Chromium(III) chloride in the yard and garden
Moderate risk for your yardChromium(III) chloride presents a low to moderate risk to human adults. IARC Group 3 (not classifiable for carcinogenicity) — the carcinogenic hazard of Cr(III) per se is not established. The primary concerns are: (1) Cr(VI) impurities in Cr(III) industrial products (chrome tanning salts must be controlled for Cr(VI) content); (2) reproductive toxicity classification (EU Repr 2 H361 — suspected reproductive toxicant, relevant for occupational exposures in chrome tanning, textile mordanting); (3) skin and eye irritation in direct industrial contact. Chromium(III) as a dietary supplement at AI levels (25–35 μg/day) has a long safety record. Leather tanning workers require monitoring for Cr(VI) exposure (urine hexavalent chromium, or total urinary Cr as surrogate), not specifically for Cr(III).
What is chromium(iii) chloride?
Also known as: Chromic chloride hexahydrate, chromium(3+) trichloride hexahydrate, chlorure de chrome hexahydraté, chrome (chlorure de) hexahydraté.
- CAS number
- 10060-12-5
- Molecular formula
- Cl3Cr
- Molecular weight
- 158.35 g/mol
- SMILES
- O.O.O.O.O.O.Cl[Cr](Cl)Cl
- PubChem CID
- 24808
Risk for people, pets,
Moderate riskChromium(III) chloride presents a low to moderate risk to human adults. IARC Group 3 (not classifiable for carcinogenicity) — the carcinogenic hazard of Cr(III) per se is not established. The primary concerns are: (1) Cr(VI) impurities in Cr(III) industrial products (chrome tanning salts must be controlled for Cr(VI) content); (2) reproductive toxicity classification (EU Repr 2 H361 — suspected reproductive toxicant, relevant for occupational exposures in chrome tanning, textile mordanting); (3) skin and eye irritation in direct industrial contact. Chromium(III) as a dietary supplement at AI levels (25–35 μg/day) has a long safety record. Leather tanning workers require monitoring for Cr(VI) exposure (urine hexavalent chromium, or total urinary Cr as surrogate), not specifically for Cr(III).
Regulatory consensus
3 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Chromium(III) chloride. The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IARC | 1990 | Group 3 — Chromium(III) compounds are not classifiable as to their carcinogenicity to humans (IARC Monograph Volume 49, 1990); chromium(III) chloride (CrCl3) is a trivalent chromium salt with inadequate evidence for carcinogenicity in humans and inadequate or limited evidence in animals; the essential nutrient status and poor membrane permeability of Cr(III) underlie the Group 3 classification; EU CLP classified for reproductive toxicity (H361) and eye irritation but not carcinogenicity | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (single report) (Ames: None, 1 positive / 1 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: positive (single report) (Ames: None, 1 positive / 1 negative reports) |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where your yard encounter chromium(iii) chloride
- Contaminated Water — Mining site runoff, Industrial discharge areas, Drinking water from old infrastructure
- Soil Contamination — Industrial sites, Smelter areas, Battery recycling facilities
- Food Chain — Fish from contaminated waters, Shellfish from polluted areas, Crops grown in contaminated soil
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Chromium(III) chloride:
-
Exposure reduction (no chemical substitute)
Trade-offs: Exposure reduction does not eliminate the hazard but lowers risk to acceptable levels when alternatives are not available or practical. Requires ongoing monitoring and compliance.Relative cost: 1.2-2×
Frequently asked questions
Is chromium(iii) chloride safe for your yard?
Chromium(III) chloride presents a low to moderate risk to human adults. IARC Group 3 (not classifiable for carcinogenicity) — the carcinogenic hazard of Cr(III) per se is not established. The primary concerns are: (1) Cr(VI) impurities in Cr(III) industrial products (chrome tanning salts must be controlled for Cr(VI) content); (2) reproductive toxicity classification (EU Repr 2 H361 — suspected reproductive toxicant, relevant for occupational exposures in chrome tanning, textile mordanting); (3) skin and eye irritation in direct industrial contact. Chromium(III) as a dietary supplement at AI levels (25–35 μg/day) has a long safety record. Leather tanning workers require monitoring for Cr(VI) exposure (urine hexavalent chromium, or total urinary Cr as surrogate), not specifically for Cr(III).
What products contain chromium(iii) chloride?
Chromium(III) chloride appears in: Mining site runoff (Contaminated water); Industrial discharge areas (Contaminated water); Industrial sites (Soil contamination); Smelter areas (Soil contamination); Fish from contaminated waters (Food chain).
Why do regulators disagree about chromium(iii) chloride?
Chromium(III) chloride has been classified by 3 agencies including IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Chromium(III) chloride in the outdoor app
Look up products containing chromium(iii) chloride, compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
Open in outdoor View raw API dataSources (1)
- IARC Group 3 Chromium III Compounds Vol 49 1990; Chrome Tanning Leather EU Cr(VI) Limit 3 mg/kg REACH Article 65; Chromodulin Insulin Potentiation Essential Trace Element DRI 25-35 μg/day; Cr(III) Poor Membrane Permeability vs Cr(VI) Anion Transporter; Cr(III) Oxidation Cr(VI) Manganese Oxide Soil; EU CLP Repr 2 H361 Suspected Reproductive Toxicant; Chromium Picolinate Supplement EFSA 2010; Leather Tannery Effluent WWTP Cr(OH)3 Precipitation (1990) — regulatory
Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for veterinary, medical, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →