Organohalogen Contamination in Vietnamese Women Electronic Waste Recyclers Living and Working in Rural Northern Vietnam

Abstract

Introduction:

Electronic waste (e-waste) is increasing worldwide and is often shipped from developed to developing countries. Many of these products contain toxic levels of metals, organics, etc. When unsafe recycling approaches or methods are used (e.g., burning wire to reclaim copper), the resulting occupational exposures can adversely affect the health of e-waste recyclers.

Aim:

To identify which polybrominated and which polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans are higher in electronic waste recyclers when compared to non-recyclers.

Methods:

This study focused on female e-waste recyclers and non-recyclers that live in rural northern Vietnam. Whole blood, urine, and serum of forty e-waste recyclers and twenty Vietnamese comparisons and were evaluated for metals, organics, and dioxin-like exposure by the Center for Disease Control. This paper will be reporting on serum organohalogens. The Vietnamese cohorts were compared to the U.S. general population, using the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey. TEQ’s were calculated and statistical significance was determined using Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. The IRB of the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston and the Ethics Board of the Hanoi School of Public Health oversee this study.

Results:

12378-PeCDF, 123678-HxCDD, 123678-HxCDF, and 1234678-HpCDF were significantly different between recyclers and Vietnamese comparisons. Total dioxin TEQ was higher in e-waste recyclers than comparisons. Of the polybrominated dioxins and furans, 12378-PeBDD and 2378-TeBDF were significantly different between recyclers and comparisons.

Discussion:

This is the only study with data on polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans in female electronic waste recyclers from rural Northern Vietnam, and the first to describe serum levels of both polychlorinated and polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins/furans in Vietnamese female e-waste recyclers. Improved occupational protocols may reduce potential adverse health effects such as cancer, endocrine, reproductive, developmental, and other disorders.