The use of cadmium has undergone significant transformations in the last few decades. Currently, such uses have impacted the health of human beings and the environment in all dimensions. The objectives of this book are to associate the possible contaminations of cadmium with the various industrial segments that involve history, science, technology, and the environment.
The idea is to emphasize the universal and interdisciplinary nature of cadmium, considering, for example, raw ore, chemical and electrochemical recovery processes, effluent treatment, and even the generation of occupational diseases. The international literature reports cases of welders who, in a short period of time, presented associated diseases that caused chills, fevers, and headaches. The laboratory experiments proposed in this study aim to clarify the fundamentals related to cadmium and its compounds.
The book has been organized into the following parts, following Chapter 1 as a general introduction. The other subsequent chapters are Cadmium metal industrial production process, electrolytic refining, and cadmium metal purity; Cadmium and its industrial applications; Cadmium electrolytic deposition process; Effluent treatment processes containing cadmium ions (Cd2+); Human exposure to cadmium; Examples of experiments showing the identification of the element cadmium, the galvanic series of cadmium, and the electrolytic deposition of cadmium in carbon steel; Conclusions and recommendations; References.
We have not filled the text with many details that can be found in the indexed bibliographic references and, where appropriate, we reference the research literature on recent advances in technology.
Finally, our words of thanks to those who helped and influenced us throughout our professional lives. The following are mentioned: Engineer Sylvia M. Lobo Radino, Engineer Aldo Cordeiro Dutra, and Professor Emeritus Vicente Gentil.
