CADMIUM: CRITICAL CASE: TOYAMA, JAPAN

Itai-itai disease, translating to “it hurts-it hurts” disease, was the name given to the mass cadmium poisoning that took place at the Toyama Prefecture in Japan, beginning in the year of 1912. This particular illness is said to be one of the most severe forms of chronic cadmium poisoning, that is caused by prolonged oral ingestion of the element. The disease developed in many residents of the Jinzu River basin in the Toyama Prefecture, which was an area greatly polluted by cadmium that originated from a zinc mine located upstream. Due to this, several rice fields were contaminated, which caused workers to be exposed to cadmium, and experience intense pain in their joints.