ABSTRACT
This study was performed to compare the cadmium accumulation levels in kidney with urinary cadmium excretion levels according to the duration of cadmium exposure in rats. Total 120 male rats, 6 weeks of age, were administered 0.5 mg/day of Cd to subcutaneously, intraperitoneally and orally 6 times per week for 12 weeks. The animals were sacrificed in the 1st day of 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th week after beginning of cadmium administrations. Body weight, hematologic values, enzyme activities, renal Cd levels, urinary Cd and proteins were calculated and each value was compared according to the Cd administration routers. The Cd accumulation levels in the kidney of rats increased remarkably for 6-8th weeks which were experimented and urinary Cd excretion levels and urinary protein levels showed the tendency of increasing with the Cd accumulations in kidneys, especially in the subcutaneous injected rats. On the other hand, there was a significant positive correlation among the total Cd administration, the Cd accumulation in the kidneys, the urinary Cd excretion and protein.