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Chromium Fact Sheet
What is chromium?
Chromium is a chemical element that occurs naturally in rocks, animals, plants, and soil. It can exist in more than one forms. Depending on the form it takes, it can be a liquid, solid, or gas. The most common forms are chromium (0), chromium(III), and chromium(VI). Chromium compounds do not have an odor or taste. The metal chromium, which is the chromium (0) form, is used for making steel. Chromium(VI) and chromium(III) are used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preserving.
Where does the chromium released into the environment go?
Chromium can be found in air, soil, and water after release from the manufacture, use, and disposal of chromium-based products, and during the manufacturing process.
Chromium does not usually remain in the air; therefore, it finds its way into the soil and water.
Chromium can easily change from one form to another in water and soil, depending on the conditions present.
Fish do not store much chromium in their bodies from water.
How can I be exposed to chromium?
Tests did not find the toxic form of chromium, chromium (VI), above screening levels in yards. Screening levels used to judge test results are set much less than other health risk levels. Test results higher than their screening levels are evaluated further.
People can be exposed to chromium
By eating food containing chromium (III)
By breathing workplace air containing chromium or through skin contact during use in the workplace
By drinking well water that has been contaminated
By living near uncontrolled waste sites containing chromium or industries that use chromium
How can chromium affect my health?
Chromium (III) is an essential nutrient that helps the body to use sugar, protein and fat.
Breathing high levels of chromium (VI) can cause irritation to the lining of the nose, nose ulcers, runny nose, and breathing problems such as asthma, cough, shortness of breath or wheezing.
The levels of chromium in air that can cause these effects may be different for different types of chromium compounds, with health effects occurring at much lower levels for chromium (VI) compared to chromium (III).
Animals can suffer from irritation and ulcers in the stomach and small intestine after eating chromium (VI) compounds. Chromium (III) is less poisonous and does not cause these problems.
Laboratory animals exposed to chromium (VI) showed signs of sperm damage and damage to the male reproductive system.
Skin contact with some chromium (VI) compounds can cause skin ulcers. People sensitive to chromium(VI) or chromium (III) can suffer allergic reactions consisting of severe redness and swelling of the skin.
Can chromium cause cancer?
The Department of Health and Human Services, the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency have determined that chromium(VI) compounds are known human carcinogens. In workers, inhalation of chromium(VI) has been shown to cause lung cancer. Chromium(VI) inhalation also causes lung cancer in animals. Although an increase in stomach tumors was observed in humans and animals exposed to chromium(VI) in drinking water, EPA has not determined a cancer slope factor for ingestion of chromium (VI), so scientists are unable to calculate cancer risks for ingestion exposures.
What is the effect of chromium on children?
The health effects seen in children will be like the effects seen in adults particularly in children who have been exposed to high amounts of chromium.
There is not enough information to determine if chromium will cause developmental effects in people; however, some developmental effects have been observed in animals.
How can families reduce the risk of exposure to chromium?
Children should avoid playing in soils near uncontrolled hazardous waste sites where chromium may have been discarded.
Chromium is a component of tobacco smoke. Avoid smoking in enclosed spaces like inside the home or car to limit exposure to children and other family members.
Although chromium(III) is an essential nutrient, you should avoid excessive use of dietary supplements containing chromium.
What medical test can be used to determine if I’ve been exposed to chromium?
Higher than normal levels of chromium in blood or urine may be a sign that you have been exposed to chromium. However, increases in blood and urine chromium levels cannot be used to determine health effects.
Chromium (III) is an essential which occurs naturally in food hence some levels will always be found in the body.
Are there federal government recommendations made to protect human health?
The EPA has established a maximum contaminant level of 0.1 mg/L for total chromium in drinking water.
The FDA has determined that the chromium concentration in bottled drinking water should not exceed 0.1 mg/L.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) has limited workers’ exposures to an average of 0.005 mg/m chromium(VI), 0.5 mg/m chromium(III), and 1.0 mg/m chromium (0) for an 8-hour workday, 40-hour workweek.
Reference:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR). 2012. Toxicological Profile for Chromium. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service.
