What Is Chromium?

Chromium is a chemical element discovered in 1797 by the French chemistry professor Louis Nicolas Vauquelin. It belongs to the group of transition metals, and its name comes from the Greek word “colour”, as depending on the degree of oxidation, it forms compounds in various colours. For the human body, chromium is important in oxidation state III.

Chromium in the third state of oxidation is of particular importance for human health and good physical and mental wellbeing. Other chromium compounds, particularly at state VI, have harmful effects on living organisms: they’re toxic and mutagenic for cells, and contribute to the formation of tumours.

Chromium III is an extremely important element that plays an active part in our health. It belongs to the group of bioelements, i.e. minerals that are present in the body in an amount greater than 0.01%, such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, chromium and sulphur. Bioelements perform many important regulatory, structural and transmission functions in the body, and thus are crucial for life.

It has been calculated that there’s a maximum of 6 mg of chromium present in the body of an adult. Even so, it’s essential in many metabolic processes. One of the most important tasks of chromium is its participation in glucose metabolism. It stimulates pancreatic cells to produce insulin, and plays an active role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. It also lowers the blood level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL).

Trivalent chromium protects blood vessels and other tissues in the body. It stimulates glucose and amino acid transport to muscle cells and inhibits catabolic enzyme activity. Chromium is part of some enzymes, e.g. trypsin. It also supports the building of muscle tissue and improves muscle strength.

Because chromium takes part in insulin metabolism, it’s extremely important for diabetics and the elderly, who are often deficient in this element. It’s an important component of GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor), which is a chemical substance produced in the liver and released into the blood when glucose or insulin increases. The activity of chromium reduces sweet cravings and hunger, which is particularly important for overweight people and those trying to lose weight.

A well-balanced diet usually provides the body with the right amount of chromium. However, a poor, repetitive diet containing highly processed products may result in a chromium deficiency in the body.

Elemental hair analysis is a test that accurately reflects the content of specific elements in the body. The EHA test shows us whether supplements that contain chromium are needed, and whether the body has harmful substances present, such as heavy metals.

Elemental hair analysis also shows the synergistic and antagonistic relationships between specific elements in the body. The synergistic effect occurs mainly at the metabolic level, and means that an adequate supply of one element to the body improves the absorption (metabolism) of another. In contrast, antagonism takes place where the excessive consumption of one element can inhibit the absorption of another ingredient. For example, high levels of calcium are maintained in the body, e.g. due to high dietary intake or supplementation of calcium. Excess calcium reduces the intestinal absorption of zinc. In turn, incorrect zinc levels result in excessive copper absorption, which in its toxic form can lead to poisoning of the body. Because of similar symptoms, such poisoning is often thought to be iron deficiency and leads to deterioration of blood results.

Taking too much chromium can lead to poisoning of the body. So when supplementing, follow the manufacturer’s instructions provided in the leaflet or on the packaging.

Elżbieta Rymar, Ważny nie tylko dla diabetyków chrom – biopierwiastek niezbędny do życia, [It’s not only diabetics who need CHROMIUM – it’s an element essential for life] DietPoint, 1(2)/2019, s. 41-42.

Known for its silver, shiny appearance, chromium is used to coat cars, stoves and other appliances to protect them from corrosion and to improve their looks, chromium element. Chromium's high melting point and stable structure also make it useful in the textile and refractory industries. When combined with easeus partition master crack Activators Patch elements, chromium makes vibrant colors and is used as a dye, which is what originally earned it its name from the Greek word chroma for "color." 

It is naturally found in compounds in the earth's crust. However, consuming high levels of chromium in polluted drinking water or inhaling fumes of the heated element can cause ulcers, cancer and other health problems. 

Just the facts

• Atomic number (number of protons in the nucleus): 24
• Atomic symbol (on the periodic table of elements): Cr
• Atomic weight (average mass of the atom): 51.9961
• Density: 4.13 ounces per cubic inch (7.15 grams per cubic cm)
• Phase at room temperature: solid
• Melting point: 3,465 degrees Chromium element (1,907 degrees Celsius)
• Boiling point: 4,840 F (2,671 C)
• Number of natural isotopes (atoms of the same element with a different chromium element of neutrons): chromium element common isotope: Cr-52

Discovery of chromium

French chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin first isolated chromium from a bright Hard drive and system repair-and-maintenance tool Free Activators mineral called Chromium element red lead, now known as lead chromate (PbCrO₄) in 1797. According to John Emsley in his book, "Nature’s Building Blocks: An A-Z Guide to the Elements (opens in new tab)" (Oxford University Press, 1999), it took Vauquelin a year before he was able to precipitate out the lead and obtain pure chromium. He mixed the chromium in a variety of solutions and was intrigued by the many colors it produced, thereby naming the element after the Greek word chromameaning "color." 

Sources of chromium

Chromium is the 21st most common element found in the Earth's crust, but it is not found in its free metal form. Instead, it is principally found in chromite ore, according to Robert E, chromium element. Krebs in his book, "The History and Use of Our Earth’s Chemical Elements: A Reference Guide" (Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006). Chromite is mined in Zimbabwe, Russia, New Zealand, Turkey, Iran, Albania, chromium element, Finland, the Philippines and Madagascar. About 20,000 tons of chromium metal are produced each year, and there are still about a billion tons of unexploited deposits in Greenland, Canada, and the United States, according to Emsley. Chromium metal is then obtained by heating the chromite ore in the presence of aluminum or silicon, according to the Jefferson Lab.

Properties of chromium

Chromium is a transition metal in Group 6 on the Periodic Table of Elements. In its pure form, chromium is a silvery, lustrous, hard metal that has a high polish, ideal for electroplating.

The most important chromium compounds are the chromates of sodium and potassium, the dichromates, and potassium and ammonium chrome alums, chromium element, according chromium element the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Chromium compounds are toxic and should be handled with care.

Chromium compounds are all vividly colored and are used as pigments — bright green, yellow, red and orange. Rubies are red because of chromium, and glass treated with chromium has an emerald green color, according to the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). 

Used for protection and beauty

Using a technique called electroplating, a thin layer of chromium can coat metal and plastic objects, including car parts and household appliances, to give a shiny, attractive dvdfab crack version free download. For example, chromium element, automotive designers use chrome rims and wheels to spruce up their cars. Chrome plating is not only used for looks; because the chromium forms a protective oxide layer on the surface, chrome-plated objects resist corrosion, according to Krebs. 

Stainless steel is an alloy of iron and at least 10.5 Aomei Backupper Free Activate chromium. It is highly resistant to corrosion. It is used in kitchen cutlery, appliances and cookware such as stainless steel pans and skillets.

About 90 percent of leather is chrome tanned, according to Emsley. During this process, chromium sulfate is used to treat animal skin and turn it into leather that is resistant to hot water that can cause degradation.

Kilns and furnaces use bricks made of chromite ore, which retains strength at high temperatures. The textile industry uses chromium ions to help adhere dyes to fabric. Chromium's high melting point, moderate thermal expansion and crystalline structure stability make it suitable for these purposes.

Dangerous in excess

Though its specific role in humans is unclear, studies have shown that chromium is an essential trace element that is found in RNA and helps the body to use glucose. Chromium is most concentrated in the placenta, and its presence in the body decreases with age.

A safe amount is about 1 milligram per day, according to the RSC. Foods such as brewer's yeast, wheat germ and kidney are rich in chromium. However, it is poisonous in excess.

In the 2000 film "Erin Brockovich," Julia Roberts portrays an environmental activist and legal clerk who leads a case against a gas and electric company for chromium element drinking water with chromium(VI), a toxic compound known to cause cancer, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Though Brockovich won the case in real life and in the movie, scientists have criticized her lack of evidence showing that chromium(VI), chromium element, and not other factors, was the cause of the numerous health issues including cancer in the community of Hinkley, Calif. However, several studies in the past few years have linked chromium(VI) in tap water to cancer and the EPA has set a drinking water concentration limit for the element to protect public health. 

Excessive exposure to chromium can also cause chrome ulcers, particularly when working with it for months while chrome-plating or leather tanning, according to Emsley. Chrome ulcers are itchy and raw holes in the skin or the stomach. If dust containing chromium is inhaled, industrial workers are more prone to ulcers in the nasal cavity and lung cancer. Additionally, a 2017 study published in European Journal of Clinical Glary utilities pro vs free Activators Patch (opens in new tab) linked high levels of urinary chromium to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Additional resources 

Carol Stoll is a contributing writer for Live Science. She previously ALLPlayer Features high school science in Newark, N.J., and Riverdale, N.Y. She has a master’s degree in science education from Harvard Graduate Chromium element of Education and a bachelor’s degree in biology from Chromium element University in St. Louis.