Abstract

Electronic waste (e-waste), the world’s fastest-growing category of hazardous solid waste, poses a serious health risk for recyclers, scavenger workers, and residents of communities near waste disposal sites in many countries with developing economies and those in transition. The toxic components of e-waste have been linked to various adverse health outcomes. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of e-waste exposures on pregnancy outcomes and neonate’s health. We systematically searched original full-length articles in three electronic databases namely Web of Science, ProQuest health and medical databases, and Google Scholar for publications related to e-waste and pregnancy outcomes and neonate’s health. Outcomes from most study showed possible association between exposure to e-waste and pregnancy and adverse neonatal health outcomes including sex-specific differences in infants’ growth, placental transfer of toxicants, thyroid hormones disruption, DNA methylation and oxidative damage, ALAD genotypes, carcinogenic risks, and sex hormones disruption in pregnant women and developing fetus. The results support evidence that e-waste exposure is associated with negative effects on pregnancy and neonatal health outcomes. However, improvements in the design of epidemiological investigations, and more investigations from South Asia, Africa, and Latin America are needed to confirm these associations.

摘要

电子废物（e-waste）是世界上增长最快的危险固体废物类别，对许多发展中经济体和经济转型国家的回收者、清道夫和废物处置场附近社区的居民构成严重的健康风险。电子垃圾的有毒成分与各种不良健康结果有关。本研究的目的是评估电子废物暴露对妊娠结局和新生儿健康的影响。我们系统地搜索了三个电子数据库（即 Web of Science、ProQuest 健康和医学数据库和 Google Scholar）中的原始全文文章，以查找与电子废物和妊娠结果以及新生儿健康相关的出版物。大多数研究的结果表明，接触电子垃圾和怀孕与不良新生儿健康结果之间可能存在关联，包括婴儿生长的性别特异性差异、毒物的胎盘转移、甲状腺激素破坏、DNA 甲基化和氧化损伤、ALAD 基因型、致癌风险和性激素干扰孕妇和发育中的胎儿。结果支持证据表明电子垃圾接触与对怀孕和新生儿健康结果的负面影响有关。然而，需要改进流行病学调查的设计，并需要来自南亚、非洲和拉丁美洲的更多调查来证实这些关联。孕妇和发育中的胎儿的 ALAD 基因型、致癌风险和性激素破坏。结果支持证据表明电子垃圾接触与对怀孕和新生儿健康结果的负面影响有关。然而，需要改进流行病学调查的设计，并需要来自南亚、非洲和拉丁美洲的更多调查来证实这些关联。孕妇和发育中的胎儿的 ALAD 基因型、致癌风险和性激素破坏。结果支持证据表明电子垃圾接触与对怀孕和新生儿健康结果的负面影响有关。然而，需要改进流行病学调查的设计，并需要来自南亚、非洲和拉丁美洲的更多调查来证实这些关联。