Exposure and accumulation of cadmium in populations from Japan, the United States, and Sweden

Abstract

Studies were carried out in Japan, United States, and Sweden regarding comparability of analytical methods for cadmium, daily intake of cadmium via food, daily amount of cadmium in feces, concentrations of cadmium in different tissues and the body burden of cadmium, urinary excretion of cadmium and cadmium concentrations in blood. It was found that the cadmium intake via food among adults is about 35 mug/day in Japan (Tokyo) and about 17 mug/day in the U.S. (Dallas) and Sweden (Stockholm). It varies with age in a way similar to calorie intake. Body burden increases rapidly with age. The half-time of cadmium is longer in muscles than in liver or kidneys. In the cross-sectional population samples studied (smokers and nonsmokers mixed) the average cadmium body burden at age 45 was about 21 mg in Japan, 9 mg in the U.S., and 6 mg in Sweden. Among nonsmokers in the U.S. and Sweden the body burden at age 45 was about 5-6 mg. The difference in average body burden for smokers and nonsmokers is explained by differences in smoking habits. Cadmium excretion in urine was closely correlated with body burden and about 0.005-0.01% of body burden is excreted daily in urine. Cadmium concentration in the blood was a good indicator of average recent intake over a 3-month period. Neither blood cadmium nor urine cadmium changed immediately after an increase of exposure level.

Lead and Cadmium Co-exposure Mediated Toxic Insults on Hepatic Steroid Metabolism and Antioxidant System of Adult Male Rats

“…Also the distribution pattern obtained in the current study demonstrated that Cd is more retained in liver than Pb, when both the metals given individually. This observation supports the fact that the Cd halflife in human body is more than 30 years [32]. The decreased activity of catabolizing enzyme could also be attributed to decreased availability of steroids.…”

Levels of Cadmium in Kidney and Liver Tissues Among a Canadian Population (Province of Quebec)

“…However, in the already mentioned international study (Vahter, 1982), the exposed and past-exposed to nonexposed to smoking ratio was 1.1 for Japan compared to 4.1 in our study. The smokers to nonsmokers ratio was 4.94 in the present study as compared to 2.0 in the United States (Kowal et al, 1979;Kjellström, 1979). Thus, the hypothesis that a factor other than the sole cadmium content in cigarette is responsible for the discrepancy, as was observed, is a more important mechanism for blood cadmium contamination (Benedetti et al, 1994;Rey et al, 1997).…”

“…However, the most striking data obtained from a Canadian population were those of Le Baron et al (1977), with levels greater than any other reported in the world at this time, with the exception of data from Japan (Kjellström, 1979). Some explanations for these elevated concentrations of cadmium in kidney may include the extreme care exercised in the selection of cortex and medulla samples, and the distribution of age groups; although age extremes were 10 to 85 yr, most of the subjects were in the group age 30-69 yr (82%), with 60% of this last section falling in the age group 50-59 yr where maximal cadmium concentration is expected.…”

Determination of Cadmium and Lead in Different Cigarette Brands in Jordan

“…Cadmium can enter the body through tobacco smoking, diet, drinking water, and inhaling it from the air. Small amounts of Cd taken over many years may cause kidney damage and fragile bones, since Cd is mainly stored in bone, liver and kidneys (Kjellström, 1979;Nriagu, 1981). Furthermore, Cd causes stomach irritation, vomitting, and diarrhoea.…”