The relationship between cadmium exposure or body burden and the concentration of cadmium in blood and urine in man

Summary Cadmium concentration in whole blood (Cd-B) and in urine (Cd-U) has been determined in more than 100 workers exposed to cadmium and in a comparable group of non-exposed workers. The relationship between both parameters and the duration of employment or the intensity of current exposure has been analyzed.In control workers slightly exposed to environmental pollution by cadmium, Cd-U but not Cd-B is significantly correlated with duration of exposure.In exposed workers both Cd-U and Cd-B are correlated with the intensity of exposure but not with the duration of exposure. It is suggested that Cd-B reflects current exposure but that Cd-U may reflect body burden of cadmium when exposure is low (environmental pollution) and current exposure when exposure is high (industrial situations).This work was supported by the Commission des Communautés Européennes and the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique.