Reviews of the environmental effects of pollutants: IV. Cadmium
This report is a comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of the health and environmental effects of cadmium and specific cadmium derivatives. More than 500 references are cited. The cadmium body burden in animals and humans results mainly from the diet. In the United States, the normal intake of cadmium for adult humans is estimated at about 50 ..mu..g per day. Tobacco smoke is a significant additional source of cadmium exposure. The kidneys and liver together contain about 50% of the total cadmium body burden. Acute cadmium poisoning is primarily an occupational problem, generally from inhalation of cadmium fumes or dusts. In the general population, incidents of acute poisoning by inhaled or ingested cadmium or its compounds are relatively rare. The kidney is the primary target organ for toxicity from prolonged low-level exposure to cadmium. No causal relationship has been established between cadmium exposure and human cancer, although a possible link between cadmium and prostate cancer has been indicated. Cadmium has been shown to be teratogenic in rats, hamsters, and mice, but no such effects have been proven in humans. Cadmium has been reported to increase the frequency of chromosomal aberrations in cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells and in human peripheral leukocytes. The major concern about environmental cadmium is the potential effects on the general population. There is no substantial evidence of hazard from current levels of cadmium in air, water, or food. However, because cadmium is a cumulative poison and because present intake provides a relatively small safety margin, there are adequate reasons for concern over possible future increases in background levels.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Cincinnati Univ., Ohio (USA); Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio (USA). Health Effects Research Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- OSTI ID:
- 7024743
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/EIS-106; EPA-600/1-78-026; TRN: 78-015004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
CADMIUM
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
LAND POLLUTION
WATER POLLUTION
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CHROMOSOMAL ABERRATIONS
CHRONIC INTAKE
FOOD CHAINS
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
MAN
MICROORGANISMS
MUNICIPAL WASTES
PLANTS
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
TOXICITY
BIOMASS
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
INTAKE
MAMMALS
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
MUTATIONS
POLLUTION
PRIMATES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SOLID WASTES
VERTEBRATES
WASTES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)