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Igbo JK, Chukwu LO, Oyewo EO, Blum JL, Schanzer A, Wirgin I, Meltzer GY, Roy NK, Zelikoff JT. The Chemistry and Health Outcomes of Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Leachate: Exposure to E-Waste Is Toxic to Atlantic Killifish ( Fundulus heteroclitus) Embryos. SUSTAINABILITY 2022; 14:11304. [PMID: 38883266 PMCID: PMC11178100 DOI: 10.3390/su141811304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Although there is rising global concern over the environmental, ecological, and human health risks associated with the discharge of leachates from e-waste dumpsites into the aquatic ecosystems, little is known in this research area. Thus, for this study, we first defined the chemistry of the test leachate, followed by assessment of the leachate on the development of a model aquatic organism (Fundulus heteroclitus) used extensively as a bioassay organism in pollution studies. Chemical analyses revealed that levels of phosphate (20.03 mg/L), cadmium (Cd) (0.4 mg/L), lead (Pb) (0.2 mg/L), and chromium (Cr) (0.4 mg/L) were higher than the 2009 US EPA and the 2009 National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) permissible limits. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) burdens were dominated mainly by the high molecular weight congeners, specifically the ∑4rings (73 μg/L). Total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) levels ranged from 0.00 to 0.40 μg/L with the ∑deca PCBs reaching the highest concentration. For the biological studies, F. heteroclitus embryos (48-h post-fertilization) were divided randomly into groups and exposed to one of six e-waste leachate concentrations (10, 1, 0.1, 0.01, 0.001, 0.0001%). Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) between treated and control groups were observed in standard and total length, and head size. Further analysis using Duncan's post-hoc test of multiple comparison also revealed specific differences within and between specific treatment groups. We conclude that e-waste leachate arising from indiscriminate dumping into aquatic ecosystems in Nigeria contains mixtures of toxic constituents that can threaten ecosystem and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet Kelechi Igbo
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, 3 Wilmot Point Road, P.O. Box 12729, Lagos 106104, Nigeria
| | - Lucian Obinna Chukwu
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of Lagos, P.O. Box 156, Lagos 100218, Nigeria
| | - Emmanuel Olusegun Oyewo
- Department of Biological Oceanography, Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, 3 Wilmot Point Road, P.O. Box 12729, Lagos 106104, Nigeria
| | - Jason L. Blum
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Ariana Schanzer
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Isaac Wirgin
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Gabriella Y. Meltzer
- Department of Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Nirmal K. Roy
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
| | - Judith T. Zelikoff
- Department of Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, 341 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
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Frazzoli C, Ruggieri F, Battistini B, Orisakwe OE, Igbo JK, Bocca B. E-WASTE threatens health: The scientific solution adopts the one health strategy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113227. [PMID: 35378120 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The aggressively extractive advanced technology industry thrives on intensive use of non-renewable resources and hyper-consumeristic culture. The environmental impact of its exponential growth means extreme mining, hazardous labour practices including child labour, and exposure burden to inorganic and organic hazardous chemicals for the environment and current and future human generations. Globally, processes such as in-country reduce, reuse and recycle have so far received less attention than outer-circle strategies like the uncontrolled dumping of e-waste in countries that are unprotected by regulatory frameworks. Here, in the absence of infrastructures for sound hazardous e-waste management, the crude recycling, open burning and dumping into landfills of e-waste severely expose people, animal and the environment. Along with economic, political, social, and cultural solutions to the e-waste global problem, the scientific approach based on risk analysis encompassing risk assessment, risk management and risk communication can foster a technical support to resist transgenerational e-waste exposure and health inequalities. This paper presents the latest public health strategies based on the use of integrated human and animal biomonitoring and appropriate biomarkers to assess and manage the risk of e-waste embracing the One Health approach. Advantages and challenges of integrated biomonitoring are described, along with ad-hoc biomarkers of exposure, effect and susceptibility with special focus on metals and metalloids. Indeed, the safe and sustainable management of novel technologies will benefit of the integration and coordination of human and animal biomonitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Frazzoli
- Department of Cardiovascular and Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases and Ageing, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Ruggieri
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Beatrice Battistini
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Orish E Orisakwe
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria; African Centre of Excellence, Centre for Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
| | | | - Beatrice Bocca
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
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Folorunso OM, Frazzoli C, Chijioke-Nwauche I, Bocca B, Orisakwe OE. Toxic Metals and Non-Communicable Diseases in HIV Population: A Systematic Review. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2021; 57:492. [PMID: 34068196 PMCID: PMC8152992 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57050492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: HIV has been a serious global health concern since its discovery, with about 37.9 million people living with HIV worldwide as of 2018. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) accounts for 68% of the infection and contributed 74% of the 1.5 million deaths in 2013 despite having only 12% of the total world population residing in the region. This systematic review has attempted to determine the association between heavy metal toxicity and the occurrence of non-communicable diseases in the HIV/AIDS population. Materials and Methods: Three databases were systematically searched: PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies written in English and published between 1 April 2000 and 12 April 2020. Studies were excluded if the main outcomes were not measured or did not meet the inclusion criteria. Results: All the six included studies are cross-sectional in design, and therefore were evaluated using the STROBE checklist. The data extraction was done using an extraction table; the ratio of female to male participants included in the study was 1.09:1. Qualitative analysis was used due to the heterogeneity in the heavy metal biomarkers and the outcome measured by the included studies. Two studies compared the concentration of heavy metals in HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants while one compared the levels between HAART-naïve and HAART-treated participants, and three determined the association between heavy metal toxicity and non-communicable diseases (liver fibrosis, anaemia, and reproductive parameters, respectively) in HIV-positive patients. Conclusions: Blood lead, cadmium, and mercury levels were higher in HIV-seropositive than -seronegative subjects, whereas serum zinc level was lower in HIV-seropositive than -seronegative subjects, but the causal association between heavy metals and non-communicable diseases in HIV subjects is largely unknown. Interdisciplinary research between nutrition, toxicology, and human health is envisaged for primary and secondary prevention and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Opeyemi M. Folorunso
- African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria;
| | - Chiara Frazzoli
- Department for Cardiovascular, Endocrine-Metabolic Diseases, and Aging, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00162 Rome, Italy;
| | - Ifeyinwa Chijioke-Nwauche
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria;
| | - Beatrice Bocca
- Department of Environment and Health, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Orish E. Orisakwe
- African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research (ACE-PUTOR), University of Port Harcourt, PMB, Port Harcourt 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria;
- Department of Experimental Pharmacology & Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt 5323, Rivers State, Nigeria
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