Cigarette smoke, cadmium concentration

Muller G (1995) Cadmium Concentration in Tobacco of Popular Smoked Cigarettes in Germany 1978, 1985, and 1994 A Comparison. Naturwissenschaften 82 135... 

Lisk Cadmium in smoke particulates of regular and filter cigarettes containing low and high cadmium concentrations Bull. Env. Contam. Toxicol. 36 (1986) 150. 

The average normal daily intake via food is 10-20 pg in most countries. The highest cadmium concentrations are found in some basic foodstuffs such as wheat, rice, liver, kidney and certain seafoods. Drinking water and atmospheric exposure (1-10 ng/m ) are generally of minor importance. Smoking twenty cigarettes a day has been estimated to result in an inhalation of about 3 pg [67]. 

The cadmium concentration in umbilical cord blood of newborn children in the Maternity Hospital in Kikinda ranged from 0.0010 to 0.0079 pg/ml, with a mean value X = 0.00183 pg/ml. The number of samples analyzed was 31. In one case the concentration of cadmium in umbilical cord blood of newborn children was higher than the mean tabular values of cadmium concentration in blood of newborn children and blood of pregnant women (Lauwerys et al., 1978 Roels et al., 1978 WHO, 1992). Records show that this pregnant woman smoked a lot of cigarettes during her pregnancy. 

Cadmium Cadmium can enter the food chain and reside in the organs of animals such as the liver and kidney. Compared to other metals, it is more readily taken up by plants such as tobacco. As a result, cadmium in cigarettes can be a major nonoccupational source of exposure. One cigarette can contain 1 to 2 p,g and approximately 10% of the cadmium can be inhaled during smoking (Elinder et al. 1983). In ambient air in rural areas typical cadmium concentrations are 0.001 to 0.005 tg/m and up to 0.06 [Tg/m in urban areas (Kneip et al. 1970). Cadmium from diet and ambient air in North America and Europe has been estimated to be about 10 to 40 p,g/day (Goyer 1991). 

Human exposure mainly arises from combustion of fuels, plants, and waste, and consumption of adventitious cadmium present in food and water [83]. Humans and animals breathe cadmium-containing particles (mainly the oxide) and ingest cadmium complexes with their food and drinks. Cigarette smoking is a major route of uptake, whereas skin contact is not widespread owing to the natural dilution of cadmium, except for occupational settings. Dietary cadmium is more concentrated in some food items such as shellfish, offal, grains, and seeds. Some crops, such as rice, soybeans, or wheat, are more likely to accumulate cadmium firom polluted soils than others. 

Cadmium has an average concentration in the Earth s crust of 0.1-0.5 parts per million (ppm) [14]. It is a minor component in most zinc ores and is a zinc production by-product. Cadmium, which is naturally present in the environment, is sometimes emitted from factories. It can be transferred from the soil to the plants that we eat. As for plants, cadmium is taken up through their roots to the edible fruits and leaves. People are also exposed to cadmium when they consume contaminated animal food. In addition, cadmium is found in tobacco that is used in cigarettes. The largest single source of cadmium exposure for humans is tobacco smoke, especially because the lungs absorb this toxic element [14]. 

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