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 [3] Management: - prevention is the key to managing cadmium exposure - no effective treatment for cadmium toxicity exists

General

toxicity; poisoning; overdose

References

Cadmium Occupational Safery & Health Administration http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/cadmium/index.html
Case Studies in Environmental Medicine Cadmium Toxicity Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/cadmium/
ARUP Consult: Trace Minerals - Deficiency and Toxicity The Physician's Guide to Laboratory Test Selection & Interpretation https://www.arupconsult.com/content/trace-minerals

Contents

Search