Abstract
The human and environmental impact of electronic waste is increasing due to its careless disposal. Cytogenotoxicity of electronic waste from Iloabuchi electronic market, Diobu, Rivers State was investigated using the Allium cepa bioassay comprised of the root elongation and chromosome aberration tests. Leachate samples of e-waste analysed were above maximum permissible limits. Toxicity to root growth of A. cepa was evaluated at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% showed root growth inhibition at all concentrations of the samples compared to the control and root growth inhibition was concentration dependent. An effective concentration (EC50) at which root growth amounted to 50 % of control for the sample was 37.5%. Various morphological defects of the onion roots were observed including short, crochet roots, C-tumor roots and severe toxic effects where no growth was observed. In the in vivo genotoxity assay, all samples lowered the frequency of mitotic cells in the meristematic region of the roots at statistically significant levels (P < 0.05) compared to the control and mitotic inhibition was also concentration dependent. There was significant induction of aberrations at all concentrations tested compared to control. The high metal content of the e-waste leachate may be responsible for observed cytotoxicity in A. cepa roots cells.
Highlights
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) popularly known as e-waste has fast become one of the major sources of contamination to the environment and humans
Results of A. cepa root growth obtained in this study are similar to those reported in several other investigations of the toxicity of complex mixtures to A. cepa [10,27]
Electronic waste water is an example of complex mixtures whose biological effects may be difficult to predict [25]
Summary
Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) popularly known as e-waste has fast become one of the major sources of contamination to the environment and humans. The WEEE typically consist of discarded TV sets, refrigerators, microwave ovens, mobile phones, computers and accessories, recordable electronics such as DVDs, VCRs, tape recorders, radios and other audio visual equipment. These discarded electrical and electronic goods contain a range of toxic materials such as furans, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs), hydrogen chloride and trace metals. These toxic materials require special handling prior to disposal [1,2] and can become difficult and expensive to recycle safely for profit [3]. As e-waste entails several toxic and hazardous substances, its improper processing, recycling and disposal leads to severe health hazards, environmental pollution and social problems, for the people involved directly in e-waste related activities, and for the local communities and the society as a whole
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