Cadmium Exposure and Its Effects on the Health Status of Rice Farmers in Akita Prefecture

Many areas polluted by cadmium (Cd) from mines and smelters exist in Akita Prefecture, and a large number of rice farmers in these areas have been exposed to high levels of Cd through the consumption of home-harvested rice. Rice farmers with Cd nephropathy, particularly elderly women, have been identified through health examinations performed in previous and recent studies. Although recent exposure to Cd among farmers in Cd-polluted areas has been decreasing due to countermeasures, the continuous monitoring of their health status and health care for patients with Cd nephropathy are necessary because of the long biological half-life of Cd. Intensive health examinations for inhabitants of these areas and hospital-based examinations for patients with renal dysfunction are currently being performed in Cd-polluted areas.