Which of the following are sources of chromium poisoning?

• A. Paints, pigments, leather tanning, wood preservatives
• B. Rodenticide and insecticides (banned in US)
• C. Water contamination
• D. Food additives

Answer: (A)

Chromium poisoning is most strongly tied to exposure to hexavalent chromium compounds used in certain industrial products. These compounds are highly toxic and can enter the body through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact. Classic sources include paints and pigments that rely on chromium-based pigments, leather tanning where chromium salts stabilize the hide, and wood preservatives that historically used chromated formulations. Because these products involve direct exposure to Cr(VI) in occupational or consumer-use contexts, they are well-recognized sources of chromium toxicity.

Other options don’t fit as well because rodenticides and insecticides are not typically chromium-containing toxicants in most settings; water contamination can be a chromium exposure route but is less characteristic and usually less significant than these industrial sources; and while chromium can be present in some food additives or supplements in trace amounts, that exposure is not a common poisoning source and is typically not associated with the toxicity seen from industrial Cr(VI) exposures.