Significance of urinary cadmium concentration as an indicator of cadmium exposure in a population exposed to cadmium in a general environment

Study was made on the significance of urinary cadmium concentration as an indicator of internal dose in a general environment polluted by cadmium. As an index of external dose, the mean rice cadmium concentration in each of 23 villages was employed. Morning urine samples were collected from 3,178 inhabitants of 23 cadmium-polluted villages of Kakehashi River basin in Ishikawa Prefecture and 294 inhabitants of two nonpolluted villages. Cadmium concentration in urine was determined. In addition, their residential history and intake of cadmium-polluted rice were obtained. All the subjects were 50 years of age or over. Participation rates were 91% for the polluted area and 94% for the nonpolluted area. Urinary cadmium concentrations were higher in the inhabitants of the cadmium-polluted area than in those of the nonpolluted area. Among the inhabitants in the cadmium-polluted area, urinary cadmium concentrations were higher in the subjects who had consumed cadmium polluted rice than in those who had not. The mean urinary cadmium concentrations in each village increased proportionally to increase in mean village rice cadmium concentration (intensity of exposure) when the inhabitants were classified according to period of residence at their present address. The mean urinary cadmium concentrations in each village were also significantly correlated with period of residence at the present address (duration of exposure) when the inhabitants were classified according to mean rice cadmium concentration of their village. It is concluded that urinary cadmium concentration mainly reflects the body burden of cadmium in a general environment polluted by cadmium.