Heat May Modify Impact of Toxic Metal(loid)s on Kidney Health

TUESDAY, Sept. 30, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Heat may modify the impact of toxic metal(loid)s on kidney health, according to a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of Environmental Research.

Rietta S. Wagoner, Ph.D., from the University of Arizona in Tucson, and colleagues examined how simultaneous exposure to metal(loid)s and heat impacts acute kidney injury and kidney function over time as part of a longitudinal study. Seventy-seven male grape farmworkers (average age, 29 years) were followed; biological samples and questionnaires were collected at the beginning and end of the work season (baseline and follow-up). Urine samples were analyzed for metal(loid)s, specific gravity, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL), while the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated in blood serum.

The researchers observed associations for urinary arsenic, cadmium, and chromium with increased uNGAL (β = 0.35, 0.27, and 0.54, respectively), while increased uranium was associated with reduced eGFR (β = −2.45). In stratified models, the effects were attenuated. Chronic heat exposure exacerbated the effects of arsenic and cadmium. For acute heat stress, there were no significant interactions observed.

“We”re seeing an increase in kidney disease in young people who lack typical risk factors, especially in hotter regions,” Wagoner said in a statement. “There is evidence that heat, pesticides, and metal exposures each play a role, and especially that heat is making potentially toxic exposures worse.”

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