Over 1000 people make a living by processing electronic and electrical waste (E-waste) and scrap metals for the recovery of valuable metals and integrated circuits at Dagomba Line, Kumasi, Ghana. The processing includes activities such as dismantling, open burning and open dumping of E-waste which can potentially release toxic metals into the environment and thus impact the health of recyclers and nearby residents. This study investigated the distribution of toxic metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, Sb and Zn) in surface soils at the E-waste recycling sites and determined the associated human health risk via ingestion incorporating bioaccessibility measurements. Metal concentrations in the activity sites were highly elevated, significantly higher than those in the surrounding area and exceeded international soil quality guidelines such as the Canadian soil quality guidelines for residential land use and the Dutch Intervention Value. Bioaccessibility was high for Pb (70.8%), Cd (64.1%), Cu (62.3%) and Ni (53.6%) which could be credited to the existence of oxidized species as a result of the E-waste burning. Non-carcinogenic effects were unacceptably high (hazard indices > 1) at 14 out of 31 sites, and the cancer risk for arsenic for adult workers was greater than 1 × 10⁻⁵ at five of the sampling sites.

在加纳库马西的达贡巴线，超过 1000 人通过处理电子和电气废物（E-waste）和废金属以回收有价值的金属和集成电路为生。处理包括拆除、露天焚烧和露天倾倒电子废物等活动，这些活动可能会将有毒金属释放到环境中，从而影响回收者和附近居民的健康。本研究调查了电子废物回收点表层土壤中有毒金属（As、Cd、Cr、Cu、Hg、Ni、Pb、Sb 和 Zn）的分布，并通过结合生物可及性测量的摄入确定了相关的人类健康风险。活动场所的金属浓度高度升高，明显高于周边地区，并超过了国际土壤质量指南，例如加拿大住宅用地土壤质量指南和荷兰干预价值。Pb (70.8%)、Cd (64.1%)、Cu (62.3%) 和 Ni (53.6%) 的生物可及性很高，这可归因于电子废物燃烧导致氧化物质的存在。31 个地点中有 14 个的非致癌效应高得无法接受（危险指数 > 1），成年工人砷的癌症风险大于 1 × 10^-5在五个采样点。