Crom

Chromium salts are widely used in industrial processes such as metal finishing and plating, as well as in the leather industry as a tanning agent, and in the manufacture of paints, dyes, explosives, and ceramics. Chromium may enter a water supply through the discharge of waste from these industries or from chromate-treated cooling waters, where it is frequently added for corrosion control. The hexavalent state of chromium, CrVI, is toxic to humans, animals, and aquatic life; it can produce lung tumors when inhaled and readily induces skin sensitization.

Hexavalent chromium in a sample can be measured using the diphenylcarbohydrazide method. 1,5-Diphenylcarbohydrazide is added to a sample under acidic conditions, which then reacts to give a purple color when hexavalent chromium is present. The color of the sample is proportional to the hexavalent chromium concentration in the sample.

Hanna Instruments offers a variety of technologies to measure chromium including spectrophotometers, photometers, colorimeters and Chemical Test kits (CTK).