Hexavalent Chromium — Qarmat Ali (Iraq, 2003)
What happened at Qarmat Ali
Restoration crews at the Qarmat Ali water treatment plant (Basra, Iraq) in 2003 worked in and around piles of sodium dichromate that had been used by the prior operator as a corrosion inhibitor. Sodium dichromate releases hexavalent chromium, classified by IARC as a Group 1 carcinogen.
Conditions associated with hexavalent chromium
- Lung cancer (most strongly associated).
- Sinonasal cancer.
- Chronic bronchitis and other lower-respiratory disease.
- Allergic contact dermatitis and chrome ulcers (skin).
- Nasal septum perforation (high-dose exposure).
Developing a Qarmat Ali claim
- Personnel records showing deployment to or in support of operations at Qarmat Ali in 2003.
- Notification letters from the Department of the Army identifying personnel exposed.
- Enrollment in VA's Qarmat Ali medical surveillance program.
- Current medical evidence diagnosing a chromium-related condition.
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