Verwenden
The steel industry is the major consumer of chromium. In 2007, estimated consumption of chromium in the United States by end use was 78% in stainless and heat-resisting steel, 13.8% for other steel uses, 3.7% in superalloys, and 4.5% in other alloys and end uses (Papp 2009). Alloys of stainless steel and chromium typically contain between 11.5% and 30% chromium (ATSDR 2000). Chromium(VI) compounds are widely used as corrosion inhibitors, in the manufacture of pigments, in metal finishing and chrome plating, in stainless steel production, in leather tanning, and in wood preservatives (Costa 1997, ATSDR 2000). In 1996, about 52% of all chromium compounds used in the U.S. chemical industry were used in production of wood preservatives; the rest were used in leather tanning (13%), metals finish-ing (13%), pigments (12%), refractories (linings for high-temperature industrial furnaces) (3%), and other uses (7%) (ATSDR 2000). The use of chromium(VI) compounds in wood preservatives increased dramatically from the late 1970s to the early 2000s; however, this use is expected to decrease because of a voluntary phase-out of all residential uses of wood treated with chromated copper arsenate (pressure-treated wood) that went into effect December 31, 2003 (Brooks 2009). Chromium(VI) compounds are also used in textile-dyeing processes, printing inks, drilling muds, pyrotechnics, water treatment, and chemical synthesis (HSDB 2009). Calcium chromate is used primarily as a corrosion inhibitor and as a depolarizer in batteries (IARC 1973, 1990, HSDB 2009). Chromium trioxide is used primarily in chrome plating and other metal finishing (particularly in the production of automobiles and military aircraft), in production of wood preservatives, as a corrosion inhibitor, and in production of organic chemicals and catalysts. Lead chromate has been used in paints and printing inks and as a colorant in vinyl, rubber, and paper. Potassium chromate is used in production of dyes and in textile-dyeing processes. Potassium dichromate has largely been replaced by sodium dichromate in many applications; however, it is still used in photomechanical processes and production of pigments and wood preservatives. Sodium chromate is used as a corrosion inhibitor and in textile dyeing processes, inks, paints, leather tanning, wood preservatives, drilling muds, cutting oils, water treatment, and production of other chromium compounds. Sodium dichromate is the primary base material for the production of chromium compounds and is used as a corrosion inhibitor, in metal treatments, in drilling muds, and in the production of dyes, wood preservatives, synthetic organic chemicals, and catalysts. Strontium chromate is used as a corrosion inhibitor and metal conditioner, in aluminum flake coatings, as a colorant in polyvinyl chloride, in pyrotechnics, in chrome plating, and for sulfate ion control in electrochemical processes. Zinc chromates are used as corrosion inhibi
