skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Cadmium determination in Mexican-produced tobacco

Journal Article · · Environmental Research; (United States)
; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Univ. Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City (Mexico)
  2. Secretaria de Mejoramiento del Ambiente, Mexico City (Mexico)

Exposure to cadmium by inhalation or ingestion is dangerous for human health. This metal induces damage to the kidneys, the bones, the prostate, and the lungs. In the lungs, cadmium can produce cancer, emphysema, and fibrosis. It is well known that tobacco leaves are contaminated with cadmium, a metal that has been related to pulmonary damage. In this paper the authors report the concentration of cadmium in tobacco leaves and in cigarettes produced for domestic consumption. Fifty-five cigarettes of different brands, prices, and stocks were analyzed as well as 48 samples from four different types of tobacco. The average concentration of cadmium in cigarettes was 4.41 {plus minus} 0.67 {mu}g/g, and 2.65 {plus minus} 0.99 {mu}g/g for tobacco leaves; the content of cadmium, was 2.8 {plus minus} 0.4 {mu}g/cigarette. It was estimated that a person that smokes 20 Mexican cigarettes per day can increase his(her) cadmium burden by 1.4 to 2.8 {mu}g per day.

OSTI ID:
6032158
Journal Information:
Environmental Research; (United States), Vol. 55:1; ISSN 0013-9351
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English