Cadmium is a chemical element that is used in steel production to prevent corrosion of the steel.  It has also been used with other elements to stabilize plastic and for pigmentation in the manufacturing process. Cadmium is also found in industrial paints. Cadmium is a found in the mining of zinc ore and is a byproduct of zinc production.  The use of cadmium in manufacturing has decreased over the years with the exception of solar panels and rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.

The use of other materials and the toxicity of cadmium have contributed to the phasing out of this element in manufacturing.  Cadmium is bluish in color and resistant to corrosion.  It is insoluble in water and not flammable so it became a popular element to coat materials made from other metals.  Although cadmium and compounds made with cadmium were found to be toxic in certain forms it was approved for use as cadmium iodide to treat enlarged joints and diseased glands in the early twentieth century.  In the 1980s and 1990s the application of cadmium declined due to environmental and health regulations put in place.

When absorbed by the human body, cadmium is found in high concentrations in the kidneys. This may lead to renal failure.  Exposure to cadmium is usually through inhalation in the work place of fine dust or fumes.  This can lead to fever, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, and death.  Some symptoms of cadmium exposure are irritation of the nose and throat, headache, dizziness, cough, fever, chills and chest pain. Some common methods of exposure are through phosphate fertilizers, iron and steel production, cement production, municipal waste incineration and fossil fuel combustion.  Smoking tobacco is also a major source of exposure to cadmium.  People who smoke cigarettes have, on average, a concentration of cadmium in the blood four to five times higher than non-smokers. Another result of cadmium exposure can be hypertension and can lead to cardiovascular disease.  Sandblasting or scraping of industrial paints may pose a risk of cadmium exposure.

(To Be Continued)