Used in the manufacture of cadmium salts, cadmium vapor lamps, smoke bombs, cadmium amalgam, pigments, alloys, cadmium electroplating, welding flux, standard batteries, metallurgical scavengers and atomic reactors. Ametalthatisusedforelectroplatingandinbatteries,asacolorpigmentforpaintsandasastabilizerinplastics.TheoralLD50inratsisabout0.88mg/kgandtheLC50infatheadminnowsisabout3.06mg/L.Cadmiumisanephrotoxicantandhepatotoxicant,probablyactingbydChemicalbookisplacementandsubstitutionofessentialmetalsinproteinsandenzymes.Inhumansacutepoisoningcancausenauseaandvomiting,diarrhea,headache,muscularaches,salivation,abdominalpain,andshock.Inacutepoisoning,unabsorbedcadmiumisremovedbycatharsis.