Abstract
Metals liberation and composition are decisive attributes in characterization of e-waste for metal recycling. Though end-of-life printed circuit board (PCB) is an integral part of e-waste as secondary resource reservoir, yet no standardized procedure exists for metals liberation and dissolution for its characterization. Thus, the paper aims at assessment of metals liberation upon comminution employing scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) followed by comparative assessment of the existing United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) digestion procedures, viz., USEPA 3050B, USEPA 3051A, and USEPA 3052, in effective dissolution of metals from comminuted particles of waste PCBs of computer, laptop, mobile phone, and television. Effect of comminution and digestion conditions was assessed to have significant role in metal liberation and dissolution from PCBs. The SEM-EDS analysis demonstrated partial release of metals from the silica matrix of PCBs. The USEPA digestion methods showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) difference with greater dissolution of metals complexed to PCB matrix by the USEPA 3052 method owing to use of strong acid like hydrofluoric acid. Base metals like Cu and Zn and toxic metals such as Pb and Cd were present in abundance in PCBs and in general exceeded the total threshold limit concentration (TTLC). The maximum contents of Cu (20.13 ± 0.04 wt.%) and Zn (1.89 ± 0.05 wt.%) in laptop PCBs, Pb (2.26 ± 0.08 wt.%) in TV PCBs, and Cd (0.0812 ± 0.0008 wt.%) in computer PCBs were observed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agazzi A, Pirola C (2000) Fundamentals, methods and future trends of environmental microwave sample preparation. Microchem J 67:337–341
Baba A, Adekola F, Ayodele D (2010) Study of metals dissolution from a brand of mobile phone waste. AMES MJoM 16:269–276
Baldé CP, Wang F, Kuehr R, Huisman J (2015) The global e-waste monitor—2014. United Nations University. IAS – SCYCLE, Bonn
Bandyopadhyay A (2008) A regulatory approach for E-waste management: a cross national review of current practice and policy with an assessment and policy recommendation for the Indian perspective. Int J Environ Waste Manag 2:139–186
Basdere B, Seliger G (2003) Disassembly factories for electrical and electronic products to recover resources in product and material cycles. J Environ Sci Technol 37:5354–5362
Bettinelli M, Beone GM, Spezia S, Baffi C (2000) Determination of heavy metals in soils and sediments by microwave-assisted digestion and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry analysis. Anal Chim Acta 424:289–296
Chen M, Ma LQ (1998) Comparison of four USEPA digestion methods for trace metal analysis using certified and Florida soils. J Environ Qual 27:1294–1300
Chen M, Ma LQ (2001) Comparison of three aqua regia digestion methods for twenty Florida soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 65:491–499
Cui J, Forssberg E (2003) Mechanical recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment: a review. J Hazard Mater B99:243–263
Cui J, Zhang L (2008) Metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste: a review. J Hazard Mater 158:228–256
Das A, Vidyadhar A, Mehrotra SP (2009) A novel flowsheet for the recovery of metal values from waste printed circuit boards. Resour Conserv Recy 53:464–469
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) (2004) Determination of regulated elements in even types of discarded consumer electronic products. Hazardous Material Laboratory, California
Deveci H, Yazıcı EY, Aydın U, Yazıcı R, Akcil A (2010) Extraction of copper from scrap TV boards by sulphuric acid leaching under oxidising conditions. In: Proceedings of Going Green-CARE INNOVATION 2010 Conference, Vienna, Austria, November 8–11:45
Grosser Z, Thompson L, Davidowski L (2007) Inorganic analysis for environmental rohs compliance. Am Lab 39(18):30–33
Hageluken C (2006) Improving metal returns and eco-efficiency in electronics recycling—a holistic approach for interface optimisation between preprocessing and integrated metals smelting and refining. In: Proceedings of the 2006 I.E. Int Symp Electron Environ, May 8-11: 218–223
Hageluken C (2007) Metals recovery from e-scrap in a global environment: Technical capabilities, challenges & experience gained. Umicore PMR, 6th session of OEWG Basel Convention, Geneva, September 7, 2007. http://archive.basel.int/industry/sideevent030907/umicore.pdf. Accessed 23 Jan 2017
Hageluken C, Art S (2006) Recycling of E-scrap in a global environment—chances and challenges: Umicore precious metals refining. Indo–European training workshop, Bangalore May 4–5 and 8–9
Hall WJ, Williams PT (2007) Separation and recovery of materials from scrap printed circuit boards. Resour Conserv Recy 51:691–709
Hino T, Agawa R, Moriya Y, Nishida M, Tsugita Y, Araki T (2009) Techniques to separate metal from waste printed circuit boards from discarded personal computers. J Mater Cycl Waste Manag 11:42–54
Huang K, Guo J, Xu Z (2009) Recycling of waste printed circuit boards: a review of current technologies and treatment status in China. J Hazard Mater 164:399–406
Kang H, Schoenung J (2005) Electronic waste recycling: a review of US infrastructure and technology options. Resour Conserv Recyle 45:368–400
Kasper AC, Berselli GBT, Freitas BD, Tenorio JSA, Bernardes AM, Veit HM (2011) Printed wiring boards for mobile phones: characterization and recycling of copper. Waste Manag 31:536–2545
Ladou J (2006) Printed circuit board industry. Int J Hyg Environ Health 209:211–219
Li J, Shrivastava P, Gao Z, Zhang HC (2004) Printed circuit board recycling: A state-of-the-art survey. IEEE Trans. Electron Packag Manuf 27:33–42
Maragkos KG, Hahladakis JN, Gidarakos E (2013) Qualitative and quantitative determination of heavy metals in waste cellular phones. Waste Manag 33:1882–1889
Mello PA, Diehl LO, Oliveira JSS, Muller EI, Mesko MF, Flores EMM (2015) Plasma-based determination of inorganic contaminants in waste of electric and electronic equipment after microwave-induced combustion. Spectrochim Acta B 105:95–102
Nadkarni RA (1984) Applications of microwave oven sample dissolution in analysis. J Anal At Spectrom 56:2233–2237
Priya A, Hait S (2017) Comparative assessment of metallurgical recovery of metals from electronic waste with special emphasis on bioleaching. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:6989–7008
Svoboda J, Fujita T (2003) Recent developments in magnetic methods of material separation. Miner Eng 16:785–792
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (1995) Method 3050B: acid digestion of sediments, sludges and soils, third edn. U.S. Gov. Print Office, Washington, DC
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) (1997) Method 3051A: microwave assisted acid dissolution of sediments, sludges, soils and oils, second edn. U.S. Gov. Print Office, Washington, DC
Veit HM, Diehl TR, Salami AP, Rodrigues JS, Bernardes AM, Tenório JAS (2005) Utilization of magnetic and electrostatic separation in the recycling of printed circuit boards scrap. Waste Manag 25:67–74
Wang J, Bai J, Xu J, Liang B (2009) Bioleaching of metals from printed wire boards by Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans and Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and their mixture. J Hazard Mater 172:1100–1105
Wen X, Duan C, Jiao H, Zhao Y, Zhou X, Song S (2005) Study on metal recovery from discarded printed circuit boards by physical methods. In: Proceedings of IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, May, 16–19:121–128
Widmer R, Karpi HO, Khetriwal DS, Schenellmann M, Bonii H (2005) Global perspectives on e-waste. Environ Impact Assess Rev 25:436–458
Yamane HL, Moraes VT, Espinosa DCR, Tenorio JAS (2011) Recycling of WEEE: characterization of spent printed circuit boards from mobile phones and computers. Waste Manag 31:2553–2558
Yazıcı EY, Deveci H, Alp I, Akcil A, Yazıcı R (2010) Characterisation of computer printed circuit boards for hazardous properties and beneficiation studies. In: Int. Mineral Processing Congress, vol. XXV, IMPC 2010, Brisbane, Australia, September 6–10: 4009–4015
Zhang S, Forssberg E (1997) Mechanical separation oriented characterization of electronic scrap. Resour Conserv Recycl 21:247–269
Zhou Y, Qiu K (2010) A new technology for recycling materials from waste printed circuit boards. J Hazard Mater 175:823–828
Zhou G, Luo Z, Zhai X (2007) Experimental study on metal recycling from waste PCB. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, Chennai, India, 155–162
Zhu P, Gu GB (2002) Recovery of gold and copper from waste printed circuits. Chinese J Rare Metals 26:214–216
Acknowledgements
The authors are thankful to the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India for the fellowship grant (IF130860) for the research work.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Priya, A., Hait, S. Qualitative and quantitative metals liberation assessment for characterization of various waste printed circuit boards for recycling. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 27445–27456 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0351-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-017-0351-1