Publication: Exposure to heavy metals in electronic waste recycling in Thailand
Issued Date
2020-05-01
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ISSN
16604601
16617827
16617827
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2-s2.0-85084090160
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Vol.17, No.9 (2020)
Suggested Citation
Chalermkhwan Kuntawee, Kraichat Tantrakarnapa, Yanin Limpanont, Saranath Lawpoolsri, Athit Phetrak, Rachaneekorn Mingkhwan, Suwalee Worakhunpiset Exposure to heavy metals in electronic waste recycling in Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Vol.17, No.9 (2020). doi:10.3390/ijerph17092996 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/56190
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Title
Exposure to heavy metals in electronic waste recycling in Thailand
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Abstract
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic waste recycling can release heavy metals into the environment and cause adverse health effects. We assessed the association between exposure to heavy metals from electronic waste recycling and the prevalence of asthma in a nested case-control study of 51 subject pairs with and without asthma. House dust, airborne dust, blood, and urine were collected from residents of two neighboring sites in Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand. Multiple electronic waste-handling activities are conducted in the first site, while the second site is mostly agricultural. Concentrations of chromium, mercury, nickel, and lead in house dust and airborne dust were higher in the electronic waste-handling site (p < 0.05), but levels of exposure were similar in subjects with and without asthma. Although we did not find an association between exposure to these metals and the prevalence of asthma, control measures should be implemented to reduce health risks from long-term exposure to heavy metals.