Preventing disease through healthy environments: exposure to cadmium: a major public health concern

Human exposure occurs mainly from consumption of contaminated food, active and passive inhalation of tobacco smoke, and inhalation by workers in a range of industries.3,7 National, regional and global actions are needed to decrease global environmental cadmium releases and reduce occupational and environmental exposure. [...] Sources of exposure to cadmium Cadmium can be released to the environment in a number of ways, including: • natural activities, such as volcanic activity (both on land and in the deep sea), weathering and erosion, and river transport; • human activities, such as tobacco smoking, mining, smelting and refining of non- ferrous metals,8 fossil fuel combustion, incineration of municipal waste (especial [...] Highest cadmium levels are found in the kidney and liver of mammals fed with cadmium-rich diets and in certain species of oysters, scallops, mussels and crustaceans. [...] Cigarette smoking can cause significant increases in the concentration of cadmium in the kidney, the main target organ for cadmium toxicity. [...] Products Inexpensive jewellery, toys and plastics can be significant sources of exposure to cadmium, especially for children; however, many countries have moved to restrict or ban cadmium in such products.14–15 World Health Organization (WHO) cadmium guidelines Provisional tolerable monthly intake The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/WHO Expert Committee on Food