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Hexavalent Chromium |
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Recognition |
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Workers in many different occupations are exposed to
hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)). Occupational exposures occur mainly among workers who handle pigments containing dry chromate,
spray paints and coatings containing chromate, operate chrome plating baths, and weld or cut metals containing chromium, such
as stainless steel. The following references aid in recognizing hazards
and health effects associated with hexavalent chromium.
Properties
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Chromium (VI)(Hexavalent Chromium). OSHA Chemical Sampling Information. Includes exposure limits set by
OSHA.
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NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2005-149.
Provides physical
descriptions, exposure limits, measurement methods, personal
protection and sanitation, first aid, respirator recommendations, exposure routes, symptoms, target organs, cancer sites, and other
information about hexavalent chromium compounds.
Health Effects
Workers who breathe hexavalent chromium compounds at their jobs for many years may be at increased risk of developing lung cancer. Breathing high levels o hexavalent chromium can irritate or damage the nose, throat, and lungs. Irritation or damage to the eyes and skin can occur if hexavalent chromium contacts these organs in high concentrations or for a prolonged period of time.
General
- Health Effects of Hexavalent Chromium. OSHA Fact Sheet, (2006,
July), 24 KB PDF, 2 pages.
Provides a concise list of industrial sources, symptoms and health effects of exposure to
hexavalent chromium, and OSHA requirements for the protection of employees.
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ToxFAQs for Chromium. Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), (2001,
February).
Answers the most frequently
asked health questions about chromium.
- Toxicological
Profile for Chromium. Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR), (2000, September).
Characterizes the
toxicological and adverse health effects
information regarding chromium and chromium compounds.
- Public
Health Statement for Chromium. Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR), (2000, September).
Describes chromium and its effects on
humans.
- Chromium (VI)(CASRN 18540-29-9). Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), (1998,
September 3).
Lists human health effects that may
result from exposure to various substances found in the environment.
- Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Chemical Abstract Service (CAS) No.
18540-29-9, (1998, August), 1 MB
PDF,
77 pages. Provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment
in the integrated risk information system (IRIS) pertaining to chronic exposure to hexavalent chromium.
Cancer
All forms of hexavalent chromium are regarded as carcinogenic to workers. The risk of developing lung cancer increases with the amount of hexavalent chromium inhaled and the length of time the worker is exposed. Studies of workers in chromate production, chromate pigment, and chrome electroplating industries employed before the 1980s show increased rates of lung cancer mortality. Certain hexavalent chromium compounds produced lung cancer in animals that had the compounds placed directly in their lungs.
- Gibb, H.J., et al. "Lung cancer among workers in chromium chemical production."
American Journal of Industrial Medicine (AJIM) 38.2(2000, July 7):
115-126. Describes a study regarding the incidence of lung cancer among workers in chromium chemical production.
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Report on Carcinogens (RoC). Department of Health and Human Services
(DHHS) Public Health Services, National Toxicology Program (NTP).
Links to sections of the report.
- Chromium Hexavalent Compounds. 151
KB PDF,
4 pages.
Explains the carcinogenicity, properties, use, production, exposure,
and regulations regarding chromium hexavalent compounds.
Eyes
Direct eye contact with chromic acid or chromate dusts can cause permanent eye damage.
Respiratory Tract
Hexavalent chromium can irritate the nose, throat, and lungs. Repeated or prolonged exposure can
damage the mucous membranes of the nasal passages and result in ulcers. In severe cases, exposure causes perforation of the septum (the wall
separating the nasal passages). Breathing small amounts of hexavalent
chromium even for long periods does not cause respiratory tract irritation in
most people. Some employees become allergic to hexavalent chromium so that
inhaling the chromate compounds can cause asthma symptoms such as wheezing and
shortness of breath.
Skin
Prolonged skin contact can result in dermatitis and
skin ulcers. Some workers develop an allergic sensitization to chromium. In
sensitized workers, contact with even small amounts can cause a serious skin
rash.
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Preventing Skin Problems From Working with Portland Cement. OSHA
Guidance, (2008, February). Provides information about persistent skin rash
caused by trace amounts of hexavalent chromium present in portland cement.
It has been reported that skin contact from working with wet portland cement
can lead to allergic and irritant forms of dermatitis.
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A
Safety and Health Practioner's Guide to Skin Protection. Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health
(eCLOSH), (2000). Includes illustrations of dry skin, irritant contact
dermatitis (ICD), allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), and cement burns.
NOTE: The aforementioned toxicology comes from the Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) and Biological Exposure Indices (BEIs),
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH), 6th Edition, Volume 1, and from the references listed
above. |
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