Itai-itai disease

Itai-itai disease was the name given to the mass <a href="/facts/Cadmium_poisoning/tKRPXnz6">cadmium poisoning</a> of <a href="/facts/Toyama_Prefecture/pXFHvh8q">Toyama Prefecture</a>, <a href="/facts/Japan/U5mz0SRT">Japan</a>, starting around 1912. The term "itai-itai disease" was coined by locals for the severe <a href="/facts/Pain/70E79oUn">pains</a> (Japanese: 痛い itai) people with the condition felt in the spine and joints. <a href="/facts/Cadmium/wXkV2eIX">Cadmium</a> (Cd) poisoning can also cause <a href="/facts/Osteomalacia/dQbx3aRe">softening of the bones</a> and <a href="/facts/Kidney_failure/gsqb5nos">kidney failure</a>. Effective treatments involve the use of <a href="/facts/Chelation/4G79sXBB">chelators</a> to promote urinary excretion of Cd. The cadmium was released into rivers by <a href="/facts/Mining/g6uDIFab">mining</a> companies in the mountains, which were successfully sued for the damage. Remediation efforts in the affected region have been ongoing since 1972 and were mostly complete as of 2012. Monetary costs of the cleanup have been paid for in part by Japan's national government, <a href="/facts/Mitsui_Mining_%2526_Smelting/oJe97Fuh">Mitsui Mining</a>, and the <a href="/facts/Gifu_Prefecture/3IRVpFjh">Gifu</a> and <a href="/facts/Toyama_Prefecture/pXFHvh8q">Toyama prefectural</a> governments. Itai-itai disease is known as one of the <a href="/facts/Four_Big_Pollution_Diseases_of_Japan/6ezxwpM1">Four Big Pollution Diseases of Japan</a>.

Itai-itai disease open-in-new

Itai-itai disease