Cadmium and its inorganic compounds – Addendum: re-evaluation of the BLW

Assessment Values in Biological Material – Translation of the German version from 2025

Ernst Hallier¹
  Hans Drexler² (Head of the working group “Assessment Values in Biological Material” of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
  Andrea Hartwig³ (Chair of the Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft)
  MAK Commission<sup>4

1</sup> 37136 Ebergötzen, Germany
² Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institute and Outpatient Clinic of Occupational, Social, and Environmental Medicine, Henkestraße 9–11, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
³ Institute of Applied Biosciences, Department of Food Chemistry and Toxicology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Adenauerring 20a, Building 50.41, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
⁴ Permanent Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Kennedyallee 40, 53175 Bonn, Germany

Abstract

The German Senate Commission for the Investigation of Health Hazards of Chemical Compounds in the Work Area (MAK Commission) re-evaluated the data for cadmium [7440-43-9] to derive a biological guidance value (BLW) for its systemic non-carcinogenic end points. Relevant studies were identified from a literature search. Exposure to cadmium dust can cause nasal inflammation and anosmia, bronchitis and pneumonia, which are recognised as local effects. Tubular kidney damage was identified as the most sensitive end point of systemic toxicity, which results in excretion of low molecular weight proteins such as α1- and β2-microglobulins and retinol binding protein (RBP) in the urine. Recent studies on workers occupationally exposed to cadmium revealed a NOEL (no observed effect level) and a BMDL5 (benchmark dose lower limit) for tubular proteinuria at approximately 3 to 5 µg cadmium/g creatinine in ever-smokers, whereas this threshold is higher in never-smokers. Therefore, a BLW of 2 µg cadmium/g creatinine is set for cadmium in urine.

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