Abstract

88 workers exposed to cadmium were examined at the 12 factories using or producing cadmium in order to know the present state of cadmium exposure and renal dysfunction in 1992. Cadmium in blood and in urine were measured and compared by the 3 exposure level of cadmium in air. Cadmium in blood of low, moderate and high exposure group were 2.5, 3,8 and 7.6 microgram/L, respectively. Cadmium in urine were 1.8(1.3), 3.8(2,6) and 7.9 microgram/L(6.1 microgram/g creatinine) , resrectively. However, there was no relationship between Urinary cadmium and beta(2)-microglobulin. Cumulative exposure estimate (CEE) was calculated by multiplying the mean ambient cadmium level of the factory and working duration. CEE has a high correlation with cadmium in blood and urine, but no relation to beta(2)-microglobulin. Because working durations were relatively shorter than European workers', the highest CEE was just 300 microgram. year/m(3), which was not enough to induce renal tubular dysfunction. This study, however, suggested the possibility that renal tubular dysfunction caused by cadmium could be happened in Korea in the near future.

• Keywords: Blood cadmium;Urine cadmium;beta(2)-microglobulin;Renal dysfunction;Cumulative exposure estimate