Hi All,
I am doing some reserch on effects of cadmium mixed silver jewellery
and utensils on health. I am interested in knowing what are the
advantages and disadvantages of allying cadmium with silver. In India
nowadays cadmium is widely alloyed with silver for ductabilty. I am
also interested in knowing effects of cadmium on silver articles.
Thanks in advance for assistance.
Pankaj Bakhai
My dear friend,
As far as I know, no one in the world is using Cadmium except India,
to alloy it with Silver.
The standard in the world is Sterling Silver which contains 92.5
percent Silver and rest Copper or some other alloying metals with
copper to increase the tarnish resistance of Sterling Silver, and so
on.
Cadmium is some times used in Sterling Silver to prevent cracking,
but the percentage is very small less than 0.5 percent. I have read
in one of very old book on precious alloy 15 years back. I do not
remember the name of the book., sorry.
Since these kind of alloy of silver with cadmium is only used in
India, I doubt that you will find a satisfactory answer here on
Orchid forum where Cadmium is a foreign word to them since it is
also not used to prepare silver solders. Cadmium is totally banned in
all the American and European countries since long, I hope I am not
mistaken to state this.
The problem of Cadmium is the fumes which is harmful to the person
melting it and manufacturing it. The manufactured and finished
jewellery or utensils with cadmium is not harmful to the user of
finished goods, since there is no fumes involved which the user is
going to inhale or the cadmium is not going to come out of the silver
after it is alloyed.
As far as I know Cadmium is used in India since more then 50 years
or may be even more.
You should have come to know this thing, that it is used in India
nowadays.
So the conclusion is that the fumes of cadmium should not be inhaled
by the manufacturer since it causes cancer of lung, and so it is
banned by all the wise person around the world. You should also
educate the Indian Public (manufactures) to stop using Cadmium and
help the artisans not to breadth the fumes of cadmium and live a
healthy life by not breathing poison.
Wish you all the success in your research on effects of Cadmium
mixed in Silver Jewellery and Utensils, on the health.
May all beings be Free from ill will, hatred, anger and animosity.
May all beings develop Goodwill and Love, Peace and harmony.
May all beings be Happy and Liberated.
Umesh