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Contact Hypersensitivity as a Murine Model of Allergic Contact Dermatitis
Published on: September 26, 2022
Chromium in leather footwear - risk assessment of chromium allergy and dermatitis
Jacob P Thyssen1, Maria Strandesen, Pia B Poulsen
1Department of Dermato-Allergology, National Allergy Research Centre, Copenhagen University Hospital Gentofte, DK-2900 Hellerup, Denmark. jacpth01@geh.regionh.dk
Background:
Chromium-tanned leather footwear, which releases >3 ppm hexavalent Cr(VI), may pose a risk of sensitizing and eliciting allergic dermatitis.
Objectives:
To determine the content and potential release of chromium in leather footwear and to discuss the prevention of chromium contact allergy and dermatitis.
Methods:
Sixty pairs of leather shoes, sandals and boots (20 children's, 20 men's, and 20 women's) were purchased in Copenhagen and examined with X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Chromium was extracted according to the International Standard, ISO 17075. The detection level for Cr(VI) was 3 ppm.
Results:
Chromium was identified in 95% of leather footwear products, the median content being 1.7% (range 0-3.3%). No association with store category or footwear category was found. A tendency for there to be a higher chromium content in footwear with high prices was shown (p(trend) = 0.001). Cr(VI) was extracted from 44% of 18 footwear products, and, in three items, more than 10 ppm was extracted. One shoe had 62 ppm Cr(VI) extracted. Sandals seemed to be over-represented among footwear with detectable Cr(VI). Cr(III) extraction reached a median value of 152 ppm.
Conclusions:
Most leather footwear contained chromium. Cr(VI) was extracted from a high proportion of leather footwear; this poses a risk of sensitization.
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