Environmental effects of uncontrolled dumping of discarded mobile telecommunication technology equipment in Accra, Ghana

This study assessed the environmental impacts of discarded Mobile Telecommunication Technology equipment on soil quality and examined the health risks associated with heavy metals detected in soil samples from the Agbogbloshie e-waste dumpsite in Accra, Ghana. Heavy metal analysis of soils at the mobile electronic waste disposal site in Agbogbloshie, Accra was done to determine the concentrations of Fe, Hg, Ni, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb and As to ascertain the metal or metals existing naturally. Forty-five (45) soil samples were collected at a depth of 8 cm at sites with heavy deposits of wastes and analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Results of the analysis indicated mean levels in mg/kg of heavy metals as; 14.92 (Fe), 0.53 (Hg), 11.77 (Ni), 1.2 (Cd), 6.85 (Cr), 11.01 (Cu), 1.67 (Zn), 6.22 (Pb) and 5.19 (As). Heavy metal level of Hg was above the threshold of 0.2mg/kg whilst that of Cd had reached the threshold of 1.2mg/kg set by the US EPA. Multivariate analysis of soil data showed that, only Fe occurs naturally whilst the others were associated with anthropogenic activities. Consequently, all the heavy metals analyzed may not pose any health risk to the public except Fe, Hg and Cd. Indeed, this suggests that, a research that consistently monitor quantitatively heavy metals in body fluids of residents in and around dumpsites should be initiated.