Abstract
Objective: This is an epidemiological survey that was conducted for 22 years to investigate the physical effects on inhabitants who had been exposed to cadmium (Cd) from processing of remnants discharged at the time of copper refinement. It was possible to obtain findings on physical effects 27 years after Cd exposure. Materials and Methods: Of the inhabitants who were 50 years old or younger in 1981 and who were living in the most contaminated area in the Kakehashi River basin, 68 (32 males and 36 females) who underwent all of the 5 screenings during the 22-year period were extracted as subjects. Early morning urine was collected for urinalysis, and Cd and ?2-MG concentrations were determined. Results: 27 years after cessation of Cd exposure, it was shown that urinary Cd concentrations were significantly decreased and urinary ?2-MG concentrations were significantly increased. Conclusion: Once exposed to Cd, it takes about 30 years for the Cd that remains in the body to decrease by half. Once renal tubular dysfunction occurs after Cd exposure, irreversible aggravation is inevitable.
Highlights
A long-term follow-up survey was conducted to investigate the effects of Cd exposure on the health of inhabitants who had been living in a contaminated region continually in Japan with regard to the following: 1) Cd that remained in the body as determined based on changes in urinary Cd concentration [1], and 2) renal tubular disorder [2], a typical consequence of Cd exposure, based on changes in urinary ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) [3,4] concentration
The Kakehashi River basin located in Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, was contaminated with Cd waste water from the former Ogoya Cupper Mine [14] from 1882 to 1971
Of all the inhabitants who were 50 years old or younger in 1981 and who were living in the commune, which was one of the most contaminated areas in the Kakehashi River basin, 68 (32 males and 36 females) who under-went all of the 5 screenings during the 22-year period were included as subjects
Summary
A long-term follow-up survey was conducted to investigate the effects of Cd exposure on the health of inhabitants who had been living in a contaminated region continually in Japan with regard to the following: 1) Cd that remained in the body as determined based on changes in urinary Cd concentration [1], and 2) renal tubular disorder [2], a typical consequence of Cd exposure, based on changes in urinary ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) [3,4] concentration.Once exposed to Cd, about 30 years [5,6] are required to reduce by half the Cd that remains in the body regardless of the amount of exposure. A long-term follow-up survey was conducted to investigate the effects of Cd exposure on the health of inhabitants who had been living in a contaminated region continually in Japan with regard to the following: 1) Cd that remained in the body as determined based on changes in urinary Cd concentration [1], and 2) renal tubular disorder [2], a typical consequence of Cd exposure, based on changes in urinary ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) [3,4] concentration. The inhabitants of the region were orally exposed to Cd [15] for a long time because they cultivated and consumed rice as a staple food with contaminated water used for irrigation in rice paddies. The Ishikawa Prefecture government conducted an health impairment investigation only afterward, in the 1970s
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