Cadmium is a heavy metal with a shiny bluish-white appearance and a soft texture. It is used in various industries, such as galvanization, alkaline battery production, and pigment manufacturing. Cadmium can enter the body through the respiratory and digestive systems. Because it is slowly eliminated from the body, cadmium can accumulate over many years, causing harmful effects on multiple organ systems.
What are the dangers of cadmium to the body?
When cadmium is absorbed at harmful levels, it can cause the following symptoms:
- Abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Muscle, joint, and bone pain; brittle bones
- Cough, sore throat, chest pain, breathing difficulty, pneumonia
- Nephritis, kidney failure, urinary tract stones
- Anemia
- Headache, loss of smell
- Increased risk of infertility
- Higher risk of cancers such as kidney, prostate, and lung cancer
Long-term accumulation of cadmium in the body can damage multiple organs and lead to “Itai-itai disease,” first identified in Japan. Patients experience bone pain, brittle and deformed bones—especially in the spine—yellow bands on teeth, fatigue, weight loss, chronic cough, anemia, and kidney failure, which can be life-threatening.
How is cadmium toxicity treated?
- Supportive care – Treat symptoms and prevent complications such as kidney failure and respiratory failure.
- Specific therapy – In acute poisoning, intravenous agents such as calcium disodium edetate (CaNa₂EDTA) may be considered to chelate cadmium and help reduce toxicity.
How can we protect ourselves from cadmium?
- Avoid direct contact with cadmium.
- Limit time spent in areas with cadmium contamination.
- Avoid food and water sourced from cadmium-contaminated areas.
- Do not use containers that may contain cadmium.
- Avoid smoking.
- If you must enter areas with airborne cadmium, wear an appropriate toxic-substance respirator.
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