[Chromium concentrations in urine of persons non-occupationally exposed to chromium and its compounds].

The investigation on 316 samples of urine from persons that are not professionally subject to the action of chromium or its compounds, demonstrated the following: - chromium is absent in the 8% of tested people; - average chromium concentration is 6.6 micrograms/l; - maximum chromium concentration is 36.6 micrograms/l. The average chromium concentration with regard to tested people living in the districts of Bergamo, Bolzano and La Spezia (4.21 - 4.16 - and 5.32 micrograms/l respectively) is 40% lower than chromium concentration observed in people living in the districts of Agrigento and Milan. The high rate of chromium elimination in people living in Milan (10,39 micrograms/l) depend upon the high chromium concentration in drinking water of this city (10.40 micrograms/l). In the 78% of urine samples a chromium concentration was found corresponding to or lower than 10 micrograms/l.