Pharyngeal Tonsil Cadmium Contamination in Children from Regions of Upper Silesia and Malopolska

Abstract

Humans are constantly exposed to cadmium as a result of the increase in air pollution and cigarette use (Swiatczak and Cimander, 1995; Kwapulinski et al., 2004; Mortada et al., 2004). Cadmium is one of the main environmental pollutants, also in Poland. The main source of cadmium in the environment is the non-ferrous metals industry, and pesticides and fertilizers used in agriculture. It is mainly used in production of stabilizers and dyes of plastics, glass, metal alloys and electrodes used in cadmium-nickel batteries (Rydzewski et al., 1999). People are also exposed to cadmium from cigarette smoking (Mortada et al., 2004; Orlowski et al., 1999). In recent years the amount of cadmium in the external layer of the Earth, in water and in air has increased significantly due to technological developments. Cadmium is easily dissolvable, hence plants collect it well. It contaminates the biosphere as well as food, which has a major influence on its presence in the human body (Rydzewski et al., 1992). Cigarettes are another source of cadmium acquisition in the body. Lungs are the main way of cadmium absorption in the industrial regions. It induces DNA damage so, even in small concentrations, it could be toxic. Usually cadmium concentration is estimated post mortem in kidney, liver and lungs in patients from polluted regions. There is no particular organ acknowledged as the best indicator of cadmium in human body. The goals of this study were to determine whether the pharyngeal tonsil is a useful tissue for monitoring exposure to cadmium in children living in industrial regions; to investigate the relationship between the level of cadmium accumulation in removed adenoids and age and gender; and to analyze the cadmium co-occurrence with other elements.