Occupational exposure characteristics and health risk of PBDEs at different domestic e-waste recycling workshops in China

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) contained in electronic waste (e-waste) can be released to indoor environments and cause occupational health hazards during the recycling process. TVs, washing machines, refrigerators and printed wiring boar (PWB) represent the main domestic e-wastes. In this study, concentrations of Sigma 7PBDEs in air and dust samples from recycling workshops handling these four major types of e-wastes were measured, and the occupational exposure risk for workers at the corresponding workshops was evaluated. Concentrations of Sigma 7PBDEs in air and dust were within the ranges of 55.28-369.66 ng/m(3) and 158.07-669.81 mu g/g, respectively. The highest concentration of Sigma 7PBDEs in air was detected in the TV recycling workshop, while the refrigerator recycling workshop had the highest level of Sigma 7PBDEs in dust. The workers at these two e-waste recycling workshops were the most substantially exposed to BDE-209, which accounted for more than 85% of Sigma 7PBDEs in both air and dust. Compared to other e-waste recycling workshops, the workers at the PWB recycling workshop were also more exposed to BDE-47 and BDE-99. Occupational exposure levels for inhalation and dust ingestion were within the ranges of 3939 pg/kg/d to 26,271 pg/kg/d and 104,945 pg/kg/d to 444,694 pg/kg/d, respectively. The hazard quotient (HQ) values were calculated based on the RfDs provided by the EPA. Total HQ levels of inhalation exposure and dust ingestion were less than 0.222. The results of the HQ indicated that no adverse health effects were expected for workers in these workshops; however, the exposure risk of workers in the PWB recycling workshop (HQ = 0.222) was higher than that in other e-waste recycling workshops (HQ = 0.022-0.072). At the PWB recycling workshop, BDE-47 and BDE-99 caused the main occupational exposure risk to the workers, while s in the recycling plants handling other types of domestic e-waste BDE-209 was the major contributor to the risk faced by the workers.