Objective - To evaluate the usefulness of chromium in erythrocytes as a biological marker of exposure to hexavalent chromium in chromate producers and chrome platers.
Methods - Blood and urine samples were ramdomly obtained from chromate producers (n=34) and chrome platers (n=35), and non-exposed workers (n=75). chromium level in erythrocytes and plasma, and urine were measured.
Different chromium exposure workers were assessed through measurements of airborne hexavalent chromium concentrations using a personal air sampler.
Linear associations between variables were evaluated with correlation analysis.
Results - The chromate producers had mean chromium levels in erythrocytes five fold as higher than the chrome platers, and fifteen fold higher than non-exposed group.
Among the chromium exposed workers, airborne hexavalent chromium was positively and strongly correlated with in erythrocytes (r=0.689. p$lt;0.01), and erythrocytes chromium was inversely correlated with hematocrit (r=-0.441, p$lt;0.01), hemoglobin (r=-0.465, p$lt;0.01) and the number of red blood cells (r=-0.28, p$lt;0.05).
Conclusions - In conclusion, this study suggests that chromium in erythrocytes is a good indicator of the chromium body burden caused by exposure to hexavalent chromium.
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