ABSTRACT

Cadmium is a metallic element that is rarely found in pure form. It is present in various types of rocks, soils and water, as well as coal and oil. Cadmium is a highly toxic heavy metal that is mainly used for Ni-Cd batteries and pigments in plastics and glassware, stabilizers for PVC, protective plating on steel and alloys contributing to environmental pollution (Wilson 1988, Scoullos et al. 2001). It is also found in sewage sludge from industrial areas and in agricultural phosphate fertilizers at low concentrations.