Association between urinary indicators of renal dysfunction and metal concentrations in workers chronically co-exposed to cadmium, zinc and lead

Abstract

The study was carried out in 31 workers co-exposed to cadmium, lead and zinc fumes and dusts in a zinc ore refinery. Urinary cadmium, lead, zinc, β2-M levels and NAG activities were determined to evaluate the possible dose-effect relationship between these parameters. A correlation was found between urinary cadmium, lead and zinc concentrations, and urinary β2-M levels and NAG activities of the exposed group. A statistically significant increase was also observed for urinary NAG activity in exposed workers who had urinary cadmium concentrations > 2 μg g−1 creatinine. However, in the same exposed group, the increment of β2-M was not statistically significant. In conclusion, the present study thus confirms the earlier observations and may suggest the notion that the urinary NAG seems to be a more sensitive indicator than urinary β2-M level in early stages of renal injury of moderately cadmium co-exposure with lead and zinc even at urinary cadmium concentration as low as 2 μg g−1 creatinine. When the earlier studies on the irreversibility of cadmium-induced tubular dysfunction and the present results were taken into consideration, the present health-based biological limit proposed by the WHO (5 μg g−1 creatinine) seems to be high for the occupational exposure tocadmium.