All this talk and concern with cadmium was surprising to me.
Some years ago while talking to a person whose job was to sell
the solid remains of a major city’s sewage treatment process as
agricultural fertilizer, I was told that the most limiting
component for disposal was cadmium. I asked what the source of
the cadmium was and he said it came from women’s makeup. Since
there are no controls on what can be put in makeup, they put in
whatever they want. He also said there was cadmium in printers
ink which gets transferred to hands and washed into the waste
system. That may have changed with the switch to soy-based inks?
This is just heresay as I’ve never verified any of it. I always
figured that cadmium must be fairly benign if you smear it on
your face without being hurt. There must be a lot of ingestion.
I bought some solder that has Cadmium (forgot to check ) and
don’t know what to do with it now (had it for a while–too late
to return it). So what do I do with it? Use it up or treat it as
toxic waste?
I bought some solder that has Cadmium (forgot to check ) and
don’t know what to do with it now (had it for a while–too late
to return it). So what do I do with it? Use it up or treat it as
toxic waste?
Hi kathie,
Don’t worry, but use it happily. If you don’t solder using
pounds of the stuff, I think there is little danger. At least
I’ve never heard of any goldsmith suffering from cadmium
intoxication, and I would due to the insurance system for
employees here in Germany. If there was any vestige of danger,
it would be verboten.
Don’t worry, but use it happily. If you don’t solder using
pounds of the stuff, I think there is little danger. At least
I’ve never heard of any goldsmith suffering from cadmium
intoxication, and I would due to the insurance system for
employees here in Germany. If there was any vestige of danger,
it would be verboten.
Hi Markus, It is not the intoxication or fume fever to worry
about, cadmium is a proven carcinogen (over the long haul-an
increase in cancers-lung maybe?). It is mutagen for pregnant
women. When I was a student in Germany working in factories
(1979-80) people thought I was crazy because I refused to work
with asbestos and thought it a hazardous material-standard in
Canada at that time but in the trade in Pforzheim everyone used
it. Same thing for ‘Sirius’, we would use it (put out hands in
it) to remove pitch-worked really well but eventually I figured
out the smell-it was trichloroethylene-another major carcinogen,
absorbed into the blood stream through the skin, also totally
illegal to have skin contact with in Canada at that time. I was
shocked at the lax approach at that time. hope things have
improved a lot. And regarding cadmium solder, your soldering
area should have ventilation that pulls the fumes away from you
through a slit (ie not past your face on the way out), any fume
reduction is good. If you have good soldering ventilation there
is probably not much to worry about in using up the cadmium
solder.
Two recent studies reported in “Science News” (July 19, 2003, p. 38,
Vol. 164, N0. 3) have disclosed two previously unknown effects of
cadmium that emphasize the need for jewelers and metal smiths to
avoid cadmium containing materials.
The first study, carried out by Mary Marten of Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C., showed that trace amounts of cadmium can have
effects analogous to effects due to estrogen. Female rats injected
with cadmium chloride developed uterine and mammary gland changes
typically seen with estrogen increases. These changes occurred in
rats whose ovaries had been removed and were, therefore, not making
their own estrogen. The conclusion reached was that cadmium can
increase unwanted cell growth by acting in the role of estrogen.
The second study, carried out by Dmitry Gordenin at the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences located in Research
Triangle Park, N.C., demonstrated that low concentrations of cadmium
cause an extremely high rate of genetic mutations in yeast. The
cadmium causes the mutations by inhibiting the cell’s natural
built-in DNA repair mechanisms. The repair mechanisms normally
correct errors occurring in the replication process that replaces
DNA in those cells which multiply to replace cells which die off
naturally.
Cadmium is present in soil (0.11 ppm in the earths crust) and is
thus present in foods. These foods are the primary source of the 50
mg of cadmium present in the average (70 kg) person. The metal is
one of the largest contaminants in tobacco smoke. The DNA link to
cadmium probably explains the mechanism operating in lung cancers
attributed to smoking.
Captain Blood
"Marlinespike Seamanship in Precious Metals" @Alden_Glenda_Blood
It’s been known for a long time that cadmium is a serious cause of
cancer.
“Spinning silver” used to contain it - that is silver that was
alloyed with a small percentage of cadmium in order to allow it to
be put on a lathe, spun and pressed against a wooden form. Many years
ago, I was about 20, an elderly polisher I met whilst buying rouge
and mops took me quietly to one side and warned me to g “get out of
the business.” He’d just been diagnosed with cancer and his doctor
had said that it was caused by the cadmium dust he’d inhaled whilst
polishing spun silver.
The posts I’ve read on Orchid on cadmium are causing me to feel
uneasy about using the silver paste solder I have. The last time i
ordered it, it arrived with a “contains cadmium” label attached.
What precautions should I be taking? Annette
The last time i ordered it, it arrived with a "contains cadmium"
label attached. What precautions should I be taking?
Good ventilation such that you are breathing NO fumes from the
solder when melting it. This means air flow away from you, and
towards the work, and from there to the exhaust vent. Be sure your
face is not overhead of the work, since hot fumes rise. Don’t play
around with this. If you’re unsure of your ventilation, then…
A respirator capable of trapping metal fumes. Not very
comfortable to wear for extended time periods, but with the right
cartridges, these are safe enough. If this doesn’t work for you,
then…
Throw out that paste solder (it goes to the local hazardous
materials disposal site, not just in the trash). Obtain a safer
solder. The cadmium free ones melt a bit higher, and perhaps don’t
become quite as fluid quite as quickly, but the bond strength is
better, and so is the color match.
As a painter for many years (just returning to metals) I know that
inhaling cadmium in any form, dust or fumes, is extremely toxic.
Some chemical forms of the metal are less poisonous than others, but
if inhaled this is just an issue of how soon you get really sick. I
did time in trade school to buck up my art school education (I love
to weld!) and issues of safety were a big deal both places. Look out
for mercury, too. You need a good respirator, one that fits your face
well as well as having the right cartridges. This can be an issue for
women, finding one that fits well, because they aren’t as available
for smaller faces. At least this works for sanding down work
containing cadmium, the particles are trapable. If it makes fumes I’d
just ditch the stuff. Realisticly, you’d need to work under a pretty
serious vent hood to avoid long term toxicity. Practiceing the
tecnique needed with a safer product is worth the effort. Oe send it
back and complain, the manufacturer should know that the product is
impractacle. I have to wonder what the OSHA guidelines for this
product would be? OSHA isn’t perfect, but it’s something. Remember
Eva Hesse? I don’t want to panic anybody, but why take a risk when
there’s safer matierials out there? This is an issue in all the arts
and crafts. Be safe.
