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 General Characteristics
The film "Erin Brockovich" starring Julia Roberts drew widespread attention to Chromium-6. Also known as hexavalent chromium, chromium-6 is known to cause cancer and birth defects.
In contrast, the naturally occurring Chromium-3 is vital to human health. Chomium-3 is found in air, water, rocks, soil, and certain foods. As an essential trace mineral, humans require chromium in very small amounts. It is found in such foods as broccoli, cheese, meats, cereal, brewer's yeast, whole grains, and mushrooms.
In contrast to nutritional chromium, Chromium-6 can cause severe health side effects. Often referred to as industrial chromium, Chromium-6 chemically reacts differently to other molecules.
 Hazard Summary
Contamination occurs when victims breath air or ingest water or food from soils near waste sites or industries using chromium. Common health effects include: deep ulcers to hands, nasal cancer, chrome ulcer, lung cancer, and inflammation of the liver or larynx. The latency period averages 10 to 15 years from the time of exposure. Studies have shown that the risk of respiratory cancer for chromate plant workers is twenty times greater than that for the general population. Furthermore, animal studies indicate that Chromium-6 is a carcinogen. Since humans, animals, and plants do not bioacccumulate (or build up) levels of chromium, exposure is generally considered acute and short-term.
Chromium-6 is a known human carcinogen that is generally inhaled by workers in industrial situations. Human cells readily absorb the toxin. Scandanavian researchers conducted autopsies on workers who were last exposed to Chromium-6 15 to 20 years before their deaths from lung cancer. They found high chromium levels present in tissue samples. Interestingly, the chromium found was not Chromium-6, but Chromium-3, because all chromium converts to Chromium-3 in tissue.
 Environmental Processes
Chromium-6 by-products result from industrial processes, such as production of stainless steel, leather tanning, dyes, chrome plating, bricks, and wood preservatives. Chromium-6 is used to harden steel and produce many steel alloys. It is also used in the textile and aircraft industries. It is wear-resistant, and its attractive surface prevents corrosion. Chromium is very brittle at low temperatures. It is also hard to cast because of its high melting point of 3,452 degrees F.
Proper waste management will prevent negative health effects from Chromium-6. For example, with closed-loop wastewater systems, one can ensure that none of the process wastewater goes to the sewer. Instead, it is contained and reused. The small amount of any solid or liquid waste can then be processed and removed to appropriate waste sites. In addition, air pollution scrubbers are capable of minimizing pollution while adhering to all local, state, and federal EPA regulations.
 How Regulated
Under EPA regulations, industrial processes are evaluated and waste streams are listed as hazardous wastes if they have chemicals included in the processes that can cause harm to the public health or environment.. Sixteen individual waste streams are listed as hazardous because hexavalent chromium is one of their constituents. (See 40 CFR 268, Appendix VII)
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