Well Water Consumption of High Cadmium And The Resulting Urinary Cadmium Levels in A Community Near A Dumping Site

Cadmium (Cd) is a nephrotoxic metal that can accumulate in the kidneys for a long time, damaging the kidneys' tubules and leading to renal failure. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the consumption of well water exposed to Cd and urinary Cd. The cross-sectional study was performed in the community near the Namo Bintang dumpsite. The sample population of 99 people was selected by stratified random sampling based on the distance of the individual's home from the landfill. Cd was measured via GFAAS, and the data was analyzed by correlation and regression (well-water Cd, age, volume of water intake, duration of Cd intake), independent sample t-test (gender, occupational, smoking habit, BMI), and multiple linear regression. The study's results showed that 65 respondents (65.7%) had been exposed to Cd higher than the normal level (0.005mg/l) and that 99 urine samples (100%) had high Cd levels above the normal level (5 μg/g creatinine). There was no significant correlation between the well's Cd level and urinary Cd. The variables of gender, BMI, and the duration of Cd intake had significant correlations with urinary Cd (p-values of 0.045, 0.025, and 0.041, respectively). Therefore, the residents were instructed to not use well water as their primary source of drinking water.