Heavy Metal Contamination in Selected Electronic Waste Dumpsites in Lagos, Nigeria

Any electrical or electronic equipment that is taken to no longer be capable of performing the function for which it was originally intended is an e-waste. Due to their hazardous material contents, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) may cause environmental problems during the waste management phase if it is not properly pre-treated.3 The presence of elements like lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium and hexavalent chromium and flame retardants beyond threshold quantities in WEEE/e-waste implicates them as hazardous waste. Nigeria has emerged the most important African importing country for new and used electronic and electrical equipment (EEE), which are shipped largely from the United Kingdom (UK). In Nigeria, many e-waste fractions cannot be managed appropriately, which is resulting in the accumulation of large hazardous waste volumes in and around major refurbishing and recycling centers. Furthermore, some recycling practices – like the open burning of cables and plastic parts – cause severe emissions of pollutants such as heavy metals and dioxins. The aim of this study is to determine the concentration of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr and Cu) in soil and water samples collected from and around electronic waste dumpsites in different parts of Lagos state in Nigeria (computer village (Ikeja), Alaba International Market (Ojo) and Westminister (Apapa).