Assessment of Heavy Metal Contents of End-Of-Life Computer Monitor Cathode Tubes and Plastic Casings

摘要

Development and innovation in computer technology have led to the generation of large quantitiesof end-of-life computing equipment with the attendant challenge of environmentally sound management, especiallyin developing countries. This study evaluated the heavy metal contents of the cathode ray tube (CRT) and the plasticcasing of thirty (30) end-of-life computer monitors of different brands, years of manufacture (spanning 1981-2005)and countries of manufacture. The specimens were analysed for Pb, Cu, Cr, Zn, Cd, and Ni using atomic absorptionspectrophotometer after acid digestion. The mean concentrations of metals in the CRTs varied widely: 1400-14300mg/kg for Pb; 291-1750 mg/kg for Zn;