BIOLOGICAL MONITORING OF CADMIUM EXPOSURE AND RENAL EFFECTS IN A POPULATION GROUP RESIDING IN A POLLUTED AREA IN CHINA

In an area of China, not previously studied in detail concerning cadmi um pollution and possible adverse effects on the kidney of exposed pop ulations, concentrations of cadmium in urine as an indicator of renal accumulation of cadmium was studied and related to indicators of renal dysfunction in order to examine if a relationship could be documented . Cadmium concentrations in urine were analysed by graphite furnace at omic absorption spectrometry and urinary beta-2 microglobulin (UBM) an d albumin (UALB) were measured as indicators of renal dysfunction. Ric e samples and urine samples were obtained from three areas in Zhejiang province, China, representing a highly exposed area, a medium exposed area and a control area, respectively Cadmium concentrations in rice were 3.70, 0.51 and 0.072 mg/kg for the heavily, medium polluted areas and the control area, respectively. Cadmium concentrations in urine ( geometric means) were 10.7, 1.62 and 0.40 mu g/l in the high, medium a nd control areas respectively. There was a clear increase in UBM and U ALB in the heavily exposed group in comparison to the control group an d a slight increase in the medium exposed group. There was a statistic ally significant dose-response relationship between cadmium in urine a nd beta(2)-microglobulin excretion in urine, which is similar to what has previously been reported in other countries. The findings constitu te the first report concerning a dose-response relationship in this po pulation group in Zhejiang province in China. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scienc e B.V.