Cadmium exposure

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulates the exposure to chemicals ia the workplace. From the poiat of view of the inorganic pigments iadustry, the limits estabUshed for lead and cadmium exposure are particularly important. A comprehensive lead standard adopted by OSHA ia 1978 has been successful ia reduciag the potential for lead contamination ia the workplace. 

Occupational Increased risk associated with cadmium exposure. 

Wedeen RP Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, East Orange, NJ Renal-hypertensive and cardiovascular effects of environmental lead, zinc, and cadmium exposure Department of Veterans Affairs Research and Development... 

ATSDR. 1995. Multisite lead and cadmium exposure study with biological markers incorporated. Atlanta, GA U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 

As an example, Table 4 provides environmental monitoring data for a subset of data from the Multisite Lead and Cadmium Exposure Study (ATSDR 1995). Default values are used for air and dietary lead. The data are input as described in equation 1 with suggested slope factors from Table 2. The resulting media-specific contributions to PbB, the range of predicted PbB levels, and the actual PbB levels are given in Table 5. 

Li Y, Huo X, Liu J, Peng L, Li W, Xu X (2010) Assessment of cadmium exposure for neonates in Guiyu, an electronic waste pollution site of China. Environ Monit Assess 177 343-351... 

One of the more sensitive indicators of cadmium exposure is the inhibition of non-thionein hepatic metal binding proteins inhibition was observed in juvenile bluegills (Lepomis macrochirus)... 

Laboratory studies with mice and rats have conclusively demonstrated that the injection of cadmium metal or salts causes malignancies (sarcoma) at the site of injection and testicular tumors. However, the simultaneous administration of zinc is protective against sarcoma and interstitial cell tumor development (USEPA 1980). In rats, no dose-related increases in tumors were found at maximum oral daily doses of 4.4 mg Cd/kg BW (USPHS 1993). Among humans, the available epidemiological evidence is not sufficient to conclude that cadmium is definitely implicated as a carcinogen (USEPA 1980 Nomiyama 1982), although cadmium exposure is associated with lung cancer in humans (Shimada et al. 1998). 

Thorp, J.H., J.P. Giesy, and S.A. Wineriter. 1979. Effects of chronic cadmium exposure on crayfish survival, growth, and tolerance to elevated temperatures. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 8 449-456. 

Panemangalore, M. 1993. Interaction among zinc, copper, and cadmium in rats effects of low zinc and copper diets and oral cadmium exposure. Jour. Trace Elem. Exper. Med. 6 125-139. 

Milhaud, G.E. and S. Mehannaoui. 1988. Indicators of lead, zinc and cadmium exposure in cattle I. Results in a polluted area. Veterin. Human Toxicol. 30 513-517. 

Sarasua, S.M. et al., Serum immunoglobulins and lymphocyte subset distribution in children and adults living in communities assessed for lead and cadmium exposure, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health 60, 1, 2000. 

Zelikoff, J.T. et al., Immunotoxicology of low level cadmium exposure in fish An alternative animal model for immunotoxicological studies, J. Toxicol. Environ. Health, 45, 235, 1995. 

Baranski, B. (1986). Effect of maternal cadmium exposure on postnatal development and tissue cadmium, copper and zinc concentrations in rats. Arch. Toxicol., 58, 255-60. 

Other consequences of cadmium exposure are anemia, eosinophilia, yellow discoloration of the teeth, rhinitis, occasional ulceration of the nasal septum, damage to the olfactory nerve, and anosmia. ... 

Cadmium is a widely distributed metal used in manufacturing and is present in a number of consumer products. Dietary exposure to cadmium is possible from shellfish and plants grown on cadmium-contaminated soils. Absorption is increased when associated with low levels of iron or calcium in the diet. Some plants, such as tobacco, can concentrate cadmium from even low levels in the soil. The lung readily absorbs cadmium, thus cigarette smokers have elevated cadmium exposure. Cadmium is also used as a metal alloy, in paint, and in batteries (Ni-Cad, nickel-cadmium). Workplace exposure can occur in welding and battery manufacture. 

These proteins are important for binding potentially toxic metals such as cadmium, mercury, and lead, which all bind to sulfydryl groups. Consequently, the binding and removal of these metals are protective functions. Metallothioneins are markedly induced by cadmium exposure and the small protein, rich in SH groups, can then sequester the metal. They also may have a protective role in oxidative stress and protect redox-sensitive processes. The protein also has a role in cadmium nephrotoxicity (see chap. 7). 

In Febmary 1990 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration lU.S.) published a report llrat summarizes the history of cadmium regulation, studies of health problems, and risk calculations for cancer, kidney damage, and other disorders. This report represents a formal step toward implementation of stricter limits on cadmium exposure in the workplace. Some authorities admit that considerably more research is required. 

Chrestensen CA, Starke DW, Mieyal JJ. 2000. Acute cadmium exposure inactivates thioltransferase (Glutaredoxin), inhibits intracellular reduction of protein-glutathio-nyl-mixed disulfides, and initiates apoptosis. J Biol Chem 275 26556-26565. 

OSHA also requires biomonitoring of workers for cadmium exposure. Medical surveillance is required for all workers if their urine concentration of cadmium exceeds 3 pg/g creatinine, the Beta-2 microglobulin exceeds 300 pg/g creatinine, or the cadmium in whole blood exceeds 5 pg/liter (29 CFR 1910.1027 [2005]). 

Acute pulmonary symptoms of cadmium exposure are usually caused by the inhalation of cadmium oxide dusts and fumes, which results in cadmium pneumonitis, characterized by edema... 

Cadmium exposure produces kidney damage and hypertension. 

Rijstenbil, J.W., and Wijnholds, J.A. (1996) HPLC analysis of nonprotein thiols in planktonic diatoms pool size, redox state and response to copper and cadmium exposure. Mar. Biol. 127, 45-54. 

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