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Chromium 6 in S/S welds

I am concerned with the current research about the presence of Chromium 6 being present in S/S welds. Chromium 6 being a known carcinogen and highly toxic.

As my S/S containers come into direct contact with food stuffs does any body think this will become a problem.

Graham Lea
bulk food containers - London, Essex, England
2003

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My understanding is that good practice is to electropolish this stainless steel if it will contact foodstuffs. That being done, I don't think I would expect any non-metallics like Cr+6 to remain. But please expound on what you have heard because I'm not in that loop.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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I have not heard of this before, and certainly most tanks that are used for food, beverage and pharmaceutical around the world have welds that have not been electropolished, although they are routinely polished mechanically. Certainly the likelihood of any amount of Cr+6 coming out of a weld into foodstuffs is highly unlikely. Is there data to support that Cr+6 is significantly present in polished welds? It should not be too difficult to get this data from the available test results in the industry. I have not seen this. I will search the data that we have and ask customers.

Lee Kremer
Stellar Solutions, Inc.

McHenry, Illinois

2003