The Boy Who Fell Blind To The Society

Illuminating Silhouettes: A Scientific Essay regarding the C admium Cycle Cadmium is a naturally occurring non-degradable [2] metallic element relatively abundant in the earths crust[3][4][9] and is known for its acute toxicity, even in low concentrations, to almost all forms of life[2][3][7][10], especially mammals as they have no apparent use of it [3]. Its a human carcinogen [7] (i.e.,promotes carcinogenesis - formation of cancer cells in human physiology) primarily targeting the lungs,kidneys [5][7][10][11], and bones [2][3] which is why for more than five decades, extensive studies regardingthe biochemical basis for Cds toxicity [6][9] and its mobility in the environment [3] have been conducted tominimize human exposure to Cd. In 2015, a group of high school student-researchers from Calamba, Laguna,confirmed Cd bioaccumulation in the soft tissues of freshwater Asian clams ( Corbicula fluminea ), locallyknown as Tulya , through Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) conducted at the Analytic ServiceLaboratory (ASL) of the University of the Philippines Los Baos (UPLB) [4]. Their research was a probableextension of Dr. Victorio Molinas health risk assessment (the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic healtheffects) of the bioaccumulation of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), Cd, chromium (Cr), and arsenic (As) in fishproducts of Laguna de Bay [8]. While the researches aimed