Higher cadmium burden in coastal areas than in inland areas in Korea: implications for seafood intake.

This survey was initiated to examine possible coastal-inland differences in cadmium (Cd) burden in general Korean populations. In total, 268 healthy non-smoking middle-aged women (30 to 49 years; 88 residents in 8 coastal areas and 180 residents in 15 inland areas) participated in the study. They offered peripheral blood and spot urine samples so that cadmium in blood (Cd-B) and urine (Cd-U) were taken as exposure markers. Determination of Cd-B and Cd-U was carried out by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry. With regard to Cd burden, geometric means for the coastal and inland residents were 1.70 and 1.72 μg/L for Cd-B, 1.54 and 1.00 μg/L for Cd-U as observed (Cd-U), 2.59 and 1.81 μg/g creatinine for Cd-U as corrected for creatinine (Cd-Ucr), respectively. Cd-U and Cd-Ucr were higher in the coastal areas than in inland areas. Reasons for higher Cd-U in the coastal areas than in the inland areas were are discussed in relation to major sources of Cd in daily life of the residents. Attention was paid to consumption of fish and shellfish in the coastal areas as major sources of dietary Cd intake. This study shows that Cd burdens were higher in coastal areas than in inland areas in Korea.