Effects of Cadmium and Lead Exposure on urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase, β2-microglobulin and metallothionein of workers

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), β2-microglobulin (BMG), metallothionein (MT) and creatinine (ere) in urine were measured in 36 male workers. Urinary Cd and Pb ranged from 0.2 to 9.7and 0.1 to 4.8 μg/g ere with geometric means of 1.17 and 1.27 μg/g ere, respectively. Partial correlation coefficients between the logarithm of urinary Cd and that of NAG, BMG or MT controlling for pH and age were 0.460 (p < 0.01), 0.095 and 0.677 (p < 0.01), respectively. Partial correlation coefficients between the logarithm of Pb and that of NAG, BMG or MT controlling for pH and age were 0.040, 0.403 (p < 0.05) and-0.183, respectively. Multiple regression analysis was conducted on urinary NAG, BMG and MT using age, pH, log U-Cd and U-Pb. Log U-Cd was the only significant predictor variable of NAG (β = 0.572; p < 0.01). Log U-Pb was the only predictor variable of BMG (β = 0.386, p < 0.01). pH (β = 0.286, p < 0.05) and Log U-Cd (β = 0.839, p < 0.05) were significant predictor variables of MT.