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Experimental investigation to evaluate the potential environmental hazards of photovoltaic panels

TitleExperimental investigation to evaluate the potential environmental hazards of photovoltaic panels
Publication TypeArticolo su Rivista peer-reviewed
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsTammaro, Marco, Salluzzo Antonio, Rimauro Juri, Schiavo S., and Manzo Sonia
JournalJournal of Hazardous Materials
Volume306
Pagination395-405
ISSN03043894
Keywordsarticle, Cadmium, Chromium, Crystalline materials, Crystalline silicons, drinking water, ecotoxicity, Ecotoxicological effects, environmental factor, Environmental hazards, Environmental impact, Environmental sustainability, Experimental investigations, film, Hazards, landfill, leaching, Lead, Metals, Nickel, nonhuman, Photovoltaic cells, Photovoltaic modules, Photovoltaic panels, Potable water, prediction, silicon, Technological evolution, Thin films, Waste disposal, waste management, Water pollution
Abstract

Recently the potential environmental hazard of photovoltaic modules together with their management as waste has attracted the attention of scientists. Particular concern is aroused by the several metals contained in photovoltaic panels whose potential release in the environment were scarcely investigated. Here, for the first time, the potential environmental hazard of panels produced in the last 30 years was investigated through the assessment of up to 18 releasable metals. Besides, the corresponding ecotoxicological effects were also evaluated. Experimental data were compared with the current European and Italian law limits for drinking water, discharge on soil and landfill inert disposal in order to understand the actual pollution load. Results showed that less than 3% of the samples respected all law limits and around 21% was not ecotoxic. By considering the technological evolutions in manufacturing, we have shown that during the years crystalline silicon panels have lower tendency to release hazardous metals with respect to thin film panels. In addition, a prediction of the amounts of lead, chromium, cadmium and nickel releasable from next photovoltaic waste was performed. The prevision up to 2050 showed high amounts of lead (30 t) and cadmium (2.9 t) releasable from crystalline and thin film panels respectively. © 2015 Elsevier B.V.

Notes

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URLhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84961348589&doi=10.1016%2fj.jhazmat.2015.12.018&partnerID=40&md5=cfeb81314703f39edcc6080eae5b6d19
DOI10.1016/j.jhazmat.2015.12.018
Citation KeyTammaro2016395