Higher bisphenol analogues exposure levels in e-waste workers and their associations with DNA oxidative damage in Hong Kong

Bisphenol analogues (BPs) are widely used as additives in a variety of products, including the components of electronic waste (e-waste). However, limited research has been conducted to evaluate the health burden of BPs exposure from e-waste recycling, particularly among frontline workers in developed regions. This study aimed to address this gap by analyzing urinary BPs and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, from 101 e-waste workers and 100 office workers in Hong Kong collected from 06/2021 to 09/2022. E-waste workers had significantly higher overall BPs concentrations than office workers (3.476 vs. 1.816 μg/L), with notable elevations in BPA, BPP, and BPZ. Male participants (3.118 μg/L) and e-waste workers involved in dismantling or repairing e-waste (4.245 μg/L) exhibited higher BPs burdens than the females (1.849 μg/L) and workers with other job designations (1.822 μg/L), respectively. Although the estimated daily intake (EDI) for BPA was below the recommended safety threshold, e-waste workers had higher EDIs for almost all BPs than office workers. BPA was the predominant analogue in e-waste and office workers (80.74 % and 75.94 %), and correlated with other BPs in e-waste workers, indicating its pervasive use in e-waste products. Exposure to BPs, both individually and as a mixture, was significantly associated with increased 8-OHdG levels, with stronger associations among female participants and the e-waste workers. The above findings suggest that e-waste workers in Hong Kong had higher BPs exposure from e-waste recycling and carried the associated health risks, with females showing greater sensitivity to BPs.