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Biological indicators of cadmium exposure and toxicity

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  • Cadmium —a complex environmental problem
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Summary

The increasing environmental and occupational exposure of populations to cadmium creates the need for biological indicators of cadmium exposure and toxicity. The advantages and disadvantages of monitoring blood cadmium, urinary, fecal, hair, and tissue cadmium, serum creatinine, β2-microglobulin, α1-antitrypsin and other proteins, and urinary amino acids, enzymes, total proteins, glucose β2-microglobulin, retinol-binding protein, lysozyme, and metallothionein are discussed. It is concluded that urinary cadmium, metallothionein and β2-microglobulin may be used together to assess cadmium, exposure and toxicity.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Rhode Island, 02881, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA

    Z. A. Shaikh & L. M. Smith

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Shaikh, Z.A., Smith, L.M. Biological indicators of cadmium exposure and toxicity. Experientia 40, 36–43 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01959100

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