EFFECTS OF CADMIUM ON CLIMATE CHANGE: ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH PERSPECTIVES

Abstract

This research aimed to study the effects of cadmium on climate change from environmental and health perspectives. A sample of 160 participants from Bang Sue District, Bangkok, was selected using probability and simple random sampling methods. Data were collected via 160 online questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics (percentage, mean, standard deviation). The study explores cadmium’s environmental pathways, its impact on ecosystems (e.g., carbon cycling, microbial and plant life), and its indirect contribution to climate change through interactions with other climate-forcing agents. Cadmium, a toxic heavy metal released from industrial activities (e.g., mining, battery production), contaminates air, water, and soil, posing serious health risks—including Itai-Itai disease, kidney dysfunction, and respiratory issues—and potentially exacerbating global warming. The findings emphasize the need for policy interventions to regulate cadmium emissions and integrate them into broader climate mitigation strategies.