Chromium in blood

Hansen, L. C., Scribner, W. G., Gilbert, T. W., Sievers, R. E. Rapid analysis for subnanogram amounts of chromium in blood and plasma using electron capture gas chromatography. Anal. Chem. 43, 349 (1971). 

Uptake of potassium dichromate was determined in a man who was given 0.8 mg of chromium(VI) in drinking water 5 times each day for 17 days (Paustenbach et al. 1996). Steady-state concentrations of chromium in blood were attained after 7 days. Red blood cell and plasma levels returned to background levels within a few days after exposure was stopped. The data are consistent with a bioavailability of 2% and a plasma elimination half-life of 36 hours. 

Elevated levels of chromium in blood, serum, urine, and other tissues and organs have been observed in patients with cobalt-chromium knee and hip arthroplasts (Michel et al. 1987 Sunderman et al. 1989). Whether corrosion or wear of the implant can release chromium (or other metal components) into the systemic circulation depends on the nature of the device. In one study, the mean postoperative blood and urine levels of chromium of nine patients with total hip replacements made from a cast cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy were 3.9 and 6.2 pg/F, respectively, compared with preoperative blood and urine levels of 1.4 and 0.4 pg/F, respectively. High blood and urinary levels of chromium persisted when measured at intervals over a year or more after surgery. These data suggest significant wear or corrosion... 

Normal chromium levels in human fluid and tissues should be interpreted with caution. The low sensitivity of the most commonly used detection methods and the ubiquitous presence of chromium in laboratories make detection of low levels of chromium in blood and urine difficult. Everyone is exposed to chromium in the diet, estimated to range from 25 to 224 pg/day with an average of 76 pg/day (Kumpulainen et al. 1979). Only a small amount of dietary chromium is absorbed ( 3%). Normal endogenous chromium levels for the general population (exposed only via the diet) have been reported as 0.01-0.17 pg/L (median 0.06 pg/L) in serum (Sunderman et al. 1989), 0.24-1.8 pg/L (median 0.4 pg/L) in urine (Iyengar and Woittiez 1988), and 0.234 mg/kg in hair (Takagi et al. 1986). 

Elevated levels of chromium in blood, serum, urine, and other tissues and organs have been observed in patients with cobalt-chromium knee and hip arthroplasts (Coleman et al. 1973 Michel et al. 1987 Sunderman et al. 1989). 

Graf-Harsanyi, E. and Langmyhr, F.J. (1980). Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determination of the Total Content and Distribution of Chromium in Blood Serum. Anal. Chim. Acta. 116, 105. 

Another example of systematic error involves the analysis of chromium in blood. If the blood samples are stored in stainless steel vessels prior to analysis, then some chromium may dissolve out of the steel into the sample. This introduces a systematic error which causes the measurement (here the chromium concentration) to be overestimated. 

The determination of chromium in blood on a quadrupole ICP-MS requires digestion of the samples to decrease the carhon content. ... 

Iodine speciation has been successfully carried out using capillary electrophoresis coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The status of iodine species (such as thyroxine, triiodothyronine or iodide) in serum or urine can give information about the malfunction of the thyroid gland and can explain other metabolic abnormalities. Chromium speciation is not normally required in biological samples because the body converts all of the Cr + to Cr + and so the measurement of total chromium in blood and urine is referred to when in fact Cr + has been determined. Chromium speciation has been carried out in bacteria culture medium, which has used to convert Cr + to Cr ". ... 

There appears to be a chromium pool in individuals who are not chromium deficient (136). When there is an increase in level of cHculating insulin in response to a glucose load, an increase in circulating chromium occurs over a period of 0.5—2 h. This is foUowed by a decline and excretion of chromium in urine increases. Chromium deficiency is indicated when no increase or a small increase in blood chromium level or urine chromium occurs. 

Laj, S., V.K. Jain, and S.K. Tandon. 1984. Comparative toxicity of trivalent and hexavalent chromium IV biochemical changes in blood and liver of rat. Jour. Environ. Biol. 5 29-35. 

Tandon, S.K., D.K. Saxena, J.S. Gaur, and S.V. Chandra. 1978. Comparative toxicity of trivalent and hexavalent chromium. Alterations in blood and liver. Environ. Res. 15 90-99. 

Feldman and co-workers117) described a procedure for determining as little as 10 ppb of chromium in serum. The normal level is 30 ppb. At least 2 ml of serum are digested or dry ashed and treated with not permanganate to oxidize chromium to chromium(VI). The chromium(VI) is extracted from 3M HC1 into 5 ml MIBK in the cold. This method has been used to measure chromium levels in studies relating this element to diabetes. Thousands of analyses have been performed. Devoto (198) dry ashed 10 ml of blood and extracted the chromium with 5 ml of 10 % tributyl phosphate in MIBK. Recently, Feldman 119) has determined... 

It is known that part of this process involves the 80-kDa blood serum protein transferrin that tightly binds and transports two ferric iron ions. Because the iron binding uses only 30% of transferrin s metal binding capacity, it has long been thought to bind and transfer other metal ions (including perhaps chromium) in vivo, although this has not been demonstrated by experiment. 

An accurate determination of copper and zinc traces in human serum samples from the International Measurement Evaluation Programme-17 launched by IRMM (Geel) has been made by isotope dilution TIMS.38 An analytical method for the multi-element determination of metals (Ti, V, Cr, Co, Ni and Mo) potentially released from dental implants and prostheses into human body fluids (in blood and urine) by ICP-MS (double-focusing sector field instrument and quadrupole instrument with octopole collision cell) for medical studies was developed in Sanz-Medel s group.39 The Cr and Co concentrations found in blood samples of patients with chromium-cobalt based alloy varied in the sub-p,gl 1 range and were not significantly higher than the basal levels found by other authors.40... 

Oxidation-Reduction in Blood Analysis Demonstrating the Reaction in a Breathalyzer," J. Chem. Educ., Vol. 67,1990, 263. The oxidation of a primary alcohol by the orange dichromate ion is shown to first form an aldehyde, then a carboxylic acid, and green chromium(III) ion. The use of this reaction, principles of spectrometry, and gas laws in a commercial device for measuring blood-alcohol content are discussed. 

Let s try an example. You know that chromium is a micronutrient that is an essential part of our diets. You might also remember that chromium pico-linate got a lot of attention several years ago as a magic weight-loss supplement. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists normal chromium levels in blood as around 2.5 pg per 100 mL of whole blood. What is the concentration of chromium in parts per million You will need to know that the density of whole blood is 1.06 g/mL. 

One animal study showed that more chromium(III) will enter the body of a newborn than an adult. We do not know if this is also true for chromium(VI). We have no information to suggest that there are any differences between children and adults in terms of where chromium can be found in the body, and how fast chromium will leave the body. Studies with mice have shown that chromium crosses the placenta and concentrates in fetal tissue. Therefore, pregnant women who were exposed to chromium in the workplace or by living near chromium waste sites may transfer chromium from their blood into the baby where it may build up at levels greater than in the mother. There is some evidence in humans that chromium can be transferred from mother to infant through breast milk. 

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