-PAHs and Br-PAHs in surface soil samples from the Agbogbloshie e-waste recycling site (Accra, Ghana) using quantitative gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and comprehensive two-dimensional GC–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC–ToFMS) profiling. The results of GC–MS analysis showed elevated concentrations in open e-waste burning areas (160–220 and 19–46 ng/g dry weight for Cl- and Br-PAHs, respectively) with substantial contribution from unidentified compounds (respectively, more than 36 and 70%, based on the total areas of potential peaks). Cl- and Br-PAHs from e-waste burning had a distinctive composition dominated by ring–ring compounds. Several homologue groups not monitored with GC–MS were found using GC × GC–ToFMS: PAHs with up to 5Cl or 3Br, mixed halogenated PAHs and chlorinated methylPAHs. The dioxin-like toxic equivalents of the identified Cl-/Br-PAHs in soils, estimated from their in vitro AhR agonist potencies relative to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, were much lower than the range reported for chlorinated and brominated dioxins. However, the toxicity of the unidentified halogenated PAHs remained unclear.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank M. Muto (Ehime University) and CSIR Water Research Institute staff for their assistance during the sampling survey. We also thank Dr Ohura (Meijo University, Japan) for providing the Cl-PAH standards and Dr Sankoda (Kumamoto University, Japan) for preparing the Cl-PAH standard solution. This study was supported in part by Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A: 25257403, A: 16H01784 and B: 16H02963) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (3K153001) from the Japanese Ministry of the Environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, 2-5 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, 790-8577, Japan

    Nguyen Minh Tue, Akitoshi Goto, Shin Takahashi, Takaaki Itai, Kwadwo Ansong Asante, Kei Nomiyama, Shinsuke Tanabe & Tatsuya Kunisue

  2. Center of Advanced Technology for the Environment, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, 790-8566, Japan

    Shin Takahashi

  3. CSIR Water Research Institute, P.O. Box AH 38, Achimota, Accra, Ghana

    Kwadwo Ansong Asante

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  1. Nguyen Minh Tue
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Correspondence to Tatsuya Kunisue.

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Tue, N.M., Goto, A., Takahashi, S. et al. Soil contamination by halogenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from open burning of e-waste in Agbogbloshie (Accra, Ghana). J Mater Cycles Waste Manag 19, 1324–1332 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10163-016-0568-y

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