Cadmium cycle
Article
The cadmium cycle describes the movement of cadmium through rocks, soils, water, air, sediments, and organisms. Cadmium is a naturally occurring trace metal commonly associated with zinc, lead, and copper ores.
Weathering and volcanic activity release small amounts of cadmium, while mining, smelting, fossil-fuel combustion, fertilisers, and waste disposal can greatly increase local inputs.
Cadmium can bind to soil particles and organic matter or dissolve and move into groundwater and surface water. Plants may absorb it, allowing cadmium to enter food chains and accumulate in animal tissues.
Sedimentation and burial remove cadmium from active surface cycling, while erosion and changing chemical conditions can release it again. Because cadmium is toxic and persistent, its environmental cycle is closely monitored.
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- Source / publisher: Wikipedia
- URL type: WWW
- Credits: Wikipedia
- URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium_cycle