Sources of cadmium in the environment

Abstract

This paper is concerned with quantifying the major sources of cadmium in the European Community and assessing the relative significance of such inputs to the environmental compartments, air, land, and water. The methodology involved identification of potential sources of cadmium, including natural processes, as well as those associated with human activities. This was followed by a review of any emission studies of these processes and subsequent estimation of an emission factor for each source. The emission factor was applied to the most recent production or consumption data for the process in question to obtain an estimate of the annual discharge. The steel industry and waste incineration, followed by volcanic action and zinc production, are estimated to account for the largest emissions of atmospheric cadmium in the region. Waste disposal results in the single largest input of cadmium to land; the quantity of cadmium associated with this source is greater than the total from the four other major sources--coal combustion, iron and steel production, phosphate fertilizer manufacture and use, and zinc production. The characterization of cadmium inputs to aquatic systems is incomplete but of the sources considered, the manufacture of cadmium-containing articles accounts for the largest discharge, followed by phosphate fertilizer manufacture and zinc production.