Cadmium can be found in pigments and paints and antirust coating on ferrous metals. Acute cadmium poisoning may result from ingestion of cadmium salts or from inhalation of fumes from the heating of cadmium coated metal. In adults most cases are associated with occupational exposure, e.g. battery manufacture and smelting, and cadmium poisoning is a notifiable industrial disease. Once in the body cadmium is largely bound in erythrocytes, therefore, it is important that the concentrations in whole blood are measured. Cadmium poisoning causes nausea and vomiting and severe abdominal colic.
Tobacco is a significant source of cadmium and cigarette smokers have raised blood and tissue cadmium concentrations and heavy smoking (2 packs per day) can result in a significant accumulation over 20 years.
Cadmium is one of the most persistent poisons known with a biological half-life of 7 and 30 years in the liver and kidney respectively. Thus urine cadmium may be low even with exposure because of accumulation with the kidney and eventual renal damage may ensue.

Whole blood anticoagulated with EDTA is the preferred specimen, but lithium heparin is also suitable. Serum or plasma is not suitable.

Click here for HSE Cadmium Leaflet.

Additional information on whole blood cadmiumand its clinical use can be found here: whole blood cadmium.

ICE requesting info:	ICE panel name	ICE page name	Column	Comment\Advice
	Chem / Haem	Nutrit & Metab	1

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