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Cadmium Risk Assessment

Cadmium is a naturally occurring heavy metal that can cause adverse health effects when exposure levels are too high. It is found in soil, rocks, water, and certain foods. Long term exposure can damage kidneys and increase risk of cancer while acute exposure causes flu-like symptoms. Workers in industries like welding face higher exposure risks. The general population's daily cadmium intake is below toxic levels but can be reduced further by limiting foods from cadmium-rich soils and avoiding tobacco smoke. Risk management focuses on limiting occupational and environmental exposures.

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149 views8 pages

Cadmium Risk Assessment

Cadmium is a naturally occurring heavy metal that can cause adverse health effects when exposure levels are too high. It is found in soil, rocks, water, and certain foods. Long term exposure can damage kidneys and increase risk of cancer while acute exposure causes flu-like symptoms. Workers in industries like welding face higher exposure risks. The general population's daily cadmium intake is below toxic levels but can be reduced further by limiting foods from cadmium-rich soils and avoiding tobacco smoke. Risk management focuses on limiting occupational and environmental exposures.

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Cadmium Risk Assessment

By: Sarah Wiggins

Environmental Pollution and Regulation (ENVL 3241)


FALL 2023
Risk Assessment Steps
Hazard Identification

The identification of biological, chemical and physical agents capable of causing adverse health
effects and which may be present in a particular food or group of foods

Information Collected*
Information
Needed

• Characteristics of
hazard • Characteristics

• Endpoints of • Naturally occurring element1


concern
• Found in soil and rocks, typically combined with oxygen, chlorine and
• Susceptible sulfur2
populations
• Found naturally in groundwater at low levels4
• Food • Cadmium metal and oxides are insoluble, however cadmium salts
and
other can dissolve in water3
source • Used in alkaline batteries, pigments, coatings, platings and plastic
s
consid stabilizer1
ered ● Cadmium bioaccumulates
• Incidence:
Outbreaks;
Sporadic
Cases;
Seasonality • Endpoints of Concern

• • Exposure to high levels can cause cadmium poisoning


• Susceptible populations
• People who work with or around cadmium1
• People living in areas with soil rich in cadmium3
• Smokers3
• Food and other sources

• Ingesting plant and animal foods, especially in areas with cadmium-rich


soil3
• Inhalation of tobacco smoke or fossil fuel smoke3,6
• Workplace exposure3
Hazard Characterization
The qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the nature of the adverse health effects associated
with biological, chemical and physical agents, which may be present in food and other routes of
exposure. For chemical agents, a dose-response assessment is performed. For biological or
physical agents, a dose-response assessment should be performed if the data are obtainable.

Information Collected*
Information
Needed

Dose-res
ponse ● The level at which cadmium exposure is immediately dangerous
curves is 9 mg/m3 7
Adjustm ● Acute effects of ingestion include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal
ent pain, and tenesmus6
factor(s) ● • Acute effects of inhalation are skin or eye irritation, chest pain,
coughing, shortness of breath, and pulmonary edema1, 6
Chemical RA ● • Long term effects include kidney dysfunction, lung cancer and prostate
cancer1,6
• Toxicity data ● 50 µg/kilogram (kg) body weight of cadmium is considered the
minimal amount ingested to cause symptoms
• Surveillance data

Exposure Assessment
The qualitative and/or quantitative evaluation of the likely intake of biological, chemical and physical
agents via food, as well as exposures from other sources if relevant. If necessary, the exposure
assessment may divided into four modules: Pre-Harvest, Harvest, Post-Harvest, and Consumption.
Information Collected*
Information
Needed

Chemical RA ● Water may contain 0.005 mg/L7


● 85 mg/kg is the limit of cadmium that can be applied to land7
Dietary ● 5 µg/m3 for fume exposure7
exposure of ● The tolerable weekly intake for humans is 7 μg/kg/body
chemicals
present in weight/week7
food, ● The average population is not exposed to dangerous levels of
consumption cadmium7
survey data, etc. ○ 1 x 10-3 mg/kg/day in food
○ 5 x 10-4 mg/kg/day of cadmium in water
Risk Characterization
The qualitative and/or quantitative estimation, including attendant uncertainties, of the probability of
occurrence and severity of known or potential adverse health effects in a given population based on
hazard identification, hazard characterization and exposure assessment.
Information Collected*
Information
Needed

• Number of
illnesses: per
serving and ● Cadmium toxicity is high in workers in professions such as welding,
per annum or demolition, electroplating, metal machining and other jobs which involve
illnesses from exposure to heavy metals8
exposure to ● Deaths may result from acute exposure to high levels of cadmium through
drinking
polluted water the air, though they are rare8
or inhaling ● Most deaths result from long term effects of cadmium toxicity such as
polluted air. cancer and bronchitis8
● It can be hard to determine the number of deaths or illnesses due to
• Severity of illness cadmium toxicity as it presents acutely with flu-like symptoms and in long
term illnesses like cancer6
•
Uncertain
ty and
variabilit
y
analysis

Risk Management or Risk


Mitigation

The process, distinct from risk assessment, of weighing policy alternatives, in consultation with all
interested parties, considering risk assessment and other factors relevant for the health protection of
consumers and for the promotion of fair trade practices, and, if needed, selecting appropriate
prevention and control options.
Information Collected*
Information
Needed
‘What-If’Scenari ● Because cadmium is found naturally in soil it is difficult to avoid
o: The followings
completely
are examples for
microbiological ● Limit consumption of foods known to have high levels of cadmium or
risk mitigation heavy metals such as rice, seafood, spinach and animal products2
● Avoid disturbing the soil in areas with high soil levels of cadmium
● Workers should employ safe work practices to limit exposure5
• 4.5-log 10
reduction (heat; ● Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke5
ultra high
pressure)

• 2-log
reduction
(freezing) 10
approximately

• 1-log 10
reduction
(immediate
cooling)

• Impact of
time-to-refrige
ration after
harvest

• Sample-based
control plan

Another scenario
maybe revision of
food safety
standards

*Note: Write all information collected in this column.


1. US Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2004).
Cadmium. Cadmium for PDF (osha.gov)
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Cadmium Factsheet. Cadmium
Factsheet | National Biomonitoring Program | CDC
3. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 2023. Cadmium Toxicity: What is
cadmium?. Cadmium Toxicity: What is Cadmium? | Environmental Medicine | ATSDR
(cdc.gov)
4. Minnesota Department of Health. (2014). Cadmium and Drinking Water. Cadmium and
Drinking Water Information Sheet - Minnesota Department of Health May 2014
(state.mn.us)
5. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2023). Cadmium Toxicity: How are
people exposed to cadmium? Cadmium Toxicity: How Are People Exposed to
Cadmium? | Environmental Medicine | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
6. Coelho, S. (2022). Cadmium Poisoning: Causes, Effects, and Treatment. Verywellhealth.
Cadmium Poisoning: Causes, Effects, and Treatment (verywellhealth.com)
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Cadmium Toxicity: What are U.S
standards for cadmium exposure?. Cadmium Toxicity: What Are the U.S. Standards for
Cadmium Exposure? | Environmental Medicine | ATSDR (cdc.gov)
8. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 1995. Environmental
Medicine: Integrating a Missing Element into Medical Education. Washington, DC: The
National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/4795.

Adopted from Dedi Fardiaz, FAO Risk Assessment Practical Training, India, 2013

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