DETERMINATION OF NICKEL LEVELS OF WASTE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES COLLECTED IN ABA AND ESTIMATION OF RECOVERABLE NICKEL FROM BATTERY IMPORTATION IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT Since the introduction and the increased demand of portable electronic devices, there has been a rise in the consumption of rechargeable batteries. However, at their end of life, these batteries become a threat to human life as they release toxic chemicals into the environment when they are not properly handled. There is also a potential loss of valuable resources when these batteries are discarded. A total of thirty-four batteries were collected from mobile phone and laptop (lithium-ion, lithium-polymer and nickel metal hydride batteries) were collected and disassembled and the battery electrode. The electrode materials were cut into pieces. 2g of each cut electrode materials was digested in 5ml nitric acid and 10ml hydrochloric acid. The concentrations of nickel were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean concentrations and range of nickel in the battery electrodes were for Li-ion batteries is 24329 mg/kg (35857-3808 mg/kg), 19689 mg/kg (2766-32706 mg/kg) for Li-Polymer batteries, 827345 mg/kg (80889-84580 mg/kg) for NiMH batteries, respectively. The NiMH battery electrodes contained higher levels of nickel than the Li-ion and Li-polymer batteries. The results for the nickel levels in the battery electrodes exceeded the toxicity threshold limit concentration used in the toxicity characterization of solid wastes (nickel, 2000 mg/kg). In fact, the mean nickel level of the battery electrode is about 40 times the toxicity threshold limit concentration limit for nickel. Spent portable rechargeable batteries should be handled as toxic materials that require special treatment. Implementation of a well-coordinated management strategy for spent batteries is urgently required to check the dissipation of large doses of toxic heavy metals and rare earth into the environment.