Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso painted with vivid yellows that haven't faded in over a century. The secret: cadmium yellow pigment (CdS). This metal gave the art world its most vibrant shades of yellow, orange, and red.
But today cadmium is one of the most controversial elements. It's toxic and accumulates in the body over decades. The EU strictly limits its use. At the same time, CdTe thin-film solar panels produce the cheapest electricity of any photovoltaic technology. The paradox: a poisonous metal helping save the planet from CO₂ emissions.
Nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries dominated rechargeable tech for decades — reliable, tough, and operational from −40°C to +70°C. They're still used in aviation and hospital emergency backup systems. But the EU has banned them from consumer electronics due to toxicity.
In nuclear energy, cadmium is indispensable: it efficiently absorbs neutrons. Cadmium control rods in reactors serve as an emergency brake — lower them, and the chain reaction stops.
Cadmium is a serious poison and a Group 1 carcinogen (IARC). Its insidiousness lies in accumulation: the biological half-life is 10–30 years. The primary targets are the kidneys and bones. Chronic poisoning leads to osteoporosis and kidney failure. Cadmium oxide fumes are lethal. In the EU, cadmium use is tightly regulated under the RoHS directive. Tobacco smoke is the main everyday source of cadmium exposure.
Van Gogh, Monet, and Picasso all used cadmium pigments. Van Gogh's 'Sunflowers' owes its brilliant yellow to cadmium sulfide.
CdTe solar panels produce the cheapest electricity of any photovoltaic technology — under $0.03 per kWh.
Cadmium is one of the most insidious toxins: it accumulates in the body for 10–30 years. A single cigarette contains 1–2 µg of cadmium.
Cadmium control rods are the 'emergency brake' of nuclear reactors. Cadmium absorbs neutrons and instantly halts the chain reaction.
In the 1940s, cadmium from mines contaminated rice paddies in Japan. Hundreds of people developed 'itai-itai disease' — brittle bones and excruciating pain.
| Isotope | Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
106Cd | 105.906459 | 1.25% | stable | — |
108Cd | 107.904184 | 0.89% | stable | — |
110Cd | 109.903002 | 12.49% | stable | — |
111Cd | 110.904178 | 12.80% | stable | — |
112Cd | 111.902758 | 24.13% | stable | — |
113Cd | 112.904402 | 12.22% | stable | — |
114Cd | 113.903358 | 28.73% | stable | — |
116Cd | 115.904756 | 7.49% | stable | — |
Impurity in zinc carbonate