Chromium content of lungs of chromate workers with lung cancer

The chromium content was measured in the lungs of chromate workers, obtained at necropsy in six patients and at surgery in two. The mean chromium content of peripheral lung tissue was 36.7 micrograms per gm wet weight (range 0.50 to 130.2 micrograms) and that of the large airways was 0.51 micrograms per gm wet weight (range 0.22 to 0.99 micrograms). These means values were high compared with those from control lungs of a non-chromate exposed lung cancer patients--respectively 0.21 micrograms per gm in lung tissue and 0.11 micrograms per gm in the large bronchi. The longer the exposure period, the higher was the chromium content in the lungs. The concentration of chromium in the upper lobes was significantly higher than that in the lower lobes, suggesting regional differences either in clearance from or deposition in the lung. Moreover, it was apparent that the metal remained in the lungs long after exposure to chromate had ceased