Cadmium, The Health Villian?

In the Spring 2006 edition of The Growers Solution in the article “Cadmium, The Health Villian” we discussed in detail the various reports occurring about the heavy metal cadmium (Cd) in the environment.  Several of these reports claimed the heavy metal Cd was being found in human blood and tissue through normal human biomonitoring.  Some experts expressed concern stating that 1 in 20 Americans have Cd levels that could possibly cause cancer.  These same experts were confused because Cd’s major environmental source is through smoking and that source is decreasing.  Thus, they concluded if smoking is not the source of Cd maybe the food supply is the problem. 

Therefore, in this article we discussed our experience with the heavy metal Cd in phosphorus (P) fertilizer sources.  Dr. Victor Tiedjens had recognized the problem with Cd in P deposits in the early 1950’s and used sources of P where the Cd content was lowered as economically feasible in the formulation of GMS. 

The importance of this approach was confirmed to us upon meeting Dr. Tom Swerczek from the University of Kentucky in the 1990’s.  Dr. Swerczek’s research and knowledge of testing procedures shed light on the problems that are created by Cd contamination in native P sources. 

So with that background the article “EPA Sued on Fertilizer Ingredient” which appeared on www.dtnpf.com on March 22, 2022 drew our attention.  According to this article the USEPA has been sued for water quality criteria set on the heavy metal Cd.  The lawsuit was filed by the Center for Biological Diversity claiming EPA did not complete an endangered species consultation under the Clean Water Act.  The Center for Biological Diversity stated that past research compared the acute toxicity of 63 heavy metals to a widespread crustacean and found Cd was the most toxic.  In addition, Cd has been becoming quite prevalent in nature and that P fertilizer is considered to be the largest contributor to the Cd found in the environment. 

So, about 20 years after the alarm was sounded for human exposure to the heavy metal Cd, there is now another alarm sounding that relates to animals.  Once again third party verification helps to confirm Dr. Victor Tiedjens’ work dating back to World War II. 

*Featured image from OSU Metal Toxicology Blog Post: Cadimuim (https://u.osu.edu/toxicblog/metal-toxicology/)

This is an exerpt from the Summer Growers Solution (2024) written by Jim Halbeisen, Director of Research & Education

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