Abstract: Trivalent chromium is an essential trace element for human body and plays important roles in glucose and lipid metabolism． The high toxicity of hexavalent chromate in human is caused mainly by the genotoxicity， which induces teratogenicity and carcinogenesis． The research on the genotoxicity of hexavalent was mainly on chromate metabolism， DNA damage， change of gene expression and survival signaling， tumor formation and teratogenicity．