Cadmium, zinc and copper relationships in kidney and liver of humans exposed to environmental cadmium.

Cadmium, copper and zinc have been determined in kidney cortex, kidney medulla and liver from 51 cadmium-polluted and 122 nonpolluted autopsied subjects. Liver cadmium and zinc were significantly higher in the cadmium-polluted subjects than in the nonpolluted subjects. Kidney cadmium, copper and zinc were lower in the cadmium-polluted subjects because of renal damage. Significant correlations of the three metals were found in the kidney. In the liver the correlation coefficients were significant only between cadmium and zinc.