Epidemiological Survey of Workers Exposed to Cadmium

Abstract

Pulmonary ventilatory function and various biological indices have been investigated in three groups of workers exposed to cadmium dust (women with less than 20 years’ exposure [E1], men with less than 20 years’ exposure [E2], and men with more than 20 years’ exposure [E3]) and in three matched control groups. The current airborne Cd dust concentration in the workrooms was below the actual American threshold limit value (200μg/cu m). A slight but significant reduction in forced vital capacity, in forced expiratory volume in one second, and in peak expiratory flow rate was found in E3 workers. Kidney damage was more prevalent than pulmonary ventilatory changes, since excessive proteinuria was observed in 15% of E2 workers and in 68% of E3 workers. The electrophoretic pattern of the urinary proteins suggests that the lesion is first glomerular and later becomes predominantly tubular (mixed proteinuria).