Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Ongoing effects of chrome poisoning

My husband was diagnosed with chrome poisoning approximately three years ago. He had industrial dermatitis to his hands, feet and also dry scaly skin to his arms and legs. It took several months for this to heal with help from prescribed creams and emulsions. However he has a continuing problem with dry skin and additional allergies that effect him due to alack of barrier skin caused by the initial dermatitis.

A few months ago he developed another rash on his chest, the same sort of blistery pustules that he developed just prior to the onset of dermatitis on his hands. I need to know if this could be another ongoing problem with the chrome poisoning.

He has never had any blood test or scans of any kind done to determine how much damage may have been done by the chrome poisoning. We have not been able to get any answers from the specialists involved other than the repeated statement that this has been a build up in his system for at least 12 years.

He has worked in a number of industries over the years [ leather processing, metal processing, paint applications and concrete production] that have involved him having to work with products that contain chromates.

We have been told that this type of poisoning is similar to asbestos poisoning so have some very big concerns about the ongoing problems that may occur. Can you please help us to understand a little more and also tell us what sort of ongoing problems we may need to be aware of? Thank-you for your time and consideration.

Lesley McDonald
concrete production - Palmerston North, New Zealand
2006

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Lesley, my heart goes out to you and your husband. I pray he recovers.

I'm not medically trained, and neither are most folks who respond on this board. Yet a quick google search found this site, which seems to have some information on chromium toxicity:

http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/HEC/CSEM/chromium/index.html

It's a case study on chromium poisoning, and is a number of pages long. I hope it helps.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2006