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Cadmium

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Heavy Metals in Soils

Part of the book series: Environmental Pollution ((EPOL,volume 22))

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) is naturally present in soils at concentrations 0.1–1 mg Cd kg−1. Cadmium is readily available for uptake by food crops and food chain contamination with Cd from contaminated soil has led to effects on kidney functioning in humans, even reaching fatal levels in subsistence farmers who consumed rice from a contaminated area in Japan. Diffuse Cd sources, notably P-fertilisers and atmospheric depositions have increased soil Cd concentrations by about 0.1–0.3 mg Cd kg−1 above pre-industrial levels and actions have been taken worldwide to limit Cd emissions or Cd exposure to humans. Emissions of Zn–Cd smelters have been cut in numerous places but residual soil Cd contamination is still present. Cadmium retention in soil is controlled by sorption reactions and soil pH is the main determinant. Soil Cd availability for crop uptake varies by about a factor 10 among soils and generally increases 1.5-fold by decreasing soil pH with one unit. Crops differ in Cd uptake and hard wheat and potatoes have a considerable impact on the dietary Cd intake. Contrasting views exist on the food chain risk of Cd as both soil Cd and food Cd bioavailability may have been larger in the Japanese case study than in the general environment. In Europe, a generic Cd risk assessment in 2007 led to the conclusion that risk cannot be excluded for the general population environmentally exposed to Cd. However, limits on P fertilisers, as main determinants of Cd emissions, are not yet in place.

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  1. Division Soil and Water Management, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 20, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Erik Smolders & Jelle Mertens

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  1. Erik Smolders
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Correspondence to Erik Smolders .

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  1. Department of Soil Science, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, RG6 6DW, United Kingdom

    Brian J. Alloway

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Smolders, E., Mertens, J. (2013). Cadmium. In: Alloway, B. (eds) Heavy Metals in Soils. Environmental Pollution, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4470-7_10

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