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A closer look at chromium-6

Gabrielle Payne 0 Comments

In September 2016, the Environmental Working Group reported a cancer-causing pollutant known as Chromium-6 is present in many drinking water systems throughout the country.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has collected data from several water systems in response to the report published by EWG. Deputy Director of Communications for the Ohio EPA Heidi Griesmer said the study is currently in progress, and, once the results have been filed, the EPA will determine if the federal standard should be reviewed.

Griesmer called the EWG study “alarmist,” adding chromium levels are in compliance with national standards.

“At least based on the science out there now, we do not believe there is a reason for Ohioans to be alarmed,” Griesmer said.

From 2013 to 2015, the EWG did a study of more than 60,000 water samples. EWG worked under an Environmental Protection Agency program and found chromium-6 present in more than 75 percent of samples.

The EWG reported in an article written by Senior Science David Andrews and Managing Editor Bill Walker that “nationwide drinking water tests shows that the compound contaminates water supplies for more than 200 million Americans in all 50 states.”

According to the report, California is the only state with an established limit on the amount of Chromium-6 permitted in its water supply.

In the EWG study, titled “‘Erin Brockovich’ carcinogen of tap water of more than 200 million Americans” reported that California scientists believed 0.02 parts per billion (PPB) was considered safe for consumption. Griesmer said the national standard for chromium, which includes chromium-3 and chromium-6, is 10 parts per billion.

Kent Water Plant Manager Steve Hardesty said some chemicals are naturally occurring in groundwater and are mandated by the state and federal EPA. This includes arsenic, chloride, fluoride and lead.

Kent has a Wellfield Protection program in place, which protects the aquifers from pollutants. Hardesty said the wells have been mapped out with defined radiuses to prevent dumping of chemicals or pollutants from contaminating the water.

Chromium-6 is naturally occurring in some water systems, according to an Ohio EPA report. It can be found in rocks, plants, soil, volcanic dust and animals. Hardesty attributed the amount of chromium-6 in Kent’s water supplies to naturally occurring substances.

“I have never researched how to treat (chromium-6) because it hasn’t been a concern,” Hardesty said.

Ravenna had the highest numbers within Portage County in EWG’s report. One water source sampled contained 1.13 PPB of chromium-6, and another contained 1.0 PPB.

“I think we may have had one of the higher numbers because we have seven-mile senior canal, and then all that water comes from Congress Lake,” said Tim Stevens, a water plant supervisor in Ravenna. “There’s just so many man-made influences that could have been along the way.”

Chromium-6 comes from a variety of sources including making steel and other alloys, plating, leather tanning, wood preservation and textile dyes and pigments.

Stevens said pollutants like chromium-6 from textile businesses once located close to the canal may have drained into the water supply, increasing the parts per billion of the water sample.

“I think the high numbers we had in that August — probably the other three quarters were much lower than that,” Stevens said. “I remember that August we had a heck of a lot of rain, and it’s probably not the normal number.”

Results of System Testing of Chromium-6 in Portage County, according to Environmental Working Group reports. View full interactive results here.

Chromium-3 vs. Chromium-6

What is Chromium? Chromium is one of the most common elements on both land and sea. It exists in several oxidation states, primarily as trivalent and hexavalent. While Chromium-6 is a highly toxic carcinogen, Chromium-3 is an essential nutrient.

How is Chromium-3 a dietary element? Like vitamins including calcium, iron, and zinc, chromium is necessary to sustain normal health. Trivalent chromium is found in many foods, including whole-grain products, coffee, nuts, broccoli, and egg yolks. It is known to assist in insulin production, and is especially important for people with diabetes and hypoglycemia.

How is Chromium-6 industrially created?
 Chromium-6 is produced from Chromium-3 through a chemical heating in which chromium ore is crushed and roasted with reactive chemicals. This industrial process produces large amounts of air-born chromium. Workers in these industries and residents who live nearby are most at risk of suffering from the health consequences of inhaling chromium or drinking well water with toxic residue.

Could Chromium-3 negatively affect my health?

Breathing in Chromium-3 does not harm the nose and mouth like Chromium-6 does. The recommended daily dose of trivalent chromium is 50 -200 μg. If someone greatly exceeds that amount, there may be harmful effects. However, there is not enough research to prove whether or not large doses of Chromium-3 could cause cancer.

How does Portage County treat drinking water? from KentWired.com on Vimeo.

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