Authors
Mureed Kazim, Jabir Hussain Syed, Zafeer Saqib, Perihan Binnur Kurt-Karakus, Mehreen Iqbal, Jawad Nasir, Merve Ozkaleli Akcetin, Sumaira Akram, Askin Birgul, Melik Kara, Yetkin Dumanoglu, Mohsin Gulzar Barq, Farrukh Raza Amin, Tom Harner, Kevin C Jones, Gan Zhang, Mustafa Odabasi
Publication date
2024/5/27
Journal
Environmental Pollution
Pages
124259
Publisher
Elsevier
Description
The global increase in electronic waste (e-waste) has led to a rise in informal recycling, emitting hazardous heavy metals (HMs) that threaten human health and ecosystems. This study presents the first comprehensive assessment of HM levels in dry deposition and soils at proximity of forty (40) informal e-waste recycling sites across Pakistan, between September 2020 to December 2021. Findings reveal that Zn (1410), Pb (410) and Mn (231) exhibited the higher mean deposition fluxes (μg/m2.day), derived from air samples, particularly in Karachi. Similarly, soils showed higher mean concentrations (μg/g dw) of Mn (477), Cu (514) and Pb (172) in Faisalabad, Lahore, and Karachi, respectively. HMs concentrations were found higher in winter or autumn and lower in summer. In addition, HM levels were significantly (p=0.05) higher at recycling sites compared to background sites year-round, highlighting the e-waste …