Critical concentrations of cadmium in human renal cortex: Dose‐effect studies in cadmium smelter workers

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Abstract
Cd was measured in vivo in the left kidney and liver of 82 industrially exposed workers and 10 controls. The range of Cd values for the industrial group was 0.9-57 mg for whole kidney and 0.8-120 ppm for liver, compared to 0.4-11.8 mg and 0.6-7.9 ppm, respectively, for controls. Below 40 ppm in liver, kidney Cd burden increased with increasing liver concentration. Above 40 ppm, kidney Cd content decreased as liver concentration increased. This biphasic relation between Cd in the kidney and liver for all subjects showed a critical level of .apprx. 31 mg Cd in the kidney. Estimates of the critical level by .beta.2-microglobulin and urinary protein measurements yielded critical values of 31-42 mg Cd for whole kidney (300-400 .mu.g/g for renal cortex).