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review article

Third-Generation Solar Cells: Toxicity and Risk of Exposure

Buitrago, Elina  
•
Novello, Anna Maria  
•
Meyer, Thierry  
August 20, 2020
Helvetica Chimica Acta

Solar energy is considered clean energy, and its use is predicted to increase in the near future. Most installed units today are crystalline solar cells, but the field is in constant development, and when the first dye sensitized solar cell was published byGratzelandO'Reagana new, third-generation, solar power was born. Highly toxic metals are used to produce the photovoltaic units today, and with the predicted increase in solar cell installation, the human health hazards of these panels could become an issue. Additionally, many of these materials are used in their nanoform, which is associated with an additional risk. In this article, we discuss the technology behind the third-generation solar cells with its valuable use of nanotechnology as well as the possible health hazard when such nanomaterials are used in solar power units. We will show that the main exposure will occur either during the development and production phases or at the end-of-life stage of the solar cells, where toxic material can leach into landfills, and subsequently into the environment and impact the ecosystem directly, or humans indirectly through edible plants or drinking water.

  • Details
  • Metrics
Type
review article
DOI
10.1002/hlca.202000074
Web of Science ID

WOS:000560840000001

Author(s)
Buitrago, Elina  
•
Novello, Anna Maria  
•
Meyer, Thierry  
Date Issued

2020-08-20

Published in
Helvetica Chimica Acta
Volume

103

Issue

9

Article Number

e2000074

Subjects

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

•

Chemistry

•

nanosafety

•

gratzelcells

•

solar power

•

occupational and public safety

•

photovoltaics

•

nanotechnology

•

photochemistry

•

titanium-dioxide nanoparticles

•

quantum dots

•

deaggregation phenomena

•

tio2 nanoparticles

•

dna-damage

•

lead

•

nanomaterials

•

cadmium

•

efficiency

Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
GSCP  
SCC  
Available on Infoscience
September 3, 2020
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/171290
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