Rocky wrote:Mikado wrote:
Cad might enter through the lungs but the biggest side effect is neurological. I used to spin cast alloys that contained cad and used a vent hood over the furnace and wore a breather when melting and spinning.
I think I am going to have to disagree with you Mikado on Cadmium exposure. If you check the ATSDR Toxicological Profile, you will find that the predominate effects from Cadmium to be lung related. This is particularly true for inhalation.
ATSDR does discuss some related neurological exposure, however, the lungs will be destroyed long before the neurological effects become serious. I have attached a link to the ATSDR site with the information.
Incidentally, a single acute exposure of cadmium can result in lung related death years after the event. That is what initially which led me to post.
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp5-c2.pdf
Rocky
Rocky,
I never said you were wrong.
I was referencing the inhalation of fumes whether it be from welding or the melting of Zinc/cad alloys or cad plated steel. The inhalation of the fumes, if acute, cause flu-like symptoms and yes, you are correct, if the acuteness is severe enough pulmonary edema will occur and may cause death from asphyxia. However, continued long term exposure to cad will usually show up in the kidneys with excessive protein being voided. It also can lead to lung cancer (there's the lungs again) and prostate cancer. However, repeated, low level, long term exposure can cause repeated flu-like symptoms, kidney disease and neurological disorders. Anyway, I could be totally wrong cause I am reaching way up from where the sun don't shine and pulling it down and out from brain, in other words, it is what I remember and my memory, lately....what was I saying?
Anyhow, ever smell burning cad from welding? Smells like chicken cooking. How comes everything always smells or tastes like chicken? And if you can taste your filings in your mouth, if you have any, get out.
Mikado
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy