Environmental Effects Of Cadmium

From the data given of the measured amounts of cadmium given at each stations along Cruddy Creek, there were extremely higher concentration levels, 430 mg/kg dry weight total of cadmium from stations F, G, and H, upstream in comparison to a total combined amount of 315mg/kg dry weight of cadmium from stations A, B, C, D, E, and the reference sites. Thus, the following locations have been identified as potential sources responsible for the distribution of cadmium into Cruddy Creek; Atlas Batteries, Metal Plater, and Pacific Coal & Electric power plant due to their relevant histories and proximities to the increased amounts of cadmium.

Sulfide mines extract copper, nickel, and other metals, but they have a bad history. The Mount Polley Copper Mine in Canada went wrong, causing the public to pay $500 million. There is a 100% track record of pollution for sulfide mines, which means that the public had to pay each time a mine failed. No sulfide mine has ever operated without polluting nearby bodies of water. Pollution isn’t predicted. The Mount Polley Copper Mine assured people that there was no pollution, yet the drinking water became undrinkable, rivers became toxic, and hundreds of millions of people’s money was wasted. Wildlife

Currently, I am working on an independent research project with Dr. Barbara Fishel regarding the possibility of reducing the toxicity levels of certain widespread chemicals that lead to deadly cancers and diseases. I am trying to replicate the effects on Cadmium on the human body by using Zinc on fruit flies and looking at effects on reproduction and behavior. Once I understand the effects of Zinc as well as how that is similar and different to the effects of Cadmium, I plan to find ways to reduce the toxicity of Cadmium. This independent study has instilled a lot of beneficial qualities in me. One of the most important would have to be focusing on the process rather than the goal. In the classroom, my primary focus is the goal partly due to

Cancer can be caused from occupational exposure to cadmium. Flu like symptoms can be caused from acute inhalation exposure and can damage the lungs. Kidney, bone, and lung disease can be caused from chronic exposure. According to OSHA the primary health effects which has been observed are lung cancer and kidney damage (osha.gov).

Cadmium is a naturally occurring element that occurs in the earth’s crust and water and is released into the atmosphere through fossil fuel combustion, waste incineration and metal production. It is commonly found as a mineral combined with various elements such as chlorine, sulfur, and oxygen. Most rocks, soil, mineral and coal fertilizers contain cadmium. The element enters the environment through the action of rain and wind and mining operation. Volcanoes and forest fires release cadmium into the air. When humans consume cadmium, it can cause severe stomach irritation and be the cause of diarrhea and vomiting. Inhaling high levels of cadmium damages lungs and causes death, and is a cancer-causing agent. Humans are exposed to this element

Deprivation of accepted resources is perhaps one of the lethal lapses mankind has ever prepared in its voyage of progress and civilization. All the natural resources are contaminated with lethal lapses. Among them the land and water resources are worst affected and under continuous stress with both biotic and abiotic, due to anthropogenic interventions. If we talk about the soul of infinite life i.e., SOIL then it seems to appear the primary recipient by design or accident of a myriad of waste products and chemicals used in modern society. Soil contamination can be defined as the, addition of any substance to soil that may exert adverse effects on its functioning and capacity to yield a crop. Contamination of heavy metal is of special worry

Rajeswari and Sailaja (2014), stated that cadmium exposure is a development in the first twentieth century, and forward. In Japan in 1910, the Mitsui Mining and Smelting Company began discharging Cd (atomic number 48) into the Jinzugawa stream, as a byproduct of mining operations. Residents within the close region later consumed rice that contain Cd contaminated irrigation water. It contributed to some illness such as softening of the bones and nephrosis.

Moss samples at both sites generally follow the pattern of elements found in the corresponding soils. At Bwlch mine, the highest concentrations of Pb, Zn and Mg were all found at site 7, next to the mine building, on areas of fine grained tailings. The concentration of Pb in particular shows that some of the more immobile toxic elements are bioavailable to plants.

Throughout reading the introduction I learned that Cadmium is a soft silver-white metal found naturally in the earth’s crust. It is a significant environmental health hazard in adulthood due to mainly smoking because of the high content found in tobacco. When exposed to cadmium adults are at risk of their kidneys, bones, and lungs being affected also resulting in

Heavy metals are not removed from the environment because of the toxic nature of some organic materials and include a class of stable and non - biodegradable pollutants. These elements enter the environment as a result of natural activities such as volcanic eruptions and human activities such as mining and producing industrial waste waters, urban sewage, and some pesticides and could find their ways into the food

Copper is an important material in the electrical industry. In the electrical industry, copper is used as the electrical conductor in wires. It is the most used conductor for wiring because it is the most conductive non-precious metal. Copper is used in most wires for any different types of wiring. Copper mining is a threat to the environment and humans. Copper is dug from mines that are located in Chile, Mexico, and the United States (Reference.com/science). These countries have the largest copper mines in the world. The mining and refining process for copper produces harmful chemicals such as sulfuric acid and sulphur dioxide (Sara Dudgeon, Copper Mining from the Ground Up, 2009). Sulfuric acid and sulphur dioxide are very damaging to the

The toxicity of heavy metals in soil is an environmental problem that affecting humans and ecosystems. Heavy metal contamination is a rising problem in Birmingham, Alabama. Local neighborhoods and communities in Birmingham, Alabama are victims of the heavy metal pollutants. The

Soils naturally contain small amounts of poisonous minerals such as mercury, aluminum, and cadmium. Normally, these minerals do not cause serious problems, but as the acidity of the soil increases, chemical reactions allow the minerals to be absorbed by the plants. The plants are damaged and any animals that eat the plants

Phytoremediation is the process by which plants and trees are used to remove or stabilize hazardous pollutants that exist in soil, sediments, surface water or groundwater. The EPA (environmental protection agency) estimates that more than 30,000 sites in the U.S. are in need of environmental treatment, and a great number of these sites are contaminated with highly toxic metals. Abandoned or under-used commercial and industrial facilities, termed as “brownfields,” are a major contributor to this environment concern. “Brownfields” pose significant health risks to nearby residential populations and threaten the plant and animal life close to them. Phytoremediation provides a very

Heavy metal concentrations in the soil samples taken from each of the six sampling sites are shown in Table 1. A clear gradient of element concentrations in the soils was observed among the study sites, especially for Cd. Metal concentration varied significantly among sample sites; Cd (H = 16.596, p = 0.005) had the highest significant differences among the sites, whereas Zn (H = 15.409, p = 0.009) had the lowest significant differences. Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn in the soils from S1, S2, and S3 (distances of 1–2 km from the industrial area) were 4–35 times, 7–27 times, 2–6 times, and 3–6 times higher than those from S4, S5, and S6 (distances of 4–10 km from the industrial area), respectively (U test, p ≤ 0.05). Cadmium concentration ranged from a low of 1.9 mg/kg (S6) to a high of 67.5 mg/kg (S1), Pb concentration ranged from a low of 6.0 mg/kg (S6) to a high of 160.2 mg/kg (S1), Cu concentration ranged from a low of 51.3 mg/kg (S4) to a high of 292.0 mg/kg (S1), and Zn concentration ranged from a low of 98.2 mg/kg (S6) to a high of 605.0 mg/kg (S2). Pollution zones with high metal concentrations in soil and biota are often found near industrial areas (Dudka et al. 1996). It should be noted that the predominant wind direction in our study area is northerly, resulting in comparatively high levels of soil contamination in areas south of the industrial complex. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, and Zn in the highly polluted sites exceeded the threshold values (3 mg/kg for