Cadmium inhalation exposure estimates: their significance with respect to kidney and liver cadmium burden.

Cadmium exposure histories based on employment records, area monitoring techniques, and personal sampling data were obtained for 82 industrially exposed workers. From these data, a time-weighted cumulative exposure index (TWE) was calculated for each worker by multiplying the length of time (ti) in a given work area by the estimated exposure conditions for that area and year (Ei) and then summing these values for the total exposure history TWE = sigma iEiti The cadmium body burden for each worker was measured directly by the in vivo prompt-gamma neutron activation technique. The cadmium content of the left kidney and the liver were measured. For the actively employed workers, a significant correlation (r = 0.70, p less than 0.001) was observed between the exposure index (TWE) and the liver cadmium burden. Furthermore, whenever the worker's liver burden exceeded 40 ppm and the exposure index exceeded 400-500 micrograms/m3 X yr, there was evidence of renal abnormalities (usually elevated urinary beta 2-microglobulin). The highest correlation (r = 0.83, p less than 0.001) was obtained between the kidney cadmium burden data and the exposure index for the active workers without evidence of kidney dysfunction. The percentage of workers with renal abnormalities was found to increase as the exposure index increased. When this relationship was examined using linear logistic regression analysis, the following model was indicated: logit p = 1.24 In TWE--8.34 where p is the individual worker's probability of being classified as having renal dysfunction.