Cadmium levels in Europe: implications for human health.
In this study we used the Forum of European Geological Surveys geochemical baseline data to examine the distribution of cadmium (Cd) in Europe, with a particular reference to the international soil and water guideline values. The highest cadmium levels were found to occur in topsoil and to follow closely the distribution of P(2)O(5), suggesting that the contamination was from the use of rock phosphate fertilizer in intensive arable agriculture. In terms of human health impacts, food (up to several hundred microg/day) was found as the only major route of exposure to Cd for the non-smoking general population. It appeared that low levels of chronic exposure to Cd resulted in completely different human health impacts than those high levels that had caused the 'itai-itai' disease. Some correlations were suggested between cadmium levels and the age-adjusted prostate or breast cancer rates distributed in the European countries under study.
Pan
Jilang
J
Imperial College London, London, UK.
Plant
Jane A
JA
Voulvoulis
Nikolaos
N
Oates
Christopher J
CJ
Ihlenfeld
Christian
C
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005843:Geography; D015386:Hazardous Substances / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry; D012987:Soil / Q000032:analysis; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D015386:Hazardous Substances; D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012987:Soil; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium
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