Premium
Experimental skin deposition of chromium on the hands following handling of samples of leather and metal
Author(s) -
Bregnbak David,
Thyssen Jacob P.,
Jellesen Morten S.,
Zachariae Claus,
Johansen Jeanne D.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
contact dermatitis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0536
pISSN - 0105-1873
DOI - 10.1111/cod.12605
Subject(s) - chromium , allergic contact dermatitis , deposition (geology) , contact dermatitis , metal , skin sensitization , contact allergy , chemistry , metallurgy , sensitization , dermatology , environmental chemistry , materials science , medicine , allergy , immunology , biology , paleontology , sediment
Summary Background Chromium is an important skin sensitizer. Exposure to it has been regulated in cement, and recently in leather. Studies on the deposition of chromium ions on the skin as a result of handling different chromium‐containing materials are sparse, but could improve the risk assessment of contact sensitization and allergic contact dermatitis caused by chromium. Objectives To determine whether the handling of chromium‐containing samples of leather and metal results in the deposition of chromium onto the skin. Methods Five healthy volunteers participated. For 30 min, they handled samples of leather and metal known to contain and release chromium. Skin deposition of chromium was assessed with the acid wipe sampling technique. Results Acid wipe sampling of the participants' fingers showed chromium deposition on the skin in all participants who had been exposed to leather (range 0.01–0.20 µg/cm 2 ) and in 3 of 5 participants after they had manually handled metal discs (range 0.02–0.04 µg/cm 2 ). Conclusions We found that samples of leather and metal had the ability to deposit chromium on the skin at significant levels, in spite of a short duration of exposure.