Mercury contamination of two e-waste recycling sites in Ghana: an investigation into mercury pollution at Dagomba Line (Kumasi) and Agbogbloshie (Accra)

• Published in: Environmental geochemistry and health 2023-05, Vol.45 (5), p.1723-1737
• Main Authors: Amponsah, Lydia Otoo, Sørensen, Peter Borgen, Nkansah, Marian Asantewah, Vorkamp, Katrin, Yevugah, Lily Lisa, Darko, Godfred
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absorption spectroscopy; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; Contamination; Earth and Environmental Science; Electronic waste; Electronic Waste - analysis; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental legislation; Environmental Monitoring; Environmental protection; Geochemistry; Ghana; Health risks; Humans; Mercury; Mercury (metal); Mercury - analysis; Mercury pollution; Original Paper; Pollution abatement; Pollution prevention; Public Health; Recycling; Soil contamination; Soil Science & Conservation; Spectral analysis; Spectrometry; Terrestrial Pollution; Topsoil; Waste recycling; Water - analysis
• ISSN: 0269-4042; 1573-2983
• DOI: 10.1007/s10653-022-01295-9

This study investigated mercury pollution at two e-waste recycling sites in Ghana—Dagomba Line in Kumasi and Agbogbloshie in Accra. A total of 129 soil samples taken at 100 m and 50 m resolutions, respectively, for Dagomba Line and Agbogbloshie, were analysed for mercury using a Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry. Mercury concentrations from the recycling sites (ranging from 0.11 to 7.57 mg/kg Dagomba Line, and 0.01–4.36 mg/kg at Agbogbloshie) were significantly higher than that of the surrounding areas (0.01–0.17 mg/kg in Kumasi and 0.01–2.18 mg/kg in Accra) and unpolluted control sites (0.05 mg/kg in Kumasi and 0.02 mg/kg in Accra). The dismantling sites at both locations had the highest mercury concentrations. Furthermore, the concentrations were significantly higher at the Dagomba Line site in Kumasi than at Agbogbloshie, even though the Dagomba Line site is relatively recent. The mercury concentrations at both sites exceeded the pollution prevention and abatement level of 0.1 mg/kg. However, the estimated human health risk showed no potential human health effects. Moreover, the mercury concentrations in water and sediment (0.12–7.69 ng/L and 0.02–0.28 ng/L for Dagomba Line and Agbogbloshie, respectively) were below the US EPA standards. Findings from this study show that e-waste recycling can contaminate the topsoil with mercury, irrespective of the scale of the activity.