Cadmium in Rice Fields: How Pollution is Building Up in Southern China

Cadmium, a toxic metal, is sneaking into rice fields in southern China. It's a big deal because it's making its way into the food chain. Scientists have been trying to figure out where it's coming from and how to stop it. They created a detailed model to track cadmium's journey. It shows that the main sources are the air and floods. The air drops cadmium onto the fields, and floods bring even more. The plants, runoff, and leaching take some away, but not enough to keep up.The model was tested and worked pretty well. It showed that in areas near industries and floodplains, cadmium is building up fast. If things keep going like this, these areas will keep getting more polluted. But there's hope. Scientists ran simulations to see what would happen if they cut down on emissions, cleaned up the soil, and controlled floods. They found that in 40 years, the soil could start to recover. This model isn't just for cadmium. It can be used to track other pollutants too. It's a big step towards understanding and fixing pollution problems in the region.