Heavy metals in soil contaminated through e-waste processing activities in a recycling area: Implications for risk management

Abstract Heavy metal pollution of the environment caused by e-waste recycling is of increasing concern, but little information is available on metal emissions during e-waste processing activities. Here, the concentrations of nine metals in soil at four contaminated sites in Qingyuan (an e-waste recycling area in China) and the risks posed were investigated. Soil at the sites was polluted with metals, particularly Cd, Cu, Pb, and Sb, the concentrations of which were 2.83–2306, 2.17–1880, 0.96–1971, and 9.28–5607 times higher, respectively, than local background concentrations. The Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Sb concentrations were significantly lower in soil at an abandoned site than at acid-leaching, dismantling, and burning sites. The risks posed by metals in soil to human and environmental health were much higher at the acid-leaching and burning sites than the dismantling and abandoned sites. Source assessments indicated the differences in metal concentrations at the different sites were caused by different e-waste recycling activities at the sites. The results indicated crude e-waste processing is an important source of heavy metals to soil and should be of great concern. Pollution control measures and risk management strategies specific to soil contaminated through e-waste processing activities should be developed.