Background: Primitive electronic waste (e-waste) recycling is ongoing in Guiyu, and thus toxic heavy
metals may keep on threatening to the health of local children. Some related factors may contribute to
the elevation of blood lead levels (BLLs) or blood cadmium levels (BCLs).
Objective: To investigate the children’s BLLs and BCLs in Guiyu and Chendian as compare to discuss the
effects of primitive e-waste recycling activities on children’s health.
Methods: Two hundred and seventy-eight children less than 8 years who lived in Guiyu and Chendian
were observed, and their BLLs and BCLs were determined by graphite atomizer absorption spectrophotometer.
Questionnaire survey for risk factors was also performed and data were analyzed using
spearman correlation analyses and logistic regression analyses.
Results: Children living in Guiyu had significantly higher BLLs and BCLs as compared with those living in
Chendian (po0.01). In Guiyu, 70.8% of children (109/154) had BLLs410 mg/dL, and 20.1% of children (31/
154) had BCLs42 mg/L, compared with 38.7% of children (48/124) had BLLs410 mg/dL and 7.3% of
children (9/124) had BCLs42 mg/L in Chendian (po0.01, respectively). We also observed a significant
increasing trend in BLLs with increasing age in Guiyu (po0.01). Mean height of children in Guiyu was
significantly lower than that in Chendian (po0.01). The risk factors related to children’s BLLs and BCLs
mainly included father’s engagement in the work related to e-waste, children’s residence in Guiyu and
the amount of time that children played outside near the road everyday.
Conclusions: There are close relationships between the BLLs, BCLs in children and the primitive e-waste
recycling activities in Guiyu. Environmental pollution, especially lead pollution, has threatened the
health of children living around e-waste recycling site.