Chromium Environmental, Medical, and Materials Studies

Chromium is regarded with great interest because of its high corrosion resistance and hardness. A major development was the discovery that steel could be made highly resistant to corrosion and discoloration by adding chromium to form stainless steel. This application, along with chrome plating are currently the highest-volume uses of the metal. Although trivalent chromium is required in trace amounts for sugar and lipid metabolism, few cases have been reported where its complete removal from the diet has caused chromium deficiency. This book presents current research data in the study of chromium, including the treatment of chromium contamination in the environment; free radical aspects of chromium toxicity; chromium chemical properties relevant for MEMs; and DNA damage after exposure to chromium.