TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR CHROMIUM - Davidborowski.com

CHROMIUM 1212. HEALTH EFFECTSIn a study of 1,752 patients considered to have occupational dermatoses, contact dermatitis was the maindiagnosis in 1,496 patients (92% women, 83% men). The allergic type, as opposed to the irritant type,was more prevalent in men (73%) than in women (51%). Positive patch tests to chromium (not otherwisespecified) occurred in 8% of the women and 29% of the men. Among 280 chromium-sensitized men,50% were employed in building and concrete work, 17% in metal work, and 12% in tanneries. In the42 chromium-sensitized women, 20% were in cement work, 19% in metal work, 28% in cleaning, and15% in laboratory work (Fregert 1975).Chromate sensitivity has also been reported in women who frequently used dichromate-containingdetergent and bleach (Wahba and Cohen 1979).Other industries and sources of chromium that have resulted in chromium sensitivity include welding,printing, glues, wood ash, foundry sand, match heads, machine oils, timber preservative, boiler linings,making of television screens, magnetic tapes, tire fitting, chrome plating, wood and paper industry, andmilk testing (Burrows 1983).A study was performed on 54 volunteers who were sensitive to chromium-induced allergic contactdermatitis to determine a dose-response relationship and to determine a minimum-elicitation thresholdconcentration (MET) that produces an allergic response in sensitive individuals (Nethercott et al. 1994).Patch testing was performed on the subjects in which the concentration of potassium chromate(VI) wasvaried up to 4.4 µg chromium/cm 2 . Two percent (1/54) had a MET of 0.018. About 10% were sensitizedat 0.089 µg/cm 2 and all were sensitized at 4.4 µg/cm 2 . Comparable studies were performed withchromium(III) chloride, however, only 1 showed a positive response at 33 µg chromium/cm 2 , and uponretesting was negative. Based on these findings the authors concluded that soil concentrations ofchromium(VI) and chromium(III) of 450 and 165,000 ppm, respectively, should not pose a hazard ofallergic contact dermatitis to 99.99% of people who might be exposed to chromium through soil-skincontact.Animals can also be sensitized to chromium compounds. Contact sensitivity was induced in mice byrubbing a solution of 1% potassium dichromate (0.35% chromium(VI)) .50 times on the shavedabdomens. Challenge with potassium dichromate on the ear resulted in significant induction ofsensitivity, measured by ear thickness and histologically observed infiltration of nucleophilic leukocytes(Mor et al. 1988).