[Studies on the effects of chromium complexes].

The existence of chromium complexes in nature, their industrial uses, and their health impacts were reviewed in this paper. The toxic and the formation of Cr(V/IV) complexes and the mechanisms of DNA damage were discussed in particular. The major damaging species responsible for the genotoxicity were Cr(V) or Cr(IV) complexes. However, the function of reactive organic intermediates could not be excluded.