Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal that is important to consider because of its health risks to humans. Prolonged exposure to Cd in humans presents significant health hazards, including renal, hepatic, and neurological damage, and may also result in carcinogenic effects. This study aims to assess the health risks associated with Cd exposure via multiple media and pathways among preschoolers in a mining city in northwest China. This objective was accomplished by collecting and analyzing samples of commercial food, soil, air PM 10 , and tap water to determine Cd concentrations. The study also assessed the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks resulting from Cd exposure via multiple media and pathways, as quantified by hazard quotients (HQ) and carcinogenic risk (CR), respectively. The uncertainty and sensitivity of the relevant parameters were quantified using Monte Carlo simulation. The findings indicated that the concentrations of Cd in mung beans, shiitake mushrooms, carp, and air PM 10 exceeded national safety standards. The HQ ∑ for boys and girls was 6.64 and 6.39, respectively, while the CR ∑ for both sexes was 2.29 × 10 –4 . Inhalation (> 89%) and ingestion (> 95%) were the primary pathways for non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks, respectively. These results suggest that preschoolers in the study area may face potential health risks from Cd exposure via multiple media and pathways. This study recommends enhancing the monitoring of Cd in commercial food and improving air quality to mitigate potential health risks from Cd exposure among local preschoolers.
Xie et al. (Tue,) studied this question.