Introduction & Objective: Hexavalent chromium, Cr+6, is a very harmful pollutant and a relatively unstable compound that is present in many industries. It is a known human respiratory carcinogen and occupational exposure to this chemical is associated with different health hazards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four parameters including: type of sampling head, sampling height from the surface of electroplating solution, sampling duration, and sample storage duration on Cr+6 mist monitoring.

Materials & Methods: To evaluate the influence of the main parameters as an experimental study, the 24 factorial design was applied at constant electroplating condition. A chromium electroplating bath with the ability to produce homogenous mist was used to create Cr+6 mist in laboratory setting. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) method 7600 was used to determine the Cr+6 concentration.

Results: The results of 48 Cr+6 mist samples showed that Cr+6 concentration was higher: (1) for sampling by closed-face filter cassettes than for sampling by open-face filter cassettes (P<0.001) (2) for samples collected at 35 cm above the electroplating solution surface than for samples collected at 50 cm (P <0.001) (3) for sampling duration of 30 minutes than for sampling duration of 180 minutes (P <0.001) and, (4) for samples extracted immediately after sampling than for samples with delayed extraction (24 hours after sampling) (P <0.001). Conclusion: It is concluded that the accuracy of Cr+6 mist sampling in electroplating shops will be enhanced when: (1) a closed-face filter cassette is used to prevent liquid splash contamination (2) the sampling height is suitable as determined by further research (3) the sampling duration is short (approximately 30 minutes) and, (4) the extraction of the Cr+6 sample is performed as soon as the sampling is completed.