Studies of skeletal cadmium assay and toxicity

Flameless Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry was found to be a sensitive (2·10^–12 g detection limit), accurate but destructive method for cadmium assay in bone biopsy samples (about 30 mg dry weight). The inductively coupled plasma emission technique was poorer in sensitivity (1.2·10^–9 g) and is also a destructive method. Activation Analysis is still less sensitive (2·10^–8 g detection limit) but a nondestructive one. Cadmium was found to accumulate in bone of rats fed, for 5 weeks, 0, 50, and 100 mg Cd/l in drinking water and the bone concentrations were 0.16, 1.09, and 2.6 mg Cd/kg bone (dry wt). Histological examination of the bones showed that cadmium induced increased osteoid surface in the bone with no evidence of accompanying kidney damage. This suggests a primary effect of cadmium on bone rather than secondary effect due to kidney damage.