Method Development for 'on Site' Field Test for the Determination of the Presence of Hexavalent Chromium

Adva Ziv Zehavi Cohen, IAF, IDF, gedera, Israel (advazivair@gmail.com)
Guy Zehavi, Iaf, Idf, Gedera, Israel
Orel Portal, Iaf, Idf, Gedera, Israel
Yalfal Siyum, Iaf, Idf, Gedera, Israel
Moshe Rabaev, Iaf, Idf, Gedera, Israel

Hexavalent chromium is a substance that poses a health hazard if exposed to for a long period of time. It is formed when chrome from the engine's alloy reacts with certain minerals at high temperatures. While engine cleaning, hexavalent chromium poses a health risk to the technicians working on engine parts. There are several machine-based methods for the determination of hexavalent chromium. However, due to the time it takes to transport and analyze a sample, it is often a practical choice to wear protective gear and skip the hexavalent chromium analysis, making it very hard to perform tasks, especially in hot weather. It was therefore decided to develop a YES/NO method to determine whether hexavalent chromium exist in large quantities on an engine's surface or not. Our method uses the well-known complexation of hexavalent chromium with Diphenyl carbazide to yield a visible colorimetric on-site result.