Urinary excretion of beta2-microglobulin and other proteins in workers exposed to cadmium, lead or mercury.

For the range of exposure to heavy metals sustained by the different groups of workers, a significant increase in the urinary excretion of low and/or high molecular weight proteins was found in the workers exposed to cadmium or to lead + cadmium, but no in those exposed to lead only and those exposed to mercury. Our observations suggest that the classical "tubular" proteinuria induced by cadmium has two not necessarily concomitant components : a "tubular type" component with increased excretion of low molecular weight proteins and a "glomerular type" component with increased excretion of high molecular weight proteins.