Health and environmental effects document for batteries: 1980

Technical Report · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6919755· OSTI ID:6919755

An evaluation is presented of the ecological and health effects of the near-term electric storage batteries (lead/acid, nickel/zinc, and nickel/iron) as related to electric and hybrid vehicle applications. The storage battery technology is considered in its totality, and emissions are estimated for the complete cycle. For estimating quantities of various emissions, the market penetration is assumed to be 3 x 10/sup 6/ Pb/acid battery-powered vehicles and 8 x 10/sup 6/ each of the Ni/Zn and Ni/Fe battery-powered vehicles on the road by the year 2000. Ecological effects are assessed using the Estimated Permissible Concentration (EPC) approach. Pb, S, Cu, Ni, Cd, Zn, and Sb appear to be the most hazardous emission constituents and exceed EPC values for protection of ecology in one or more of the battery-related industries. More definitive, quantitative estimates of damage to the biota and to the ecosystem are not feasible because of paucity of relevant information. Health effects as a result of increased levels of lead, arsenic, and cadmium in the environment and risks of exposure to arsine, stibine, and antimony trioxide released during charging are assessed. Health effects among the occupationally exposed are also assessed using the toxicological models. Acute and chronic effects of exposure to stibine, arsine, and antimony trioxide are described.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 6919755
• Report Number(s): ANL/ES-105
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250900 -- Energy Storage-- Batteries
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
510200 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
570000* -- Health & Safety
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
AIR POLLUTION
ANTIMONY
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
ANTIMONY HYDRIDES
ANTIMONY OXIDES
ARSENIC
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC HYDRIDES
CADMIUM
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELECTRIC BATTERIES
ELECTRIC POWER
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
GASEOUS WASTES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HYBRID ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
IRON-NICKEL BATTERIES
LAND POLLUTION
LEAD
LEAD-ACID BATTERIES
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE CONCENTRATION
METABOLISM
METAL-METAL OXIDE BATTERIES
METALS
MINING
NICKEL
NICKEL-ZINC BATTERIES
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
POLLUTION
POWER
PRODUCTION
RISK ASSESSMENT
SAFETY
SAFETY STANDARDS
SEMIMETALS
STANDARDS
SULFUR
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TOXICITY
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
VEHICLES
WASTES
ZINC