Cadmium excretion in urine and feces of rats at different levels of cadmium toxicity.

Abstract

In rats given a subcutaneous injection of 0.5 mg of Cd/kg, 6 days/ week for 15 weeks, daily excretion of cadmium in the urine and feces was determined. The relationship between cadmium accumulation and the excretion was studied in terms of cadmium toxicity. Urinary excretion of cadmium was markedly affected by cadmium toxicity, but fecal cadmium was scarcely affected. A linear relationship was obtained between the accumulation of cadmium and its urinary excretion only before the onset of renal damage. A linear relationship between the cadmium accumulation and fecal excretion was seen throughout the whole experimental period. The present experiment reveals that the main route of cadmium excretion is the feces before both renal and hepatic damage occur, but it is the urine thereafter.