Evidences for the augmented Cd(II) biosorption by Cd(II) resistant strain Candida tropicalis XTA1874 from contaminated aqueous medium.

Cadmium is one of the most dreadful heavy metals and is becoming a major toxicant in ground water with increasing concentration above the WHO Guidelines in drinking water (0.003 mg/L). The potential sources of cadmium include sewage sludge, phosphate fertilizers and ingredients like Ni-Cd batteries, pigments, plating and plastics. Cadmium levels are increased in water owing to the use and disposal of cadmium containing ingredients. Water draining from a landfill may contain higher cadmium levels. The authors have tried to evaluate the optimized nutritional conditions for the optimal growth and Cd(II) remediation capacity for a developed Cd(II) resistant yeast strain named Candida tropicalis XTA 1874 isolated from contaminated water-body in West Bengal. By analyzing the optimization conditions, a synthetic medium was developed and the composition has been given in the main text. The strain showed much better Cd(II) adsorption capacity under the optimized nutritional conditions (Mean removal = 88.077 ± 0.097%).

Pathophysiological effects of cadmium(II) on human health-a critical review.

Cadmium(II) is an omnipresent environmental toxicant emitted from various industrial sources and by anthropogenic sources such as smoking. Cadmium(II) enters our body through various sources including contaminated food and drinks and from active or passive smoking. It spares no organs in our body and the calamities it invites include primarily nephrotoxicity, osteotoxicity, teratogenicity, endocrine disruption, hepatotoxicity and carcinogenicity above all. It brings about a bolt from the blue in the cellular biochemistry by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS), disrupting the factors involved in the repair of DNA lesions and many other toxic nuisances otherwise by modulating the cell signalling machinery and acting as a potent carcinogen above all. In this review, we have tried to decipher some of the mechanisms played by cadmium(II) in exhibiting its toxic effects on various system of our body.