image: This visual summarizes the two complex waste matrices investigated (sewage sludge and e-waste), the seven targeted chemical families and the analytical methodology used.
Credit: Gutiérrez-Martín, D. et al.
A team of European researchers has developed a method to identify hazardous chemicals in two of the most dominant waste types: sewage sludge and electronic waste (WEEE). The new technique, based on liquid-solid extraction and advanced mass spectrometry, identified 75 emerging contaminants across seven chemical classes—including substances never before detected in WEEE.
“The contaminants we identified—some at surprisingly high levels—could pose long-term risks if not properly managed,” says corresponding of the study Dr Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).
The team uncovered widespread presence of toxic compounds like PFAS, bisphenols, and phthalates—highlighting risks to both human and environmental health. Notably, Bisphenol A, an endocrine-disrupting compound, was found at concentrations exceeding 40 µg/g in certain e-waste plastic samples, raising concerns over recycled materials entering the consumer market, while anaerobic digestion in wastewater treatment plants was shown to remove up to 89% of contaminant concentrations from sewage sludge.
Besides shedding light on under-researched pollutants in e-waste, the study addresses regulatory and safety gaps in managing waste streams. According to lead author Dr Daniel Gutiérrez-Martín, the new findings, published in Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, can help design better monitoring tools and inform treatment strategies in line with circular economy goals.
“Our methodology also demonstrated reliable performance despite the chemical complexity of the materials, opening possibilities for extending the approach to other problematic waste types like food packaging or industrial sludge,” adds Gutiérrez-Martín.
The study, supported by the Norwegian Research Council through the SLUDGEFFECT project, comes at a critical time when global e-waste generation is rising rapidly and effective monitoring tools are essential for sustainable waste reuse.
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Contact the author: Alexandros G. Asimakopoulos, Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7491, Trondheim, Norway, E-mail: alexandros.asimakopoulos@ntnu.no
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Journal
Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
A comprehensive analytical approach to monitoring selected emerging contaminant classes in sewage sludge and e-waste from Norway
COI Statement
Alexandros Asimakopoulos is an editorial board member for Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology and was not involved in the editorial review or the decision to publish this article. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.