As Canadians mark Safety and Health Week 2025, researchers at the University of Northern British Columbia are contributing to a safer future for workers through a national initiative addressing airborne chromium exposure in industrial environments. Supported by a $150,000 award from WorkSafeBC, the project aims to improve how harmful forms of chromium are detected in the air workers breathe.

In collaboration with Quebec’s Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), the research team is developing and validating analytical methods to accurately detect trivalent and hexavalent chromium. In Canada alone, more than 100,000 workers in sectors such as welding, machining and chromate production may be exposed to airborne chromium as part of their daily work.

This new project builds on earlier work led by Dr. Hossein Kazemian, Director of UNBC’s Northern Analytical Lab Services (NALS) and Northern BC’s Environment and Climate Solutions Hub at the University. That research, also supported by WorkSafeBC, produced a precise single-sample method for identifying chromium species in workplace air. The technique now being refined uses ion chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and speciated isotope dilution—a powerful approach that not only detects both forms of chromium but corrects for any changes that occur during analysis.

Chromium exists in two common forms: Cr(III), which is less toxic but still tightly regulated, and Cr(VI), a known carcinogen. Both forms can become airborne during industrial processes, with exposure linked to respiratory illness, allergic reactions and cancer. Measuring these compounds accurately has long been a challenge due to their tendency to change forms during sampling and analysis, which can lead to unreliable results and hinder effective regulation.

“Hexavalent chromium is a known carcinogen, and even lower concentrations of trivalent chromium are now under increased regulatory scrutiny,” says Kazemian. “This project bridges cutting-edge analytical research developed in our lab at UNBC in the past three years with real-world application, addressing critical gaps in workplace safety.”

Much of the lab-based development and testing is being carried out by Mya Schouwenburg, an Analytical Lab Specialist in industrial hygiene and chromatography at NALS. Her work—also part of her master’s thesis—focuses on improving the accuracy and efficiency of chromium monitoring methods. “At the heart of this project is worker protection,” she says. “By giving regulators and industries better tools to track exposure, we can help create safer workplaces and prevent illness before it arises.”

The simplified sampling method reduces equipment burdens and analysis costs while improving accuracy, benefits that can help regulatory bodies and industries monitor and respond to risks more effectively.

“This research exemplifies how UNBC is helping tackle complex, real-world challenges,” said Dr. Paula Wood-Adams, Vice President Research and Innovation. “By supporting safer work environments through science-based solutions, this project demonstrates the impact northern research can have across Canada.”

The research will continue over the next two years in partnership with IRSST, with graduate students contributing to method development and field validation. Final results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and shared with regulatory agencies, including Quebec’s Comité-conseil 3.33.1, to support stronger occupational health standards. 

“This research supports efforts to protect worker health and strengthen occupational safety standards across the country,” says Kazemian.