Objective To investigate blood cadmium levels of part of the fire fighters approaching retirement in Shanghai.
Methods A total of 1 908 fire fighters were investigated for relevant medical history and tested for cadmium in blood with atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
Results No significant differences in the blood cadmium levels were found between the squadrons in urban and suburb areas, nor between the squadrons of different service years or of different working types (P>0.05). The levels of blood cadmium were significantly higher in the smoking group than in the non-smoking group (P<0.001).
Conclusion Smoking contributes to the high blood cadmium levels of fire fighters. More attention should be paid to their occupational heath.
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