Dangerously High Levels of Chromium 6 Allegedly Discovered in Greece's Asopos River

Recently, the organization based in Washington DC known as "Friends of the Earth" along with Erin Brockovich has recently released a newsletter stating an environmental problem in Greece. The newsletter had stated that the Asopos River located in Greece has become extremely polluted with the substance known as hexavalent chromium which is also known as "Chromium 6." It is explained that the stuff is present in groundwater but adds that the levels of Chromium 6 present within the Asopos River is a dangerously high level.

The newsletter said that it is discovered that the level of Chromium 6 is four-hundred thousand times the amount that should be in ground water. This compound is used for color pigments in the field of photography. Other uses of this highly toxic compound included the coloring for dyes, paints, inks, plastics, and other compounds. In short, Chromium 6 is used for any type of coloring for industrial use. But due to the toxicity, this compound is being replaced with alternatives.

One of the dangerous side effects of exposure to Chromium 6 is the possibility of cancer. This compound is listed as a human carcinogen via inhalation. As a result, it would count as a job hazard to those who work in fields that expose them to that stuff. If exposed to that compound for a long time, one would have a high risk of getting lung cancer.

However, there are other risks associated with exposure towards Chromium 6. In your lungs, the compound reacts inside with vitamin C. Inside cells, one can suffer breaks in the chromosomes and numerous mutations. You only need a low exposure to Chromium 6 to suffer major damage due to the reaction.

One could ask what is the significance of the high levels being discovered in the Asopos River?

The Asopos is the name of not one but five different rivers in both Greece and Turkey. There are the Boeotian Asopos, Philisian Asopos, Thessalian Asopos, Trachean Asopos, and the Phrygian Asopos.

Not only does the pollution affect Greece, it would possibly affect Turkey in the near future.