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Chromium Level, Serum

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB5976, Beaker: XCRO, Mayo: CRS

Department

Send Outs

Instructions

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect: One Royal Blue-top tube with no additive.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a metal free transport tube within six hours of collection. Do not allow serum to remain on cells. Refrigerate (2-8°C or 36-46°F).

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 2.0 mL serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.4 mL)

Rejection Criteria

Tubes that are not metal-free

Specimens not collected and processed as indicated.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to a metal free transport tube within six hours of collection. Do not allow serum to remain on cells.

Transport: 2.0 mL serum, refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F). (Minimum: 0.4 mL) 

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 28 days
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 28 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 28 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Outs Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester, MN.

Performed

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday.
Results are available in 2-5 days.

Reference Range

By report.

Test Methodology

Dynamic Reaction Cell-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (DRC-ICP-MS).

Interpretation

By report.

Clinical Utility

This assay is used to evaluate industrial exposure and toxicity.

A variety of industrial processes use chromium, contributing to environmental contamination. Occupational exposure to chromium occurs in the manufacturing of stainless steel, explosives, chrome plating, tanned leather, textile dyes, cleaning and photographic solutions, and some ceramics, as an anticorrosive in some coolants. Workers at risk should be monitored. The most toxic form of chromium is Cr(VI), which is reduced intracellularly to nontoxic Cr(III). Claims that chromium has a protective role in preventing impaired glucose tolerance and lipid abnormalities may lead to potentially dangerous self-supplementation. The benefits of supplementation have not been adequately proven. Chromium has been reported to be an essential element.

Monitoring biological samples for chromium (VI) is not practical and is not clinically useful. Air monitoring of the manufacturing site for Cr(VI) is the recommended method for detecting Cr(VI) exposure.

CPT Codes

82495
LOINC:  5622-6

Contacts

Last Updated

8/16/2023