Cadmium in urine of children and adults from industrial areas

Various human activities result in the release of significant quantity of cadmium to the environment. The study population included adults (230) and children (100) residing near the tobacco plant and a control group, unexposed to elevated cadmium concentrations, living in unpolluted area in the same city. Biomonitoring methods were used to assess the effects of contaminated air on the health of the public (urine samples). Ambient air samples were collected near the cadmium-related plant and in unpolluted area during the last ten years. Values of cadmium concentrations in urine found in polluted area were in range of 0.05-0.42 microg/g creatinine for children and 0.15-1.96 microg/g creatinine for adults. The results indicated statistical significant age-dependent differences in urine cadmium concentration between polluted and unpolluted area for adults. Boys and men had significantly higher urine cadmium levels than girls and women, but in children there were no significant gender-dependent differences in cadmium excretion found out. In conclusion, the results from the present study indicate that cadmium urine concentration in polluted area are very high, particularly in children.