TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR CHROMIUM - Davidborowski.com

CHROMIUM 2482. HEALTH EFFECTSspermatogenesis were reported in male rats given chromium(VI) by gavage for 90 days (Chowdhuryand Mitra 1995). In male mice, oral exposure of intermediate duration to chromium(VI) orchromium(III) was reported to result in decreased spermatogenesis and cellular degeneration of theouter layer of seminiferous tubules (Zahid et al. 1990); alterations in testicular, seminal vesicle, andpreputial gland weights and decreased fertility were observed in mice following intermediate-durationexposure to chromium(III) or chromium(VI) (Elbetieha and Al-Hamood 1997). But other studies foundno reproductive effects in male or female mice (NTP 1996a, 1997) or rats (NTP 1996b) exposed tochromium(VI). Alterations in sexual behavior and aggressive behavior toward other males wereobserved in male rats exposed to chromium(VI) or chromium(III) (Bataineh et al. 1997). Female miceor rats exposed orally to chromium(VI) compounds prior to mating (Junaid et al. 1996a; Kanojia et al.1996, 1998) or female mice exposed during gestation (Junaid et al. 1996b; Trivedi et al. 1989) hadincreased fetal resorptions and decreased litter size. Alterations in ovarian and uterine weights andimpaired fertility were observed in female mice that were exposed to chromium(III) or chromium(VI)and then were mated with unexposed mice (Elbetieha and Al-Hamood 1997). Reductions in numbersof follicles and ova/mouse were seen following oral chromium(III) exposure (Murthy et al. 1996).Impaired development of the reproductive system was observed in the female offspring of miceexposed to potassium dichromate(VI) or chromium(III) chloride (Al-Hamood et al. 1998). Distributionstudies in pregnant rats given chromium(VI) or chromium(III) orally (Mertz et al. 1969) orintravenously (Danielsson et al. 1982) and in pregnant mice given chromium(III) intraperitoneally(Iijima et al. 1983) indicated that chromium can cross the placenta after administration of either valencestate. The available data on reproductive effects of chromium and its compounds are inadequate forestablishing dose relationships; further studies to establish the LOAEL and NOAEL values would bevaluable for considering the derivation of oral MRLs. No dermal toxicity studies examiningreproductive end points were identified; dermal studies would be useful for assessing the reproductivetoxicity of chromium and compounds following dermal contact and for establishing exposure-responserelationships.Developmental Toxicity. No reliable information was located regarding developmental toxicity inhumans after inhalation, oral, or dermal exposure or in animals after dermal exposure to chromium orits compounds. A study in women exposed occupationally reported that chromium can be transferred tofetuses through the placenta (Shmitova 1980), but the poor quality and reporting of this study precludeits use for drawing conclusions regarding potential developmental effects of chromium in humans. Nodevelopmental effects were observed in a three-generation inhalation study in rats (Glaser et al. 1984).In female rats and mice, oral exposure of acute or intermediate duration to chromium(VI) compounds