Medical tests to determine whether you have been exposed to chromium?

Chromium can be measured in the hair, urine, serum, red blood cells, and whole blood. However, since chromium(III) is an essential nutrient, low levels of chromium are normally found in body tissues and urine. Tests for chromium exposure are most useful for people exposed to high levels. These tests cannot determine the exact levels of chromium you may have been exposed to or predict whether or not health effects will occur. High chromium levels in the urine and red blood cells indicate exposure to chromium(VI) or chromium(III) compounds. Since the body changes chromium(VI) to chromium(III), the form of chromium that you were exposed to cannot be determined from levels in the urine. Much more chromium(VI) can enter red blood cells than chromium(III), but chromium(VI) can be changed to chromium(III) within these cells. Therefore, chromium levels in the red blood cells indicate exposure to chromium(VI). Because red blood cells last about 120 days before they are replaced by newly made red blood cells, the presence of chromium in red blood cells can show whether a person was exposed to chromium 120 days prior to testing but not if exposure occurred longer than 120 days before testing. Skin patch tests may indicate whether a person is allergic to some chromium salts. For more information, please see Chapters 2 and 6 of the toxicological profile.

see also:

Medical Tests Medical tests to determine whether you have been exposed to chromium
Exposure to Chromium is measured in hair, urine, serum and blood cells

Federal Action Chromium Protection - How does the federal government protect me?
Chromium Protection - The federal government develops recommendations.

Resource Center Chromium Resource Center
Hexavalent Chromium water pollution & chromium land fill contamination information resources