Assessment of renal function of workers exposed to inorganic lead, cadmium or mercury vapor

Journal Article · Sat Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · J. Occup. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7055785

Buchet, J P; Roels, H; Bernard, A; Lauwerys, R

The renal function of workers occupationally exposed to cadmium (n = 148), to mercury vapor (n = 63) or to inorganic lead (n = 25) has been compared with that of workers with no occupational exposure to heavy metals (n = 88). A moderate exposure to lead (Pb-B < 62 ..mu..g/100 ml) does not seem to alter renal function. Excessive exposure to cadmium increases the urinary excretion of both low- and high-molecular-weight proteins and of tubular enzymes. These changes are mainly observed in workers excreting more than 10 ..mu..g Cd/g creatinine or with Cd-B above 1 ..mu..g Cd/100 ml whole blood. Occupational exposure to mercury vapor induces glomerular dysfunction as evidenced by an increased urinary excretion of high-molecular-weight proteins and a slightly increased prevalence of higher ..beta../sub 2/-microglobulin concentration in plasma without concomitant change in urinary ..beta../sub 2/-microglobulin concentration. ..beta..-galactosidase activity in blood and in urine is also increased. The likelihood of these findings is greater in workers with Hg-B and Hg-U exceeding 3 ..mu..g/100 ml whole blood and 50 ..mu..g/g creatinine, respectively. The hypothesis is put forward that the glomerular dysfunction induced by cadmium and mercury might result from an autoimmune mechanism.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
• OSTI ID: 7055785
• Journal Information: J. Occup. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Occup. Med.; (United States) Vol. 22:11; ISSN JOCMA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550600 -- Medicine
551000 -- Physiological Systems
560306* -- Chemicals Metabolism &amp; Toxicology-- Man-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AZOLES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL WASTES
BLOOD
BLOOD COUNT
BLOOD PLASMA
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CADMIUM
CHRONIC EXPOSURE
CLEARANCE
CREATININE
DATA
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ENZYME ACTIVITY
ENZYMES
EXCRETION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GALACTOSIDASE
GASES
GLOBULINS
GLOBULINS-BETA
GLOMERULI
GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDROLASES
IMIDAZOLES
IMINES
INDUSTRY
INFORMATION
KIDNEYS
LEAD
MATERIALS
MERCURY
METAL INDUSTRY
METALS
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
NUMERICAL DATA
O-GLYCOSYL HYDROLASES
OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
PROTEINS
RENAL CLEARANCE
URINE
VAPORS
WASTES