TOXICOLOGICAL PROFILE FOR CHROMIUM - Davidborowski.com

CHROMIUM 362. HEALTH EFFECTSsulfate (Korallus et al. 1974b) or in 106 workers at a factory that produced these chromium(III)compounds where workroom levels were #1.99 mg chromium(III)/m 3 (Korallus et al. 1974a). Similarresults were reported in a cross sectional study that was conducted to determine whether occupationalexposure to trivalent chromium or hexavalent chromium caused respiratory diseases, decreases inpulmonary function, or signs of pneumoconiosis in stainless steel production workers (Huvinen et al.1996). The median personal exposure level for chromium(VI) was 0.0005 µg/m 3 and for chromium(III)was 0.022 µg/m 3 ; the 221 workers were employed for >8 years with an average potential exposure of18 years. Spirometry measurements were taken and chest radiographic examinations were conducted.There were no significant differences in the odds ratios between the exposed workers and the 95 workersin the control group. The deficits in lung function shown in both populations could be explained by ageand smoking habits.In many of the studies attributing respiratory effects to chromium exposure, actual levels ofchromium(VI) or chromium(III) to which workers were exposed over time were unknown. Furthermore,information on the contribution of cigarette smoking, exposure to other hazardous chemicals, andprevious employment histories to the observed effects was often not available. A retrospective mortalityand morbidity study of 398 workers who had worked in a chromate production facility in North Carolinafor at least 1 year from 1971, when the facility began producing chromates, to 1989 was designed toaddress these limitations. Personal air monitoring results, which were available for 1974–1989, revealed8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations of chromium(VI) ranging from below the detectionlimit (0.001 mg chromium(VI)/m 3 prior to 1984; 0.0006 mg/m 3 thereafter) to 0.289 mg/m 3 , with >99% ofthe samples measuring