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Assessing the risk from environmental cadmium exposure
1North Birmingham Health Authority, Birmingham Communicable Disease Unit.
Background:
Previous soil surveys by Environmental Health Officers had found high soil cadmium (Cd) concentrations in gardens next to a battery factory in Worcestershire. This study was set up to determine whether this had resulted in high Cd levels in the blood and urine of local residents.
Methods:
A sample of residents (n = 39) living next to the factory were matched by age and sex to employees of North Worcestershire Health Authority. A questionnaire was used to determine potential Cd exposure. The levels of Cd in blood, urine and garden soil were measured.
Results:
None of the members of the study group had a blood or urine Cd concentration above the levels estimated to cause harm. Only one member of the comparison group, but all members of the study group, had soil in their gardens with a Cd concentration above the recommended level. Adjusting for smoking status and other confounders by using logistic regressional analysis showed that being in the study group did not confer a greater risk of having an elevated blood or urine Cd concentration. The greatest influence on Cd concentrations was a current smoking habit.
Conclusions:
No evidence was found to show that the high soil cadmium concentrations had adversely affected the health of local residents. Specific issues raised during the implementation of this study were the resource implications of assessing environmental exposure and the difficulties in recruiting the study group. Health Authorities and local government need to be fully aware of similar problems they might encounter before investigating a potential environmental health hazard.