Determinants of serum cadmium levels in a Northern Italy community: A cross-sectional study.
Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal and a serious environmental hazard to humans. Some uncertainties still exist about major sources of Cd exposure in non-occupationally exposed subjects in addition to cigarette smoking, such as diet and outdoor air pollution. We sought to determine the influence of these sources on a biomarker of exposure, serum Cd concentration.



We recruited 51 randomly selected residents from an Italian urban community, from whom we obtained detailed information about dietary habits and smoking habits, and a blood sample for serum Cd determination. We also assessed outdoor air Cd exposure, by modeling outdoor air levels of particulate matter ≤10µm (PM10) from motorized traffic at geocoded subjects' residence.



In crude analysis, regression beta coefficients for dietary Cd, smoking and PM10 on serum Cd levels were 0.03 (95% CI -0.83 to 0.88), 6.96 (95% CI -0.02 to 13.95) and 0.62 (95% CI -0.19 to 1.43), respectively. In the adjusted analysis, regression beta coefficients were -0.34 (95% CI -1-40 to 0.71), 5.81 (95% CI -1.43 to 13.04) and 0.47 (95% CI -0.35 to 1.29), respectively.



Cigarette smoking was the most important factor influencing serum Cd in our non-occupationally exposed population, as expected, while dietary Cd was not associated with this biomarker. Outdoor air pollution, as assessed through exposure to particulate matter generated by motorized traffic, was an additional source of Cd exposure.
CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Section of Public Health - Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Tommaso
T
Filippini
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany.
Bernhard
B
Michalke
CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Section of Public Health - Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Carlotta
C
Malagoli
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie GmbH, Berlin, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany.
Peter
P
Grill
CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Section of Public Health - Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Ilaria
I
Bottecchi
CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Section of Public Health - Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy.
Marcella
M
Malavolti
IREN, Reggio Emilia and Piacenza, Italy.
Luciano
L
Vescovi
Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezia 1, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Sabina
S
Sieri
Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Venezia 1, 20133 Milan, Italy.
Vittorio
V
Krogh
TerrAria s.r.l., Via Melchiorre Gioia 132, 20125 Milan, Italy.
Andrea
A
Cherubini
TerrAria s.r.l., Via Melchiorre Gioia 132, 20125 Milan, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Maffeis
Local Health Unit of Modena, Modena, Italy.
Marina
M
Modenesi
Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
Paolo
P
Castiglia
CREAGEN, Environmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center, Section of Public Health - Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 287, 41125 Modena, Italy. Electronic address: marco.vinceti@unimore.it.
Marco
M
Vinceti
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000097:blood*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000032:analysis*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D002104:Cadmium
Cadmium; Cross-sectional study; Exposure; Serum