Chromium Exposure - How might I be exposed to chromium?

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You can be exposed to chromium by breathing air, drinking water, or eating food containing chromium or through skin contact with chromium or chromium compounds. The level of chromium in air and water is generally low. The concentration of total chromium in air (both chromium(III) and chromium(VI)) generally ranges between 0.01 and 0.03 microgram (µg) (1 µg equals 1/1,000,000 of a gram) per cubic meter of air (µg/m³). Chromium concentrations in drinking water (mostly as chromium(III)) are generally very low, less than 2 parts of chromium in a billion parts of water (2 ppb). Contaminated well water may contain chromium(VI). For the general population, eating foods that contain chromium is the most likely route of chromium(III) exposure. Chromium(III) occurs naturally in many fresh vegetables, fruits, meat, yeast, and grain. Various methods of processing, storage, and preparation can alter the chromium content of food. Acidic foods in contact with stainless steel cans or cooking utensils might contain higher levels of chromium because of leaching from stainless steel. Refining processes used to make white bread or sugar can decrease chromium levels. Chromium(III) is an essential nutrient for humans. On the average, adults in the United States take in an estimated 60 µg of chromium daily from food. You may also be exposed to chromium from using consumer products such as household utensils, wood preservatives, cement, cleaning products, textiles, and tanned leather.

People who work in industries that process or use chromium or chromium compounds can be exposed to higher-than-normal levels of chromium. An estimated 305,000 workers in the United States are potentially exposed to chromium and chromium-containing compounds in the workplace.

Occupational sources of chromium exposure (with chemical forms of interest shown in brackets) may occur in the following industries:

• Stainless steel welding (chromium(VI))
• Chromate production (chromium(VI))
• Chrome plating (chromium(VI))
• Ferrochrome industry (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Chrome pigments (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Leather tanning (mostly chromium(III))

Examples of other occupations that may involve chromium exposure include these:

• Painters (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Workers involved in the maintenance and servicing of copying machines, and the disposal of some toner powders from copying machines (chromium(VI))
• Battery makers (chromium(VI))
• Candle makers (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Dye makers (chromium(III))
• Printers (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Rubber makers (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))
• Cement workers (chromium(III) and chromium(VI))

A list of other industries that may be sources of occupational exposure is given in Section 5.5 of the toxicological profile.

You may be exposed to higher-than-normal levels of chromium if you live near the following:

• Landfill sites with chromium-containing wastes
• Industrial facilities that manufacture or use chromium and chromium-containing compounds
• Cement-producing plants, because cement contains chromium
• Industrial cooling towers that previously used chromium as a rust inhibitor
• Waterways that receive industrial discharges from electroplating, leather tanning, and textile industries
• Busy roadways, because emissions from automobile brake lining and catalytic converters contain chromium

In addition, you may be exposed to higher levels of chromium if you use tobacco products, since tobacco contains chromium.

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see also:

Dangers Chromium Precautions
Chromium (VI) compounds can be toxic if orally ingested

Toxicity Summary Chromium Toxicity - Chromium and your Health
Chromium Toxicity - Are you exposed to Chromium?

Learn More Chromium Exposure - Chromium and the effects of exposure - Learn More
Chromium Exposure - The EPA identifies the worst hazardous waste sites