Urinary excretion of amino acids by men absorbing heavy metals

Abstract

Effects of absorption of Pb, Hg, U and Cd on urinary excretion of amino acids were investigated. Cd and U produced more profound changes than did Pb and Hg in the total urinary aminonitrogen levels and in the amino acid patterns. Urinary concentrations of the hydroxyamino acids threonine and serine were particularly increased by absorption of U and Cd. A relative increase in alanine was found in 5 of 15 Pbcontaining urines, and in glycine in 3 of 6 Hgcontaining urines. The observations are discussed in relation to the causation of the amino aciduria and the possible role that heavy metals may play in the elucidation of the reabsorptive pathways in the renal tubular cells.