The short answer
Hexavalent chromium is a form of chromium used in plating, welding, and chromate paints. Breathing it at work is linked to lung and nasal cancers.
NCI links work exposure to hexavalent chromium with lung cancer and cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses.
People are mainly exposed by breathing mists or fumes at work, such as plating and welding.
NCI links it to lung cancer and to cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses.
Hazard is not the same as personal risk, which depends on how much you are exposed to and for how long.
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The whole article, with every detail and caution.
The simple version
Chromium is a metal that exists in different forms. One form is called hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6. It is used in metal plating, stainless-steel welding, and some paints. Breathing it at work is linked to lung cancer.
What hexavalent chromium is
Hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) is a highly reactive form of chromium. NCI says it is used widely in metal finishing and chrome plating, stainless steel production, leather tanning, and wood preservatives.
How people are exposed
The main ways people are exposed are:
- Working in electroplating, welding, or chromate painting.
- Breathing dusts, mists or fumes that contain chromium-6.
- Contact with the eyes or skin at work.
The cancer connection
In exposed workers, NCI links hexavalent chromium to lung cancer and to cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses.
NCI cites the National Toxicology Program's Report on Carcinogens for hexavalent chromium compounds.
Hazard is not the same as risk
A hazard is something that can cause cancer under some conditions. It does not describe your own risk. That depends on how much you breathe in, for how long, and on other factors. A plating-shop worker without good ventilation and a person living miles away share the same hazard and face very different risks.
How to lower your exposure
- Follow OSHA chromium-6 exposure limits.
- Ask your employer about ventilation and protective equipment.
Any single exposure sits inside a much bigger picture. See our overview of cancer prevention and our page on what raises cancer risk.
The bottom line
Work exposure to hexavalent chromium is linked to lung and nasal cancers. If your job involves plating, welding, or chromate paint, ask about the controls that limit what you breathe.
Short-term effects to watch for
Cancer risk builds over years. Breathing high levels of chromium-6 can also cause problems much sooner. ATSDR lists irritation of the lining of the nose, nose ulcers, a runny nose, and breathing problems such as cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath. Skin contact with some chromium-6 compounds can cause skin ulcers, and some people have strong allergic redness and swelling.
When to get help sooner
- Call 911 or go to an emergency department if you have sudden trouble breathing, chest tightness, or wheezing you cannot control after a fume or mist exposure. Do not drive yourself.
- Call 911 or go to an emergency department if a nosebleed does not stop after 20 minutes of firm pressure (MedlinePlus). Do not drive yourself.
- Call your care team the same day if a sore or ulcer opens inside your nose.
- Call your care team within a day or two if you have a lasting runny or crusted nose, a new cough or wheeze at work, or a skin sore or rash where chromium touched you.
Tell whoever sees you that you work with hexavalent chromium. It changes what they look for.
Sources
Common questions
Does hexavalent chromium cause cancer?
NCI links occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium with higher risk of lung cancer and cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses. How much any one person's risk rises depends on how much they are exposed to and for how long.
How are people exposed to hexavalent chromium?
At work, mainly by breathing dusts, mists or fumes, and by eye or skin contact. Electroplating, welding and chromate painting are among the highest-exposure jobs.
Which cancers are linked to hexavalent chromium?
NCI links it to lung cancer and to cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses.
How can I reduce my exposure to hexavalent chromium?
NCI notes that OSHA has exposure limits. If you work with it, ask your employer about ventilation and protective equipment, and tell your doctor about the exposure.
Does a carcinogen label mean I will get cancer?
No. A hazard is not a prediction for any one exposed person. Your actual risk depends on the amount and length of exposure and other factors.
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Last updated: 2026-10-02Next planned review: 2028-07-05
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How this page was created
Cancer Explained does not originate medical claims. Every page restates guidance already published by the National Cancer Institute, the CDC, the USPSTF and the FDA, in plain language, with the source cited so you can check the original yourself. AI does the translating and organizing; automated checks test claims, citations, clarity and safety before anything publishes, and this is translation and navigation, not clinical judgment. Nothing here is personal medical advice, and no page can account for your particular situation.
Editorial status: Source checked — This page was written with AI assistance and then compared with the sources listed on it, looking for statements those sources do not back up. That check is not a sentence-by-sentence record and can miss errors. It is not a medical review, and it does not confirm the page is complete or right for your situation.
Human medical review: not completed. Pages here are not signed off by a clinician before they publish. That is not an oversight we are quietly working around: we restate published guidance and cite it, so the authority belongs to the source rather than to us, and every page names where its claims come from — you can verify us instead of trusting us. Where a volunteer clinician has reviewed a page, their name and credentials appear on it; where no name appears, no clinician has checked it. We are glad to have reviewers and are recruiting them, and we do not hold pages back waiting for one. Use this site to understand your situation and to ask better questions of the people treating you.
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