Chromium (VI) is the toxin at issue in Erin Brockovich's well-known legal battle in the 1990s, resulting in one of the biggest civil class-action settlements in US history (and a Hollywood movie)
Chromium (III), an essential nutrient, and toxic chromium (VI), which is associated with lung cancer, kidney and liver damage, and skin and immune system disorders, are frequently present together, often in landfill sites and groundwater as well as in airborne particles.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided a provisional guideline value of 50 parts per billion for total chromium in drinking water to minimise the effect of toxic chromium.
To help easily detect and differentiate chromium from toxic chromium, Agilent and Metrohm have introduced a high-sensitivity analytical method that uses equipment from both companies.
Chromium (VI) is the toxin at issue in Erin Brockovich's well-known legal battle in the 1990s, resulting in one of the biggest civil class-action settlements in US history (The story was also made into a popular Hollywood movie.) Measurement of chromium toxicity is required across a wide range of samples, including drinking water, food, clinical specimens, and electrical and electronic equipment and waste.
While WHO does provide some guidelines related to chromium toxicity, it has also suggested that "because the health effects are determined largely by the oxidation state, different guideline values for Cr (III) and Cr (VI) should be delivered".
The analytical method announced by Agilent and Metrohm uses the new Agilent Chromium Speciation Kit, which features a proprietary Agilent ion chromatography column, the Agilent integrated sample integration system, and Metrohm's non-metal pump module.
The new method provides several advantages over conventional chromium detection techniques, including higher sensitivity (down to parts per trillion), improved specificity, and better reproducibility in high matrix samples, such as hard drinking water.
"Regulatory agencies and laboratories now have a powerful new tool to identify and quantify toxic chromium at lower levels to address potential health risks," said Mike McMullen, vice president and general manager of Agilent's chemical analysis solutions unit.
"This method is simple, reliable and fast and works with a wide variety of sample matrices.
"The system is flexible and will help customers meet an increasing range of regulatory demands for chromium (VI) measurement."
