Cadmium Quickview (CASRN 7440-43-9)

Status of Data for Cadmium

File First On-Line: 03/31/1987; Last Significant Revision: 01/01/1991

Category (section)	Status	Last Revised
Oral RfD Assessment	On-line	02/01/1994
Inhalation RfC Assessment	No data
Carcinogenicity Assessment	On-line	06/01/1992
Under Re-Assessment

Synonyms

C.I. 77180 Cadmium

7440-43-9 Kadmium

Chronic Health Hazard Assessments for Noncarcinogenic Effects

Reference Dose for Chronic Oral Exposure (RfD)

Critical Effect	Point of Departure*	UF	MF	RfD
Significant proteinuria	NOAEL : 0.005 mg/kg-day	10	1	5 x10-4 mg/kg-day (water)
	NOAEL : 0.01 mg/kg-day	10	1	1 x10-3 mg/kg-day (food)

* The Point of Departure listed serves as a basis from which the Oral RfD was derived. See Discussion of Conversion Factors and Assumptions for more details.

• Principal and Supporting Studies (Oral RfD)
  • Human studies involving chronic exposures, U.S. EPA, 1985
• Confidence in the Oral RfD
  • Study -- Not Available
  • Database -- High
  • RfD -- High

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Reference Concentration for Chronic Inhalation Exposure (RfC)

Not Assessed under the IRIS Program.

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Carcinogenicity Assessment for Lifetime Exposure

• Weight-of-Evidence Characterization
  • B1 (Probable human carcinogen - based on limited evidence of carcinogenicity in humans)
• Weight-of-Evidence Narrative:
  • Limited evidence from occupational epidemiologic studies of cadmium is consistent across investigators and study populations. There is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in rats and mice by inhalation and intramuscular and subcutaneous injection. Seven studies in rats and mice wherein cadmium salts (acetate, sulfate, chloride) were administered orally have shown no evidence of carcinogenic response.
  • This may be a synopsis of the full weight-of-evidence narrative. See IRIS Summary.

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Quantitative Estimate of Carcinogenic Risk from Oral Exposure

• Not Assessed under the IRIS Program.

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Quantitative Estimate of Carcinogenic Risk from Inhalation Exposure

Inhalation Unit Risk(s)	Extrapolation Method
1.8 x10-3 per ug/m3	Two stage; only first affected by exposure; extra risk

Inhalation Concentrations at Specified Risk Levels

Risk Level	Concentration
E-4 (1 in 10,000)	6x10-2 ug/m3
E-5 (1 in 100,000)	6x10-3 ug/m3
E-6 (1 in 1,000,000)	6x10-4 ug/m3

• Dose-Response Data (Carcinogenicity, Inhalation Exposure)
  • Tumor Type: Lung, trachea, bronchus cancer deaths
  • Test Species: Human/ white male
  • Route: Inhalation, Exposure in the workplace
  • Reference: Thun et al., 1985