On-Demand Webinars

CHROMIUM:
Occurence, Fate, Transport and Remediation

Chromium is rapidly becoming one of the most studied contaminants due to both its wide-spread distribution and toxic nature. One problem is chromium occurs both naturally and as a contaminant used in industry for such things as metal plating, alloy production, dyes, paints, wood preservatives, and leather tanning.

Although trivalent chromium is an essential trace nutrient for people at low concentrations, chromium is a suspected carcinogen through inhalation and ingestion. The current Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total chromium in drinking water is 100 µg/L, but the US EPA is evaluating development of an MCL for chromium Cr⁶. Due to the widespread presence of chromium in aquifers, knowledge of the geochemistry of chromium in groundwater systems is rapidly advancing, as is knowledge of sample collection methods appropriate for sub-part per billion detection limits.

You will learn approaches to differentiate naturally-occurring chromium from its form in industrial settings. This webinar teaches the essentials of chromium Cr⁶ geochemistry in an accessible format and present appropriate sample collection methods. A recent case study highlights the application of these concepts to a real-world problem faced by practicing environmental geoscientists, engineers, and water supply managers.

Highlights of the webinar include:

• Approaches to differentiate natural from man-made sources of hexavalent chromium in the environment
• Tools to determine under what conditions is hexavalent chromium soluble and mobile?
• New field and laboratory methods to quantify total and hexavalent chromium in groundwater samples
• Field-proven sampling techniques necessary to maintain sample integrity at very low detection limits
• A case study demonstrating techniques of data collection and interpretation for solid- and aqueous-phase chromium characterization
• A simple procedure to investigate naturally occurring Cr⁶ in groundwater systems
• Review current and potential changes in regulation of hexavalent chromium in drinking water