Chromium Concentrations in Automotive Paints from Retail Stores in Kenya

Chromium (Cr) is among the heavy metals that are added to automotive paints to provide protection against corrosion and reflective properties. However, exposure to hexavalent chromium Cr(VI), which is the toxic form of Cr is associated with adverse health effects such as lung cancer. The study, therefore, assessed Cr levels in the automotive paints commonly used by spray painters in informal settings in Nairobi City. Chromium concentrations were determined in triplicates in the three sets of automotive paint samples in red, blue and green colours. The same samples were also used for the determination of lead content and the findings of the study were published elsewhere. The automotive paint samples were procured from 8 formal and informal retail stores. The Cr concentrations was also analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of Cr levels obtained from informal retail shops ranged from 120.5±10.6 to 2771.9±35.6 parts per million (ppm). On the contrary, those from the formal retail stores were significantly lower (p < 0.05), and were in the range of 39.3±7.0 to 461.9±11.1 ppm. The Cr levels in automotive paints varied greatly across different colours and retail shops. Substantial levels were observed in almost all paint samples purchased from the informal retail shops except one retail shop. The elevated Cr levels in various colours of automotive paints used by spray painters in the informal sector call for a comprehensive assessment of Cr in these settings along with health-driven policies to address related health impacts.