cadmium toxicity

Epidemiology

• commonly found in industrial workplaces
  • used in electroplating
  • deaths have occurred among welders who have welded on cadmium-containing alloys or worked with silver solders
  • aerosolized cadmium may be hazzardous
    • industrial paints containing cadmium when sprayed
    • removal of cadmium paints by scraping or blasting
  • cadmium is present in the manufacture of some types of batteries
• cadmium emits a characteristic brown fume (cadmium oxide, CdO) upon heating,
• cadmium oxide is relatively non-irritating, thus does not alarm the exposed individual
• food is the major source of cadmium for the general public
• cadmium has no nutritional value

Pathology

• smoking tobacco adds to the burden of cadmium exposure
• nutritional deficiencies can increase the risk of cadmium toxicity.
• chronic cadmium exposure primarily affects the kidneys & secondarily the bones
• acute inhalation of fumes containing cadmium affects the lungs

Laboratory

• cadmium in specimen
  • cadmium in air
  • cadmium in water
  • cadmium in hair
  • cadmium in nail
  • cadmium in tissue
  • cadmium in erythrocytes
  • cadmium in body fluid
    • cadmium in CSF
    • cadmium in blood
    • cadmium in serum/plasma
    • cadmium in urine

* also see ARUP consult

Management

• prevention is the key to managing cadmium exposure
• no effective treatment for cadmium toxicity exists

More general terms

• toxicity; poisoning; overdose

Additional terms

• cadmium [Cd]