Cadmium exposure pathways in the Czech urban population.

The article describes the exposure pathways of cadmium in the Czech urban population. The data on Cd concentrations originated from the Environmental Health Monitoring System, which has been realized in 30 cities since 1994. The data on cadmium content in particular exposure pathways - diet, drinking water, ambient air and soil -were processed for the period 1994-2003. The estimate of the daily dietary intake for an average adult population amounted to 11-19 microg/d, i.e. 0.17-0.30 microg/kg bw/d, which represents 17%-30% of the PTWI (provisional tolerable weekly intake). The contribution from drinking water to the oral exposure is low; on average 0.5 microg/d. Potential exposure to airborne Cd was estimated at about 0.02 microg/d. The additional Cd intake from urban soil ingestion probable in small children was found to be insignificant based on Cd concentrations in the soil of kindergarten playgrounds. Biomonitoring outputs characterize the recent and life-long cadmium burden of the Czech population from general environment In 1994-2003, the median blood Cd levels ranged in the interval 0.9-0.4 microg/l blood, in smokers being more than double that in non-smokers. Blood Cd levels detected indicate slightly decreasing trend as well as urine Cd levels (range of median values 0.44-0.28 microg/g creatinine). Since 1996 the levels in children have been found in more than 50% cases below the detection limit of the methods used. The estimated total cadmium intake in the Czech urban population does not signalize any increased risk of health impairment considering non-carcinogenic effects.