HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling

Lucyna Kozlowska; Susana Viegas; Paul T.J. Scheepers; Radu C. Duca; Lode Godderis; Carla Martins; Krzesimir Ciura; Karolina Jagiello; Maria João Silva; Selma Mahiout; Inese Mārtiņsone; Linda Matisāne; An van Nieuwenhuyse; Tomasz Puzyn; Monika Sijko-Szpanska; Jelle Verdonck; Tiina Santonen; the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team; Lāsma Akūlova; Linda Paegle

doi:10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281

HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling

Lucyna Kozlowska (Corresponding Author)
, Susana Viegas
, Paul T.J. Scheepers
, Radu C. Duca
, Lode Godderis
, Carla Martins
, Krzesimir Ciura
, Karolina Jagiello
, Maria João Silva
, Selma Mahiout
, Inese Mārtiņsone
, Linda Matisāne
, An van Nieuwenhuyse
, Tomasz Puzyn
, Monika Sijko-Szpanska
, Jelle Verdonck
, Tiina Santonen
, the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team
, Lāsma Akūlova (Member of the Working Group)
, Linda Paegle (Member of the Working Group)

Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

6 Citations (Scopus)

18 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

E-waste contains hazardous chemicals that may be a direct health risk for workers involved in recycling. We conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis of urine samples collected from male e-waste processing workers to explore metabolic changes associated with chemical exposures in e-waste recycling in Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Questionnaire data and urine samples were obtained from workers involved in the processing of e-waste (sorting, dismantling, shredding, pre-processing, metal, and non-metal processing), as well as from controls with no known occupational exposure. Pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected and analysed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). A total of 32 endogenous urinary metabolites were annotated with a Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) above 2, indicating that e-waste recycling is mainly associated with changes in steroid hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, energy metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and inflammation. The highest VIP was observed for dopamine-o-quinone, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. These and other changes in metabolism in workers employed in the processing of e-waste need further verification in targeted studies.

Original language	English
Article number	109281
Number of pages	12
Journal	Environment International
Volume	196
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281
Publication status	Published - Feb 2025

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

Keywords*

Biomarkers
Mixture exposure
Occupational exposure
Recycling
Urine metabolomics

Field of Science*

3.3 Health sciences

Publication Type*

1.1. Scientific article indexed in Web of Science and/or Scopus database

Access to Document

10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281Licence: CC BY

HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approachFinal published version, 8.38 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Kozlowska, L., Viegas, S., Scheepers, P. T. J., Duca, R. C., Godderis, L., Martins, C., Ciura, K., Jagiello, K., João Silva, M., Mahiout, S., Mārtiņsone, I., Matisāne, L., Nieuwenhuyse, A. V., Puzyn, T., Sijko-Szpanska, M., Verdonck, J., Santonen, T., the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team, Akūlova, L., & Paegle, L. (2025). HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling. Environment International, 196, Article 109281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281

@article{fe6e8d2acab7401aa34157543110d529,

title = "HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling",

abstract = "E-waste contains hazardous chemicals that may be a direct health risk for workers involved in recycling. We conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis of urine samples collected from male e-waste processing workers to explore metabolic changes associated with chemical exposures in e-waste recycling in Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Questionnaire data and urine samples were obtained from workers involved in the processing of e-waste (sorting, dismantling, shredding, pre-processing, metal, and non-metal processing), as well as from controls with no known occupational exposure. Pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected and analysed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). A total of 32 endogenous urinary metabolites were annotated with a Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) above 2, indicating that e-waste recycling is mainly associated with changes in steroid hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, energy metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and inflammation. The highest VIP was observed for dopamine-o-quinone, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. These and other changes in metabolism in workers employed in the processing of e-waste need further verification in targeted studies.",

keywords = "Biomarkers, Mixture exposure, Occupational exposure, Recycling, Urine metabolomics",

author = "Lucyna Kozlowska and Susana Viegas and Scheepers, \{Paul T.J.\} and Duca, \{Radu C.\} and Lode Godderis and Carla Martins and Krzesimir Ciura and Karolina Jagiello and \{Jo{\~a}o Silva\}, Maria and Selma Mahiout and Inese Mārtiņsone and Linda Matisāne and Nieuwenhuyse, \{An van\} and Tomasz Puzyn and Monika Sijko-Szpanska and Jelle Verdonck and Tiina Santonen and \{the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team\} and Lāsma Akūlova and Linda Paegle",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Author(s)",

year = "2025",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281",

language = "English",

volume = "196",

journal = "Environment International",

issn = "0160-4120",

publisher = "Elsevier Ltd.",

}

Kozlowska, L, Viegas, S, Scheepers, PTJ, Duca, RC, Godderis, L, Martins, C, Ciura, K, Jagiello, K, João Silva, M, Mahiout, S, Mārtiņsone, I , Matisāne, L, Nieuwenhuyse, AV, Puzyn, T, Sijko-Szpanska, M, Verdonck, J, Santonen, T, the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team, Akūlova, L & Paegle, L 2025, 'HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling', Environment International, vol. 196, 109281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281

TY - JOUR

T1 - HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling

AU - Kozlowska, Lucyna

AU - Viegas, Susana

AU - Scheepers, Paul T.J.

AU - Duca, Radu C.

AU - Godderis, Lode

AU - Martins, Carla

AU - Ciura, Krzesimir

AU - Jagiello, Karolina

AU - João Silva, Maria

AU - Mahiout, Selma

AU - Mārtiņsone, Inese

AU - Matisāne, Linda

AU - Nieuwenhuyse, An van

AU - Puzyn, Tomasz

AU - Sijko-Szpanska, Monika

AU - Verdonck, Jelle

AU - Santonen, Tiina

AU - the HBM4EU E-waste Study Team

A2 - Akūlova, Lāsma

A2 - Paegle, Linda

PY - 2025/2

Y1 - 2025/2

N2 - E-waste contains hazardous chemicals that may be a direct health risk for workers involved in recycling. We conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis of urine samples collected from male e-waste processing workers to explore metabolic changes associated with chemical exposures in e-waste recycling in Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Questionnaire data and urine samples were obtained from workers involved in the processing of e-waste (sorting, dismantling, shredding, pre-processing, metal, and non-metal processing), as well as from controls with no known occupational exposure. Pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected and analysed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). A total of 32 endogenous urinary metabolites were annotated with a Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) above 2, indicating that e-waste recycling is mainly associated with changes in steroid hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, energy metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and inflammation. The highest VIP was observed for dopamine-o-quinone, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. These and other changes in metabolism in workers employed in the processing of e-waste need further verification in targeted studies.

AB - E-waste contains hazardous chemicals that may be a direct health risk for workers involved in recycling. We conducted an untargeted metabolomics analysis of urine samples collected from male e-waste processing workers to explore metabolic changes associated with chemical exposures in e-waste recycling in Belgium, Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, and Portugal. Questionnaire data and urine samples were obtained from workers involved in the processing of e-waste (sorting, dismantling, shredding, pre-processing, metal, and non-metal processing), as well as from controls with no known occupational exposure. Pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected and analysed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS). A total of 32 endogenous urinary metabolites were annotated with a Variable Importance in Projection (VIP) above 2, indicating that e-waste recycling is mainly associated with changes in steroid hormone and neurotransmitter metabolism, energy metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and inflammation. The highest VIP was observed for dopamine-o-quinone, which is linked to Parkinson's disease. These and other changes in metabolism in workers employed in the processing of e-waste need further verification in targeted studies.

KW - Biomarkers

KW - Mixture exposure

KW - Occupational exposure

KW - Recycling

KW - Urine metabolomics

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85215410622

U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281

DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2025.109281

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85215410622

SN - 0160-4120

VL - 196

JO - Environment International

JF - Environment International

M1 - 109281

ER -

HBM4EU E-waste study – An untargeted metabolomics approach to characterize metabolic changes during E-waste recycling

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords*

Field of Science*

Publication Type*

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