EXPOSURE TO CHROMIUM DUST FROM HOMES IN A CHROMIUM SURVEILLANCE PROJECT

Investigators used a Lioy-Weisel-Wainman sampler to analyze the chromi um content in house-dust samples obtained from households near chromiu m waste sites in Hudson County, New Jersey. Chromium concentrations in dust (mu g/g)--indicative of non-background source contributions--wer e significantly higher in Jersey City homes than in control homes outs ide of Hudson County (228 and 111 mu g/g, respectively; p <.001). Chro mium dust loadings on surfaces (ng/cm(2)), representing the amount of chromium available for contact and a direct measure of exposure potent ial, were also higher in Jersey City homes than in control homes (31 n g/cm(2) and 14 ng/cm(2), respectively; p =.008). Near some of the site s, investigators found elevated chromium dust loads more frequently in homes occupied by at least one household member who had elevated urin e chromium, as determined in a separate screening project, than in hom es occupied by members whose urine chromium was not elevated. Individu als with elevated urine chromium levels were found less frequently in homes in which good housekeeping practices were evident than in homes absent such practices.