• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.497-501
• /
• 2007

The objective of the study is to determine the contents of total chromium, water-soluble chromium and hexavalent chromium in cements and concretes specimens taken from manufacturing or construction sites. Chromate is an allergen that is widespread in the environment and is richly contained in cements. Metals were extracted with microwave oven and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer. Hexavalent chromium was analysed by ion chromatography. The concentrations of total chromium, water-soluble chromium and hexavalent chromium in cements were $36.02{\sim}108.01,\;15.95{\sim}89.01\;and\;26.77{\sim}89.61\;mg/kg$, respectively. The concentrations of hexavalent chromium in cements were higher than 2 mg/kg, a maximum value recommended in Northern European Countries. The concentrations of total chromium, water-soluble chromium and hexavalent chromium in concretes were $17.44{\sim}76.25,\;0.98{\sim}17.71\;and\;ND{\sim}24.13\;mg/kg$, respectively. Especially Hexavalent chromium was detected only from concrete specimens from construction sites. It is oxidized or reduced status by environmental condition or surrounding materials.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2001

This study was performed to evaluate chromium in air and chromium concentrations in whole blood and urine of workers at chrome plating factories, and to determine the correlation between environmental and biological chromium levels. This study involved 29 workers as study group and 24 undergraduate students as control group. The geometric means(GM) of airborne hexavalent chromium and total chromium concentrations in the plating factories were 3.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥ and 10.8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥, respectively. Hexavalent chromium levels in two of total 29 measurements exceeded the korean occupational exposure limit and the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Threshold Limit Value(ACGIH-TLV) of 50$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥. Only one sample for total chromium exceeded the Korea occupational exposure limits, the ACGIH-TLV, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Recommended Exposure Limits(NIOSH-REL) of 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/㎥. The GM of chromium concentrations in blood and urine of workers exposed to chromium were 8.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L and 11.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L. The GM of chromium concentrations in blood and urine of workers exposed to chromium were 8.4 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L and 11.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L, respectively, whereas the chromium concentrations in blood and urine of the controls were 1.6 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L and 3.8 $\mu\textrm{g}$/L, respectively. There were statistically significant differences of blood and urine concentrations between study group and control group (p<0.01). The chromium concentrations in urine were most highly related to hexavalent chromium, concentration in air(r=0.642, p<0.01). Also, there was a relatively high correlation between the hexavalent chromium concentrations in air and chromium concentrations in whole blood(r=0.557, p<0.05). These results indicate that whole-blood chromium with urinary chromium could be an indicator of chromium body burden caused by exposure to chromic acid mist in plating operation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.32-44
• /
• 2000

The practice of welding stainless steel is known to produce various valance states of chromium. $CO_2$ flux cored arc welding on stainless was performed in fume collection chamber. Content of total chromium and hexavalent chromium in fumes, content of hexavalent chromium in total chromium, solubility of hexavalent chromium were investigated. Content of total chromium in fumes increases from 2~3% to 7~9% as a function of input energy, but hexavalent chromium, less than 1.2% in fumes, is not related to input energy. Hexavalent chromium in fumes exists as solubles up to 90%. Content of total chromium in flux cored arc welding fumes and solubility of hexavalent chromium are similar to shielded metal arc welding fumes, but content of hexavalent chromium is similar to metal inert gas welding fumes. These characteristics are relevant to flux of wires and $CO_2$ shielding gas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.9-16
• /
• 2001

Chromium exposure can be in the forms of environmental pollution and occupational exposure. The harmful effects of chromium on the body greatly differ depending on its valence or solubility. Accordingly, the recommended permissible exposure limit for each chromium compound is different. This study investigated the increase or decrease of distribution and excretion of total chromium exposed simultaneously the soluble Cr+6 and Cr+3 compounds. There were no difference of total chromium concentration in plasma, red bloods cells, urine, organs between simultaneously injected and individually injected soluble Cr+6 and Cr+3 compound. The chromium clearances in urine also showed that there were two phases in the two groups. In the first phase, biological half lives of the total chromium of the two groups have been similar within 24 hr., but in the second phase, biological half life of the group injected simultaneously was 62.7 hr. and was less than that of the other group's 188.3 hr. The average concentration of total chromium in plasma was same with the control, and that of RBCs was $0.218nmol/m{\ell}$ and was slightly increased in comparison with $0.121nmol/m{\ell}$ of the control, which was not statistically significant. As a result, there were no differences of distribution and excretion of chromium between the group exposed simultaneously and the other group exposed separately the soluble Cr+6 and Cr+3 compounds. The biological half life of chromium of the former group in urine was less than that of the other group.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.1628-1633
• /
• 2005

Three hundred and twenty four one day old mixed sex broiler chicks were assigned at random into 9 treatment groups. The experimental design was a 3${\times}$3 factorial arrangement. During the starter period (week 1-3), chicks were fed ad libitum. A cornsoybean meal based diet contained 23% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and supplemented with organic or inorganic forms of chromium. Two organic chromium products, chromium yeast (Cr-Yeast from Alltech Biotechnology Corporation Limited) and chromium picolinate (Cr-Pic) were supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. One inorganic product, chromium chloride, was supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. During the finishing period (week 4-7), the corn-soybean meal based diet contained 20% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and the same levels of chromium as in the starter period were added. No significant difference was observed among treatment groups in average daily gain, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality. The carcass percentage of broilers receiving 200 and 400 ppb organic chromium (Cr-Yeast or Cr-Pic) was significantly increased (p<0.01). In addition, the supplementation of organic chromium reduced (p<0.05) breast meat fat content but increased breast meat protein content. The addition of chromium in the diet had no effect on boneless breast, skinless boneless breast, boneless leg, skinless boneless leg but reduced percentage of sirloin muscle. Total cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced by organic Cr supplementation. Supplementation with 200 and 400 ppb of both Cr-Yeast and Cr-Pic showed the lowest total cholesterol. The effects of type of Cr on HDL and LDL were variable, however, LDL increased with increasing level of Cr supplementation. This trial indicates that organic chromium tended to improve growth performances and carcass composition, reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides. The optimum level of organic chromium supplementation was at 200 ppb.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.296-303
• /
• 2010

Chromium as a constituent of rocks occurs naturally in the environment in varying concentrations. However, the human activity has changed the geochemical cycle of chromium in the environment and has caused the chromium accumulation in soils. Korean soils revealed a wide range of chromium contents depending on parent material and land use. The total chromium contents of volcanic ash soils in Jeju, which were determined using $HNO_3$ + $HClO_4$ + HF, ranged from 434 to 1,164 mg $kg^{-1}$. The 'ecological' total chromium contents extracted using conc. HCl + conc. $HNO_3$ (aqua regia) in the same soils varied in a lower range of 50-189 mg $kg^{-1}$ (averaged percentage of aqua regia contents in $HNO_3$ + $HClO_4$ + HF contents: 14.9%). Serpentine soils in Andong showed a 'ecological' total chromium content of 309 mg $kg^{-1}$ and against it granitic soils in Andong only 20 mg $kg^{-1}$. In uncontaminated forest soils of Korea, the 'ecological' total chromium contents varied from 4.89 to 106 mg $kg^{-1}$ and the soluble chromium contents determined using 0.1 M HCl ranged from 0.01 to 0.64 mg $kg^{-1}$ (averaged percentage of 0.1 M HCl contents in aqua regia contents: 0.4%). Arable lands contained more soluble chromium than reported in forest soils (averaged soluble chromium: 0.36 and 0.09 mg $kg^{-1}$, respectively). In particular, the soluble chromium contents in greenhouse, orchard and upland soils were higher than in contaminated soils near mine and industrial site (maximum contents: greenhouse 15.3 mg $kg^{-1}$; upland 12.1 mg $kg^{-1}$; orchard 8.29 mg $kg^{-1}$; mine site 4.76 mg $kg^{-1}$; industrial site 2.80 mg $kg^{-1}$). On the basis of these results a accumulation of chromium in some specific arable lands can be assumed, probably by long-continued applications of fertilizers or soil amendments containing chromium. In Korean Enforcement Decree of the Soil Environment Conservation Act soil standards for total chromium do not exist yet.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.95-107
• /
• 2017

Adsorption equilibrium and kinetic behavior of two toxic heavy metals hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] and mercury [Hg(II)] on mustard oil cake (MOC) was studied. Isotherm of total chromium was of concave type (S1 type) suggesting cooperative adsorption. Total chromium adsorption followed BET isotherm model. Isotherm of Hg(II) was of L3 type with monolayer followed by multilayer formation due to blockage of pores of MOC at lower concentration of Hg(II). Combined BET-Langmuir and BET-Freundlich models were appropriate to predict Hg(II) adsorption data on MOC. Boyd's model confirmed that external mass transfer was rate limiting step for both total chromium and Hg(II) adsorptions with average diffusivity of $1.09{\times}10^{-16}$ and $0.97m^2/sec$, respectively. Desorption was more than 60% with Hg(II), but poor with chromium. The optimum pH for adsorptions of total chromium and Hg(II) were 2-3 and 5, respectively. At strong acidic pH, Cr(VI) was adsorbed by ion exchange mechanism and after adsorption reduced to Cr(III) and remained on MOC surface. Hg(II) removal was achieved by complexation of $HgCl_2$ with deprotonated amine ($-NH_2$) and carboxyl (COO-) groups of MOC.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.22-28
• /
• 2017

The accuracy of analytical results in response to the use of different additives ($NH_4Cl$, KCl, $LaCl_3$) and oxidant gases was evaluated and compared by using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Identification of spectroscopic interferences and possible improvements in Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES) analysis were also discussed. The average accuracies of total chromium using Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) were found to be 72.1~94.2% in air/acetylene flame condition by AAS, and they were improved to 100.5~110.5% when the oxidants was changed to nitrous oxide rather than adding the additives. The field samples showed similar trends to CRMs, but chromium concentrations were highly variable depending on analytical conditions. The average accuracies using CRMs were estimated to be 89.3~166.1% by ICP-AES, and improved to below 121.7% after eliminating iron interference. Field samples with low chromium and high iron concentration were measured to be > 30% lower in total chromium concentrations by ICP-AES than AAS in nitrous oxide/acetylene flame. Total chromium concentrations in soil could be analyzed with better accuracy under nitrous oxide/acetylene flame by AAS because it was more effective to increase the temperature of the flame than to eliminate the chemical interference for maximizing atomization of chromium. When using ICP-AES, interference substances, total chromium levels, and analytical conditions should be also considered.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.35 no.8
• /
• pp.834-839
• /
• 2002

This study aimed to investigate the effects of chromium picolinatec (CrP) supplementation on the glucose and lipid metabolism of rats. Five-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a high-fat diet fir 110 days and further treated with CrP or placebos for 6 weeks. The effect of CrP supplementation on body weight, blood glucose, insulin and lipid levels was examined. The results suggested that body weight gain was not significantly different between the control and the CrP supplemented group. Plasma glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the CrP treated group significantly decreased compared to those of the control group (p < 0.05). The total lipid, triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in the livers of the CrP treated group significantly decreased compared to those of the control group (p < 0.05). These results indicate that supplementation of chromium picolinate ran reduce triglyceride and glucose concentrations in the blood and total lipid and total cholesterol levels in the liver.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.99-107
• /
• 2008

We quantified the human carcinogenic metals (chromium, nickel) in fumes from flux cored arc welding using stainless steel (FCAW/SS) wires. Zinc and calcium were also quantified because of their possibility of zinc chromate and calcium chromate, respectively. Welding was performed in an American Welding Society standard fume collection chamber. Insoluble and soluble forms of metals were analyzed by ISO 15202 method. Total chromium (insoluble+soluble) content and total nickel content were lower in FCAW/SS fumes (4.65%, 1.05%, respectively)than in stainless steel content (ca. 18%, 8%,respectively). Insoluble fraction in total chromium was 79.8 (range 64.5~95.1)% and 94.4(range 90.1~98.1)% in total nickel. Atomic emission spectroscopy used in this study does not differentiate the chromium valence status while ACGIH defines its carcinogenicity according to the valence status. From this study and previous study, we estimated the hexavalent chromium content in FCAW/SS was 0.2~1.1% and about 85% of them was soluble. The content of zinc and calcium, which can be existed as chromate forms, was low (0.02 %, 0.04% respectively) in FCAW/SS. Exposure assessment for zinc chromate and calcium chromate is possible because chromium in both compounds is used as a surrogate even though it is not well known that what compounds of zinc and calcium are formed in welding fume.