Registration Dossier
Registration Dossier
Data platform availability banner - registered substances factsheets
Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.
The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.
Diss Factsheets
Use of this information is subject to copyright laws and may require the permission of the owner of the information, as described in the ECHA Legal Notice.
EC number: 234-634-6 | CAS number: 12018-10-9
- Life Cycle description
- Uses advised against
- Endpoint summary
- Appearance / physical state / colour
- Melting point / freezing point
- Boiling point
- Density
- Particle size distribution (Granulometry)
- Vapour pressure
- Partition coefficient
- Water solubility
- Solubility in organic solvents / fat solubility
- Surface tension
- Flash point
- Auto flammability
- Flammability
- Explosiveness
- Oxidising properties
- Oxidation reduction potential
- Stability in organic solvents and identity of relevant degradation products
- Storage stability and reactivity towards container material
- Stability: thermal, sunlight, metals
- pH
- Dissociation constant
- Viscosity
- Additional physico-chemical information
- Additional physico-chemical properties of nanomaterials
- Nanomaterial agglomeration / aggregation
- Nanomaterial crystalline phase
- Nanomaterial crystallite and grain size
- Nanomaterial aspect ratio / shape
- Nanomaterial specific surface area
- Nanomaterial Zeta potential
- Nanomaterial surface chemistry
- Nanomaterial dustiness
- Nanomaterial porosity
- Nanomaterial pour density
- Nanomaterial photocatalytic activity
- Nanomaterial radical formation potential
- Nanomaterial catalytic activity
- Endpoint summary
- Stability
- Biodegradation
- Bioaccumulation
- Transport and distribution
- Environmental data
- Additional information on environmental fate and behaviour
- Ecotoxicological Summary
- Aquatic toxicity
- Endpoint summary
- Short-term toxicity to fish
- Long-term toxicity to fish
- Short-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Long-term toxicity to aquatic invertebrates
- Toxicity to aquatic algae and cyanobacteria
- Toxicity to aquatic plants other than algae
- Toxicity to microorganisms
- Endocrine disrupter testing in aquatic vertebrates – in vivo
- Toxicity to other aquatic organisms
- Sediment toxicity
- Terrestrial toxicity
- Biological effects monitoring
- Biotransformation and kinetics
- Additional ecotoxological information
- Toxicological Summary
- Toxicokinetics, metabolism and distribution
- Acute Toxicity
- Irritation / corrosion
- Sensitisation
- Repeated dose toxicity
- Genetic toxicity
- Carcinogenicity
- Toxicity to reproduction
- Specific investigations
- Exposure related observations in humans
- Toxic effects on livestock and pets
- Additional toxicological data
Epidemiological data
Administrative data
- Endpoint:
- epidemiological data
- Type of information:
- other: Review of literature studies
- Adequacy of study:
- supporting study
- Study period:
- Variable
- Reliability:
- 2 (reliable with restrictions)
- Rationale for reliability incl. deficiencies:
- other: Critical studies are reported in summary form.
Data source
Reference
- Reference Type:
- review article or handbook
- Title:
- The toxicity of chromium and inorganic chromium compounds
- Author:
- Health and Safety Executive
- Year:
- 1 989
- Bibliographic source:
- HSE Toxicity review 21
Materials and methods
- Study type:
- other: Review of literature studies
- Endpoint addressed:
- carcinogenicity
Test guideline
- Qualifier:
- no guideline available
- Deviations:
- not applicable
- Principles of method if other than guideline:
- The HSE review summarises the available literature studies.
- GLP compliance:
- no
- Remarks:
- : not applicable
Test material
- Reference substance name:
- Chromium (III) compounds
- IUPAC Name:
- Chromium (III) compounds
- Details on test material:
- The review includes studies of exposure to various chromium (III) compounds including chromium (III) oxide. It is noted that exposure to chromium (VI) compounds is a confounding factor in many studies.
Constituent 1
Method
- Type of population:
- occupational
- Details on exposure:
- The process termed chromate production consists of milling chromite ore (containing chromium in a trivalent, very poorly water soluble form), and then roasting the ore in the presence of sodium carbonate to produce sodium chromate (containing chromium in the hexavalent, highly water soluble form). Sodium chromate is then acidified to produce sodium dichromate. During periods covered by epidemiological studies, workers have been exposed to various forms of chromium, differing in valency, chemical composition and water solubility.
Stainless steel (SS) welding fumes can be produced by two processes: manual metal arc (MMA) and metal inert gas (MIG) which differ in the amount and form of chromium present. SS-MMA welding fumes contain 0.5-5% chromium with 50-90% of the total chromium in the fumes present as water-soluble hexavalent chromates. SS-MIG welding fumes contain 8-16% chromium with 98-99% of the total chromium present as very poorly water soluble chromium (III) oxide or metallic chromium. However, a small amount of Cr (VI) is detectable in SS-MIG welding fume particles.
Results and discussion
- Results:
- From the few studies available, there is no evidence that occupational exposure to chromium (III) compounds has resulted in cancer in humans.
Any other information on results incl. tables
Studies of chromate production workers
Several mortality studies have been conducted on workers in some or all of the seven chromate production plants in the USA. These studies show a very high incidence of deaths from cancer of the respiratory tract among such workers. There are indications that the incidence of respiratory tract cancer has declined considerably among workers beginning employment at the plants in more recent times. However, from the information available, it is not possible to determine whether there is still an increased incidence of deaths from respiratory tract cancer among the current workforce. It is also not possible to attribute the high cancer mortality to particular work activities, or to specific forms or atmospheric levels of chromium. Suggestions have also been made of increased incidences of cancer of the 'oral region', 'nose', pharynx and maxillary sinuses. However, the validity of such claims cannot be properly assessed from the available data.
In the two mortality studies conducted on workers at three chromate production plants in the UK, a high incidence of lung cancer deaths was evident among men at two of the plants. Studies at the Eaglescliffe plant provide some evidence of a decline in deaths from lung cancer among workers beginning employment in more recent times, particularly following the introduction of a 'no lime' roasting process; however, the evidence available cannot be considered conclusive. Again, it is not possible to attribute the high lung cancer mortality to particular work activities, or to specific forms or atmospheric levels of chromium. At the Rutherglen plant there was some evidence for an excess in the number of deaths from nasal cancer among the workforce, although in view of the small number of deaths it is not possible to assess the significance of this finding.
Despite various shortcomings in the conduct or reporting of studies, there is evidence of a high rate of lung cancer among workers in the Japanese chromate production industry.
Studies of the production of ferrochromium alloys
In general, the results reported for studies of mortality among ferrochromium workers must be considered inconclusive. There have been suggestions of an excess in lung cancer deaths at a Norwegian plant, and of excesses in mortality due to cancers of the lung, oesophagus and stomach in a Russian study. However, none of these findings are convincing. In addition, such workers appear to have been exposed to substances such as quartz, asbestos and benzo(a)pyrene, which confounds interpretation of the studies.
Welding of stainless steel
Several epidemiology studies have been conducted on stainless steel welders, suggesting excesses in mortality from cancer of various areas of the respiratory tract. However, with respect to effects produced specifically by chromium, these findings are inconclusive, particularly considering the 'mixed exposure' characteristics of the welding fume.
Leather tanning
The vital status of 260 men making chrome-tanned leather in two UK tanneries was ascertained in 1982 and follow-up was 94% complete. Cause-specific mortality within the cohort was compared with national statistics for males. One hundred and forty-four deaths occurred, 126.8 being expected. There was no evidence of any excess mortality from cancers of the lung, gastrointestinal tract, prostate or 'all other sites'.
Applicant's summary and conclusion
- Conclusions:
- There is no good evidence of adverse health effects in humans arising from occupational exposure to chromium (III) compounds.
- Executive summary:
There is good evidence that workers exposed to some forms of chromium in the atmosphere have shown a high incidence of mortality from cancer of the lung or lower respiratory tract (trachea, bronchus, lung). Despite the general absence of detailed analysis of smoking habits, a significant excess in such deaths, attributable to chromium exposure, has been clearly seen among workers in chromate production.
From the few studies available, there is no evidence that occupational exposure to chromium (III) compounds has resulted in cancer in humans.
Information on Registered Substances comes from registration dossiers which have been assigned a registration number. The assignment of a registration number does however not guarantee that the information in the dossier is correct or that the dossier is compliant with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (the REACH Regulation). This information has not been reviewed or verified by the Agency or any other authority. The content is subject to change without prior notice.
Reproduction or further distribution of this information may be subject to copyright protection. Use of the information without obtaining the permission from the owner(s) of the respective information might violate the rights of the owner.