Summary
This traditional (non-systematic) literature review synthesises evidence on how single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) modify individual health risks from exposure to arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, and mercury. The PubMed search was conducted in March 2026 with no restrictions on publication type. Cr(VI)-relevant findings include IARC Group 1 carcinogen status, an association with modest but significant increases in cancer incidence and mortality particularly for respiratory and gastrointestinal cancers, limited and inconsistent cardiovascular disease evidence, and a summary of DNA repair gene polymorphisms (XRCC1, XPD, XPC, XRCC3) that modulate genotoxic susceptibility in occupationally exposed populations. The paper is cited on the hexavalent chromium wiki page for the IARC classification, cancer risk characterisation, and genetic susceptibility context.
Key numbers
| Measure | Value | Notes | Source location |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC classification | Group 1 human carcinogen | Cr(VI) as a species | Section 3 |
| Cancer risk characterisation | modest but significant increases in overall cancer incidence and mortality, particularly respiratory and gastrointestinal | epidemiological association, not dose-response quantitation | Section 3 |
| Cardiovascular disease evidence | limited and inconsistent | compared with Pb, Cd, As, Hg where evidence is stronger | Section 3 |
| Preferred biomonitoring matrix | erythrocytic fraction | Cr(VI) is preferentially measured there vs. serum or urine | Section 3 (biomonitoring paragraph) |
| Primary dietary exposure route | contaminated drinking water | as stated by the review for Cr(VI) | Section 2 |
| XRCC1 rs25487 (Arg399Gln) Gln/Gln | associated with increased chromosomal aberrations in occupationally exposed workers | results contradicted by another study; discrepancy attributed to endpoint, population, and exposure differences | Section 4.3 |
| XPD rs13181 (Lys751Gln) and XPC rs2228000 (Lys939Gln) | associated with increased lung cancer susceptibility in Cr(VI)-exposed individuals | occupational cohorts | Section 4.3 |
| XRCC3 rs2295152 T allele | associated with increased micronuclei frequency with chromate exposure | gene-environment interaction | Section 4.3 |
Evidence Fitness
Context only. This is a narrative (non-systematic, non-PRISMA) literature review; the authors conducted a PubMed keyword search with no limits on publication type and no formal quality assessment of included studies. It synthesises primary studies on genetic susceptibility and does not report original measurements. It is cited for IARC classification, cancer risk framing, biomonitoring matrix context, and the genetic susceptibility summary, all of which are presented as review-level evidence.
Methods (brief)
Narrative literature review. PubMed keyword search conducted in March 2026; no date restrictions, no language restriction beyond English-language publications only. Included original research papers, reviews, and meta-analyses. Reference lists of selected articles also screened. No PRISMA checklist, no formal risk-of-bias assessment, no pooling or meta-analysis. Authors at Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
Implications
- Certification: IARC Group 1 classification and the genetic susceptibility evidence support the hazard framing for Cr(VI) in the HMT&C standard.
- Courses: the genetic susceptibility section illustrates why occupational exposure standards and dietary limits should account for inter-individual variation.
- App: no contamination_profile data; not applicable.
- Microbiome: not addressed in this paper.
Provenance notes
Open access, CC BY 4.0. First and second authors (Palazzo M and Borghini A) contributed equally. No retraction or correction flags at time of ingest. The review is traditional (non-systematic); conclusions should be weighted accordingly and primary studies should be consulted for quantitative dose-response claims. See Chromium, Hexavalent for the page this source informs.
Update history
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