Summary
The individual cumulative cadmium dose was estimated for 44 smelter workers in a cadmium-copper alloy plant. Two different principles were used: cumulative respiratory dose and cumulative average annual blood-cadmium dose. Out of eight workers with a cumulative respiratory dose exceeding 500 mg Cd · h/m3, two of them (25%) had signs of a cadmium-induced renal dysfunction. These two men were the only workers that had a cumulative average annual blood cadmium dose exceeding 200 μg Cd · year/1. Our results suggest that measurements of cadmium in the blood can be used as an indicator of the cadmium exposure of each individual and that, in order to prevent renal dysfunction, the average blood-cadmium concentration should not exceed 10 μ Cd/1 over periods of many years (decades).
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bernard A, Buchet JP, Roels H, Masson P, Lauwerys R (1979) Renal excretion of proteins and enzymes in workers exposed to cadmium. Eur J Clin Invest 9:11–22
Friberg L, Piscator M, Nordberg GF, Kjellström T (1974) Cadmium in the environment. 2nd ed. CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio
Hansen L, Kjellström T, Vesterberg O (1977) Evaluation of different urinary proteins excreted after occupational Cd exposure. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 40:273–282
Hassler E (1983) Thesis report. Department of Environmental Hygiene, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
Järup L, Rogenfelt A, Elinder CG, Nogawa K, Kjellström T (1983) Biological half-time of cadmium in the blood of workers after cessation of exposure. Scand J Work Environ Health 9:327–331
Kjellström T (1977) Thesis report. Department of Environmental Hygiene, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
Kjellström T, Evrin P-E, Rahnster B (1977) Dose-response analysis of cadmium-induced tubular proteinuria. A study of urinary β2-microglobulin excretion among workers in a battery factory. Environ Res 13:303–317
Kjellström T, Piscator M (1977) Quantitative analysis of β2-microglobulin in urine as an indicator of renal tubular damage induced by cadmium. In: Phadedoc No. 1 Diagnostic Communications, Pharmacia Diagnostics AB, Uppsala, Sweden, pp 3–21
Lauwerys R, Buchet J-P, Roels H (1976) The relationship between cadmium exposure or body burden and the concentration of cadmium in blood and urine in man. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 36:275–285
Lauwerys RR (1983) Industrial chemical exposure: guidelines for biological monitoring. Biomedical Publications, Davis, California, pp 17–22
Piscator M (1966) Proteinuria in chronic cadmium poisoning. III. Electrophoretic and immunoelectrophoretic studies on urinary proteins from cadmium workers, with special reference to the excretion of low molecular weight proteins. Arch Environ Health 12:335–344
Piscator M (1966) Proteinuria in chronic cadmium poisoning. IV. Gel filtration and ion-exchange chromatography of urinary proteins from cadmium workers. Arch Environ Health 12:345–356
Task Group on Metal Toxicity (1976) In: Nordberg GF (ed) Effects on dose-response relationships of toxic metals. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 7–111
WHO (1981) Recommended health-based limits in occupational exposure to heavy metals. Report of a study group. Tech Rep Ser 647. World Health Organization, Geneva
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rogenfelt, A., Elinder, C.G. & Järup, L. A suggestion on how to use measurements of cadmium in blood as a cumulative dose estimate. Int. Arch Occup Environ Heath 55, 43–48 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378066
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378066