The Royal Society of Chemistry also weighs in about chromium.\nonumber \].Here is what the Jefferson Lab says about chromium.Here is more info on chromium from the Los Alamos National Laboratory.Additionally, a 2017 study published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked high levels of urinary chromium to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. If dust containing chromium is inhaled, industrial workers are more prone to ulcers in the nasal cavity and lung cancer. Chrome ulcers are itchy and raw holes in the skin or the stomach. However, several studies in the past few years have linked chromium(VI) in tap water to cancer and the EPA has set a drinking water concentration limit for the element to protect public health.Įxcessive exposure to chromium can also cause chrome ulcers, particularly when working with it for months while chrome-plating or leather tanning, according to Emsley. Though Brockovich won the case in real life and in the movie, scientists have criticized her lack of evidence showing that chromium(VI), and not other factors, was the cause of the numerous health issues including cancer in the community of Hinkley, Calif. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In the 2000 film "Erin Brockovich," Julia Roberts portrays an environmental activist and legal clerk who leads a case against a gas and electric company for contaminating drinking water with chromium(VI), a toxic compound known to cause cancer, according to the U.S. Foods such as brewer's yeast, wheat germ and kidney are rich in chromium. Chromium is most concentrated in the placenta, and its presence in the body decreases with age.Ī safe amount is about 1 milligram per day, according to the RSC. Though its specific role in humans is unclear, studies have shown that chromium is an essential trace element that is found in RNA and helps the body to use glucose. Chromium's high melting point, moderate thermal expansion and crystalline structure stability make it suitable for these purposes. The textile industry uses chromium ions to help adhere dyes to fabric. Kilns and furnaces use bricks made of chromite ore, which retains strength at high temperatures. During this process, chromium sulfate is used to treat animal skin and turn it into leather that is resistant to hot water that can cause degradation. It is used in kitchen cutlery, appliances and cookware such as stainless steel pans and skillets.Ībout 90 percent of leather is chrome tanned, according to Emsley. Stainless steel is an alloy of iron and at least 10.5 percent chromium. Chrome plating is not only used for looks because the chromium forms a protective oxide layer on the surface, chrome-plated objects resist corrosion, according to Krebs. For example, automotive designers use chrome rims and wheels to spruce up their cars. Using a technique called electroplating, a thin layer of chromium can coat metal and plastic objects, including car parts and household appliances, to give a shiny, attractive finish. Rubies are red because of chromium, and glass treated with chromium has an emerald green color, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). Chromium compounds are toxic and should be handled with care.Ĭhromium compounds are all vividly colored and are used as pigments - bright green, yellow, red and orange. The most important chromium compounds are the chromates of sodium and potassium, the dichromates, and potassium and ammonium chrome alums, according to the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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