Cadmium levels in kidney and liver of Jamaicans at autopsy.

The cadmium concentrations in the kidneys and livers of 39 autopsy cases in Jamaica, in the age group > or = 40 years, are renal cortex: range 6.7-126 mg kg-1, mean 43.8 mg kg-1; liver: range 0.3-24.3 mg kg-1, mean 5.3 mg kg-1. The mean levels in the renal cortex are higher for women than for men but not so significantly, nor are the differences between smokers and non-smokers clear. The observed values are considered high, second only to Japan where cadmium related health impairments have occurred, and nearly twice as high as the values reported from Austria, Australia, the United Kingdom and Sweden. The Jamaican cases were from areas with relatively low soil-cadmium concentrations, and the corresponding values are likely to be significantly higher in central Jamaica where the soil contains unusually high levels of cadmium. An examination of possible contributions of cadmium intake to renal problems in Jamaica now appears to be necessary.