CADMIUM: AN INTRODUCTIONAshley Holland

OUTLINE

Introduction Recognition Evaluation Control Summary & Conclusion

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

What is cadmium? Soft and malleable Bluish-white Metal

Where is cadmium found? Naturally occurring Zinc smelting Greenockite (Cadmium sulfide)

THE HISTORY OF CADMIUM

Apothecaries in Germany would make zinc oxide using cadmia (zinc carbonite)

Discovered in 1817 by Freidrich Stromeyer, when he researched the discoloration of the melted cadmia

Karl Meissner and Mark Karsten also made the same discoveries as Freidrich Stromeyer in 1817

Cadmium was named after the mineral cadmia Brown oxide + Carbon = Cadmium

MODERN APPLICATIONS OF CADMIUM

Mostly obtained from zinc byproducts from smelting The #1 use is for nickel-cadmium batteries

Better performance than most other batteries

Used in pigments, stabilizers, and coatings Pigments: withstand high temperatures and pressures without fading Stabilizers: slow down the degradation of polyvinylchloride (PVC) Coatings: used as plating on steel; does not corrode easily

About 25,000 tons of cadmium is released into the environment each year

Approximately 17,500 tons are released into rivers

IMPORTANT PROPERTIES OF CADMIUM

Inorganic substance; natural substance Odorless Highly resistant to corrosion Burns in powdered form Corrosive fumes Toxic and Carcinogenic Teratogenic

CADMIUM EXPOSURE

Cadmium is used in many industries because of its properties Manufacturing & Construction are the primary industries

Approximately 30,000 workers are exposed to cadmium (U.S.) The general public can also be exposed to cadmium

Drinking Water Air Cigarette Smoke Food (introduced via agricultural soils)

OSHA VS. CADMIUM

OSHA PEL/Action Level: General Industry 1910.1027 (c): Five micrograms per cubic meter of air 1910.1027 (b): Two and a half micrograms per cubic meter of air

Other industries such as shipyards, construction, and agriculture have separate standards, but their OSHA PELs/Action Levels were the same

Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH): NIOSH Set at nine milligrams per cubic meter

TOXICOLOGY PROFILE OF CADMIUM

Cadmium is highly toxic and is a known carcinogen

Attacks the body’s systems Cardiovascular Renal Gastrointestinal Neurological Reproductive Respiratory

Routes of exposure Inhalation Ingestion Dermal Exposure

Symptoms Include: Nausea and vomiting Stomach cramps Shortness of breath Kidney damage Fragile bones Swelling (nose and throat) Death

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY ON CADMIUM

Researchers noted that workers who are exposed to cadmium have higher rates for lung and prostate cancer

Study was conducted on manufacturing workers Weak statistical relationship between the cancers and

cadmium A relationship between cancer and cadmium exposure

exists in those who have also been exposed to arsenic

EVALUATING CADMIUM

Cadmium samples are collected as air samples Sample Equipment

37-mm diameter filter cassette Contains cellulose mixed ester membrane filter

Recommended air volume and sampling rate: 960 L at 2.0 L/min

Samples are diluted and analyzed using either flame atomic absorbent spectroscopy or flameless atomic absorbent spectroscopy

CONTROLLING CADMIUM EXPOSURE

ELIMINATION SUBSTITUTION ENGINEERING CONTROLS

Ventilation Isolation

ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROLS Implement worker-rotation Employee training No smoking, eating, drinking, etc. around cadmium

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Safety goggles Breathing protection such as a respirator

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

Cadmium is a naturally occurring metal, found mostly by smelting zinc The use of cadmium will most likely increase because of its beneficial

properties Lightweight and able to withstand high/low temperatures and pressure Does not corrode easily

Exposure to cadmium affects several systems of the body Known carcinogen Samples are collected using the air sampling methods Analysis of samples require spectroscopy The best way to reduce cadmium exposure is to eliminate/substitute it

completely

REFERENCES

http://www.cadmium.org/cadmium-applicationshttp://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/48/cadmiumhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxguides/toxguide-5.pdfhttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/substances/toxsubstance.asp?toxid=15http://www.dguv.de/medien/ifa/en/pub/ada/pdf_en/aifa0049e.pdfhttps://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10035https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/cadmium/http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/elements/cd.htmhealth.cvs.com/GetContent.aspx?token=f75979d3-9c7c-4b16-af56-3e122a3f19e3&chunkiid=120796#symptomshttp://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/csem/cadmium/docs/cadmium.pdfhttps://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10040http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0020.html