Cadmium and sewage sludge This essay concentrates on the heavy metal cadmium, and its occurrence in the environment, its pathways into and out of the human body and its movement into and out of Sewage sludge. Firstly, I will provide a clear definition of the Heavy Metal Cadmium. What is Cadmium? Cadmium is a naturally occurring element in the earth’s crust. Pure cadmium is a soft silver-white metal, but this form is not common …showed first 75 words of 1251 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1251 total…organic matter content, soil texture, soil micronutrients status, etc. Transfer of Cadmium into Sewage Sludge Approximately 20% of cadmium present in sewage sludge is derived from domestic sources which have been outlined in this chapter. Concentrated human waste can contain a high intensity of Cadmium. This level is however extremely variable depending on the location, but a mean level of 29 ppm dry matter appears to be a fairly accurate concentration. The remaining 80% originates from industrial sources.