Some aspects of chromium allergy in relation to the skin are reviewed in this article.

To aid the interpretation of the results of biological monitoring, there are guidance values produced by international organisations. Although the guidance values differ in basis and numerical value, they have many aspects in common. All are intended for occupational health professionals who can consider the results of biological monitoring in context, and use them to help reduce and control exposure.

Chromium (Cr) is an essential element required for normal carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Chromium improves insulin function by increasing insulin binding to cells, insulin receptor number, and phosphorylation of the insulin receptor leading to increased insulin sensitivity.

Objectives: to determine whether occupational exposure to chromite, trivalent chromium or hexavalent chromium causes respiratory diseases, an excess of respiratory symptoms, a decrease in pulmonary function or signs of pneumoconiosis among workers in an integrated chain of stainless steel production.

Leaching of toxic elements from cooking utensils is a long-recognised problem, and covers a wide range of elements, the traditional examples including materials such as lead (mainly from earthenware) and copper (typically from coffee pots with defective tin-plating). More recently, nickel and aluminium from kitchenware have raised concerns. In this article, literature on hazards caused by chromium leaching from stainless steel kitchen utensils and other consumer items is discussed from the point of view of toxicity.

Presented at the 2003 BSSA conference in Rotherham, this paper discusses the relevance and potential impact of EU hazard-based regulations on stainless steel. The dangers of treating alloys as if they were simple mixtures of their constituents is highlighted.

Chromium may occur in several valence states: chromium in metallic form (valence state 0), trivalent form (Cr III), and hexavalent form (Cr VI) are the most common and important. Trivalent chromium (Cr III) occurs widely in nature and is an essential nutrient required by the human body to promote the action of insulin in body tissues. Chromium as a pure metal has no reported human or environmental toxicity effects. Both acute and chronic toxicity of chromium are mainly caused by hexavalent chromium compounds (Cr VI).

The Part Played by Molybdenum with Prevention and Minimisation of Pollution * The Influence of Molybdenum in Materials for Containment and Processing of Pollutants * Application of Molybdenum-Containing Nickel Alloys and High Alloy Stainless Steels * Prevention of Pollution.

When stainless steel is exposed to a given environment, a key issue from an environmental perspective is the release of small amounts of the main alloying elements iron, chromium, nickel and molybdenum.

Scientific papers and reports on ion release from stainless steels: published and/or submitted (March 2005)

Results of a recent study by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, LGC, in the U.K. indicate that nickel pickup by meal-sized portions of real foods cooked in stainless steel utensils at normal domestic cooking temperatures and times was generally below the analytical detectable limits for nickel of 0.01 mg/kg, or l,ug in a 100 g serving of food. Undetectable nickel pickup is considered insignificant with respect to human health effects and reinforces the ongomg use of stainless steel by consumers as the material of choice for cookware.

This is one of a series of papers on the basic science issues associated with the production, use and final disposal of nickel and nickel-containing materials. Other papers in the series deal with carcinogenicity and ecotoxicity. These papers reflect the current understanding of the science associated with health and environmental issues. The essential contributions of B.R. Conard, Ph.D., and of the Nickel Producers Environmental Research Association (NiPERA) are gratefully acknowledged

Human Health and Environment News: The European Union's Nickel Directive has been revised. An explanation of the change and text of the new Commission Directive is available at:

1998 report by the Swedish Metals Investigation Task Force (MITF) on the environmental impact of Chromium, Nickel and Molybdenum, for consideration by the Swedish Government when policy-making on metals and the environment. This summary of extracts of the main molybdenum-related texts is reproduced with the kind permission of Jernkontoret (Swedish Steel Industry Association).