Impact of E-Waste Toxicity on Health and Nature: Trends, Biases, and Future Directions.

Currently, electronic waste (e-waste) is grossly overproduced and only a few recycling programs exist. Improper e-waste destinations have a negative impact on the environment and human health because they contain several potentially toxic substances. Scientific publications on this topic have also grown over the years, necessitating a systematic literature review to identify trends and gaps in research. We performed a systematic review of the scientific literature on the toxic effects of e-waste and its adverse environmental impacts. We searched the literature using the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and 335 articles were selected after applying the exclusion criteria. The e-waste class most studied in the articles was the small IT and Telecommunication equipment, and the trashes most cited were cell phones, printed circuit boards, and liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. The heavy metals most associated with toxicity were Pb and Cd, whereas polybrominated diphenyl ethers were the most cited organic components. In addition, we identified the different uses of bioassays to evaluate the toxic potential of e-waste in soil and water. In contrast, a few articles introduced alternative strategies for e-waste toxicity by bioremediation and educational research. Regarding human exposure, all articles demonstrated the hazardous effect of e-waste on health; however, studies include methodological difficulties, such as short-term surveys with a few volunteers, various pollutants, and different evaluated endpoints. These data gaps in the evaluation of exposure and long-term effects will narrow when collaborative studies including distinct fields are published, and the involvement of government agencies will regulate the production, discard, and recycle electronic wastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]