Cadmium Exposure in the French Population. National Biomonitoring Program, Esteban 2014–2016
Cadmium is a cumulative toxin, and the risk of adverse effects is linked to the cumulative dose over time. It is widely present in our environment (soil, air, water) due to its natural occurrence in the Earth’s crust and anthropogenic inputs from industrial and agricultural activities. Cadmium was classified by the IARC in 2012 as a Group 1 carcinogen. It is also classified as a Category 1B carcinogen, a Category 2 germ cell mutagen, and a Category 2 reproductive toxin under the European CLP Regulation. In France, the National Nutrition and Health Survey (ENNS) made it possible to estimate, for the first time, cadmium exposure levels among adults living in mainland France in 2006 and 2007, and the perinatal component of the national biomonitoring program in 2011 provided data on cadmium exposure levels among pregnant French women. However, no study to date had measured cadmium in the pediatric population except in specific local situations involving contaminated sites and soils. Since then, the Esteban cross-sectional study (Study on Health, Environment, Biomonitoring, Physical Activity, and Nutrition) has measured cadmium exposure levels in the mainland French population aged 6 to 74 years between April 2014 and March 2016. The purpose of this report is to present the results of cadmium exposure and to analyze the determinants. Detection rates were 100% for both children and adults. The geometric means for blood cadmium levels were 0.28 µg/L (0.27 µg/g creatinine) and 0.43 µg/L (0.57 µg/g creatinine) for children and adults, respectively. The investigation of exposure determinants confirmed the factors already known in the literature. In children, the consumption of cereal for breakfast increased cadmium body burden levels. In adults, the exposure factors identified were tobacco use, leading to an increase of more than 50% among smokers, and the consumption of shellfish and crustaceans. Excessive cadmium exposure was observed in the Esteban study population compared to other European and North American countries. Cadmium exposure levels in France among the general adult population in 2014–2016 were higher than those in 2006–2007. The results of the Esteban study make it possible to track changes in cadmium exposure among the French population, update the list of determinants of this exposure in France between 2014 and 2016, and establish new exposure reference values (ERVs). These results could also be used to inform public health decisions aimed at continuing efforts to reduce exposure.
Author(s): Oleko Amivi, Fillol Clémence, Saoudi Abdessattar, Zeghnoun Abdelkrim, Bidondo Marie-Laure, Gane Jessica, Balicco Alexis
Publishing year: 2021
Pages: 43 p.
Collection: Studies and Surveys
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