Re Cadmium - A good reason to encourage supermarkets to set up battery bins etc?

[R.B.]

Cadmium mimicks oestradiol in BC.

An argument for getting supermarkets to set up battery collection points. I think high performance batteries have it in. Maybe somebody could clarify.

Thanks

RB



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q..._uids=10770491

1: Mol Endocrinol. 2000 Apr;14(4):545-53.Click here to read Links
Activation of estrogen receptor-alpha by the heavy metal cadmium.

* Stoica A,
* Katzenellenbogen BS,
* Martin MB.

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20007, USA.

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) mimics the effects of estradiol in estrogen-responsive breast cancer cell lines. To understand the mechanism by which cadmium activates estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-alpha), the ability of cadmium to bind to and activate wild-type and various mutants of ER-alpha was examined. When tested in transient cotransfection assays in COS-1 cells, cadmium concentrations as low as 10(-11) M activated ER-alpha. Scatchard analysis employing either purified human recombinant ER-alpha or extracts from ER-containing MCF-7 cells demonstrated that l09Cd binds to the ER with an equilibrium dissociation constant of approximately 4 to 5 x 10(-10) M. Cadmium also blocks the binding of estradiol to ER-alpha in a noncompetitive manner (K(i) = 2.96 x 10(-10) M), suggesting that the heavy metal interacts with the hormone-binding domain of the receptor. To study the role of the hormone-binding domain in cadmium activation, COS-1 cells were transiently cotransfected with GAL-ER, a chimeric receptor containing the DNA-binding domain of the transcription factor GAL4 and the hormone-binding domain of ER-alpha, and a GAL4-responsive reporter gene. Treatment of the transfected cells with either 10(-6) M cadmium or 10(-9) M estradiol resulted in a 4-fold increase in reporter gene activity. The effect of cadmium on the chimeric receptor was blocked by the antiestrogen, ICI-164,384, suggesting that cadmium activates ER-alpha through an interaction with the hormone-binding domain of the receptor. Transfection and binding assays with ER-alpha mutants identified C381, C447, E523, H524, and D538 as possible interaction sites of cadmium with the hormone-binding domain of ER-alpha.

PMID: 10770491 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Related Links

http://www.portfolio.mvm.ed.ac.uk/st...p29/cadtox.htm

METALS AS TOXINS
CADMIUM

Introduction

Cadmium has no essential biological function and is extremely toxic to humans. In chronic exposure, it also accumulates in the body, particularly in the kidneys and the liver 4, 13. These properties, along with its common useage (see below) make cadmium one of the commonest environmental metal poisonings. Acute poisoning from inhalation of fumes and ingestion of cadmium salts can also occur and at least one death has been reported from self-poisoning with cadmium chloride 1.
Sources

Cadmium has a wide variety of sources in the environment and from industry. One source is from ingestion of grown foodstuffs, especially grain and leafy vegetables, which readily absorb cadmium from the soil. The cadmium may occur naturally or as a contaminant and the contaminants include sewage sludge, fertilisers, polluted groundwater and mining effluents. Cadmium may also contaminate fish 8, 13.

Cadmium is also a constituent of alloys, pigments, batteries, metal coatings for example protective coatings on steel, plastics and fertilisers. Occupational exposure may occur from the manufacture of these products and from welding, and smelting of lead, zinc and copper as these occur in mixed ores with cadmium. Cadmium is also found in cigarette fumes (0.007 to 0.35 µg per cigarette) and fumes from vehicles. Residential sites may be contaminated by municipal waste or leaks from hazardous waste sites 1, 12, 13.
Toxicology

Humans have a daily intake of cadmium from ingestion and inhalation which is around 20 to 40 µg per day, but only 5 to 10% of this is absorbed 8. After absorbtion, cadmium is transported in the blood bound to albumin. It is taken up by the liver, and, due to its similarity to zinc, causes this organ to induce the synthesis of the protein metallotheionin (see Introduction, metallotheionin), to which it binds. The cadmium-metallotheionin complex then becomes transported to the kidneys, and it is filtered at the glomerulus, but is reabsorbed at the proximal tubule 1, 8. Within the renal tubular cells, the cadmium-MT complex becomes degraded by digestive enzymes, which releases the cadmium. Renal tubular cells deal with the release of this toxic substance by synthesising MT to neutralise it, but eventually the kidneys loose their synthetic capacity for MT. At this point, the cadmium has accumulated to a high level in the renal tubular cells, and irreversible cell damage occurs 1, 12. As can be seen above, the renal cells do not have an effective elimination pathway for the cadmium complex, which means that the half life in the kidney is between 15 and 30 years 1, 8.

The toxic effects of cadmium are due to its inhibition of various enzyme systems. Like similar heavy metals, it is able to inactivate enzymes containing sulphydryl groups and it can also produce uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria 4. Cadmium may also compete with other metals such as zinc and selenium for inclusion into metallo-enzymes and it may compete with calcium for binding sites on regulatory proteins such as calmodulin 8.
Clinical effects

The organs most affected by cadmium exposure are the kidneys and the lungs. As mentioned above, cadmium poisoning may be acute by ingestion or inhalation or the poisoning may be chronic at lower levels, which can cause kidney damage by the mechanism described above. In chronic exposure, cadmium accumulates in the body, particularly the kidneys and liver 4, 13.

An acute intake of cadmium causes testicular damage. Within a few hours of exposure, there is necrosis and degeneration of the testes with complete loss of spermatozoa. This is thought to be due to an effect on the blood supply to these organs, reducing the blood flow 4, 12. If the cadmium is inhaled, then severe lung irritation and damage (often called ‘fume fever’) occur. The patient displays pleuritic chest pain, dyspnoea, cyanosis, fever and tachycardia, and the pulmonary oedema which occurs may be life-threatening. Constitiutional symptoms also occur such as diarrhoea and malaise 4, 8, 12. Acute ingestion of cadmium produces severe gastrointestinal irritation, which is manifest as severe nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea. A lethal dose of cadmium for ingestion is estimated to be between 350 and 8900 milligrams 8.

The chronic effects of cadmium are dose-dependent and also depend on the route by which the metal enters the body. Chronic inhalation causes emphysema and obstructive airways disease, and these occur before kidney damage is seen 1, 8, 12. However, 20 years exposure may be needed before these effects are seen 13. Long term ingestion causes kidney damage, which is first seen as proteinuria and ß2microglobulinuria 8, 13. In prolonged cadmium exposure, disorders of calcium metabolism occur, causing osteomalacia 4, 8, 13. This leads to painful fractures, hence the name given to the chronic exposure disease in Japan: Itai-itai disease (literally "ouch!-ouch!" disease) 4, 8, 12. Cadmium is also known to be carcinogenic, and in studies has been linked with cancers in the lungs and prostate 8, 12, 13.
Treatment

At present, there is no effective treatment for cadmium intoxication, and patients are given supportive treatment according to their symptoms. However, it is thought that some of new chelating agents may be effective (see the Treatment section, particularly "chelating agents") 1.

Homepage

Introduction

Metals as toxins: Introduction, Arsenic, Iron, Lead, Manganese, Mercury, Nickel, Thallium, Tin, Others, Treatment, References.

Metals as diagnostic reagents

Metals as drugs

Metals in nutrition

Conclusions

Credits and homepages of SG29 group members

[R.B.]

79% into batteries
11% into pigments.

As a large amount of rubbish which includes batteries is buried or burnt I would be less confident than this article that batteries are safely disposed of and recycled.

Easy battery collection points and an understanding of the possible impact of cadmium on women might help. (the idea of frazzled testicles might get through to men as well !! - an image for a bin poster comes to mind - "An acute intake of cadmium causes testicular damage. Within a few hours of exposure, there is necrosis and degeneration of the testes with complete loss of spermatozoa." ok - it is an accute dosage but what is impact of low dosage?)

I suppose the potential of children having access should be considered too.

Any thoughts?.

RB


http://www.cadmium.org/introduction.html


INTRODUCTION


Cadmium is a naturally occurring metallic element, one of the components in the earth’s crust, and present everywhere in our environment. It was first discovered in Germany in 1817. The name is derived from the Latin cadmia and the Greek kadmeia.

Industrial applications for cadmium were first developed in the late 19th and early 20th Century. Cadmium-sulfide based pigments were used as early as 1850 and appeared prominently in the paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. Thomas A. Edison invented the first industrial nickel-cadmium batteries in the early part of the 20th century. The early significant industrial use of cadmium, however, was in cadmium coatings for the corrosion protection of steel.

Releases of cadmium to the environment from the manufacture of cadmium products are well controlled and, today, are insignificant contributors to human exposure to cadmium. Similarly, consumer use and disposal of cadmium-containing products, such as batteries, pigments and coatings, have been shown not to contribute significantly to increased human exposure to cadmium.

Cadmium is recognized to produce toxic effects on humans. Long-term occupational exposure can cause adverse health effects on the lungs and kidneys. Under normal conditions, adverse human health effects have not been encountered from general population exposure to cadmium. Potential risks have been extensively studied and are now tightly controlled.
Cadmium is natural

The naturally occurring presence of cadmium in the environment results mainly from gradual phenomena, such as rock erosion and abrasion, and of singular occurrences, such as volcanic eruptions.
Cadmium is therefore naturally present in air, water, soil and foodstuffs.

Natural cadmium levels in the environment
Atmosphere
0.1 to 5 ng/m³*
Earth's crust
0.1 to 0.5 µg/g
Marine sediment
~1 µg/g
Sea-water
~0.1 µg/l
* ng = nanograms = 10E-9 g

Cadmium pysical properties
Chemical symbol
Cd
Form
white, soft metal
Characteristics
malleable, ductile and flexible
Melting point
321°C
Atomic number
48
Atomic weight
112.41
Density
8.64 g/cm³

Cadmium is useful

Cadmium is a by-product of the primary non ferrous metal industry. Rather than disposing of it as a waste, engineers have been able to utilise its unique properties for many important industrial applications.

The most remarkable characteristics of cadmium are its great resistance to corrosion, its low melting-point and excellent electrical conduction. Cadmium compounds exhibit excellent resistance to chemicals and to high temperatures. Finally, cadmium pigments produce intense colourings such as yellow, orange and red, and are well known pigments in artists' colours, plastics, glasses, ceramics and enamels.

For all these reasons, cadmium is widely used in special alloys, pigments, coatings stabilisers and, above all (almost 70% of its use), in rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries (Figure 1).


Figure 1
Western World Cadmium Consumption Pattern - 2003

[CLTann]

In general, all polyvalent metals are bad for the body. We should keep them out. This is a point I frequently air that Chromium should also be avoided in our intake.

The commonly accepted Platinum compounds in the chemo probably have long term side effects as other polyvalent heavy metals. I never could understand why no doctor mentioned this problem to their patients.

ann

[CLTann]

In general, all polyvalent metals are bad for the body. We should keep them out. This is a point I frequently air that Chromium should also be avoided in our intake.

The commonly accepted Platinum compounds in the chemo probably have long term side effects as other polyvalent heavy metals. I never could understand why no doctor mentioned this problem to their patients.

ann

[R.B.]

http://www.newstarget.com/020158.html

ABSTRACT



Women with the highest levels of cadmium in their urine have more than a two-fold higher risk of breast cancer than women with the lowest levels, according to a new study. However, further studies are needed to determine if these elevated levels are a cause or effect of breast cancer.

Although cadmium, a heavy metal, has been classified as a probable cancer-causing substance by the US Environmental Protection Agency, until now no human studies have investigated its link with breast cancer, Dr. Jane A. McElroy told Reuters Health.

[StephN]

Thanks for bringing up this increasing problem.

Our local city hall has used battery collection in the lobby.
People accumulate them and drop them off when they go to the stores next to the city hall.
We live in a "small city" that is part of the metropolis of Seattle. Environmental responsibility has been important to residents here for a long time.
With all the toys and music portable music systems that use batteries, it is very important to dispose of those batteries in a responsible way.

I now have a little bag full as had to change all the flashlight batteries last week when someone hit a power pole up the road and we were out of power for over 10 hours. (We also had a house full of relatives - it was interesting.)

[R.B.]

<img src="http://bestsmileys.com/weather/3.gif" alt="Thunderstorm" />

This shocked me.

I was worried about batteries. Its in fertiliser

And of course we must not forget that that wonderful sewage sludge

http://journals.iut.ac.ir/jstnar/eabsv11n1y2007p95.pdf

<img src="http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/twister2.gif" alt="Tornado" />

A book on the subject with some free pages.

http://books.google.com/books?id=KGv...aeio#PPT225,M1


Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var durum) grain grown in North American prairie soils contains high concentrations of cadmium.

http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/cadmium/<img <img

And yes good old flaxseed too - it depends on the land so of course it will not be in the seed you are eating.

"Flaxseed contains several dietary components that have been linked to low breast cancer risk; i.e., n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), lignans and fiber, but it also contains detectable levels of cadmium, a heavy metal that activates the estrogen receptor (ER)."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

[Jackie07]

I love those critters you inserted in your reply. How did you do that? I was having trouble even to copy and paste the stuff I typed.

[R.B.]

Hi Jackie 07.

No magic or expertise required.


It is a free feature with firefox.

This may have been it

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/fir...miley&status=4

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/375

Search for smiley in firefox

RB