Cadmium in blood and urine among smokers and non-smokers with high cadmium intake via food.

In New Zealand a species of oyster (Ostrea lutaria) consumed widely contains on an average 5 micrograms Cd/g wet weight. In this study we have investigated the cadmium intake, and blood and urinary cadmium levels in a group of 78 people with a known high oyster consumption. A second group of 17 non-smoking men and women who did not eat oysters were used as a control group. Each subject was interviewed and information on smoking habits, diet, medical and occupational history was obtained. The results show that in spite of a very high intake of cadmium via oysters the concentration of the toxic metal in whole blood and urine was not elevated greatly in proportion to the intake. It is clearly demonstrated that cigarette smoking had a more pronounced and significant effect on whole blood cadmium levels than the intake of cadmium via oysters.