Occupational exposure to nickel salts in electrolytic plating

• Published in: The Annals of occupational hygiene Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 189,197 - 195,200
• Main Authors: Kiilunen, M., Aitio, A., Tossavainen, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.04.1997; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Air Pollutants, Occupational - analysis; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical and industrial products toxicology. Toxic occupational diseases; Electroplating; Female; Finland; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Metallurgy; Metals and various inorganic compounds; Nickel - analysis; Nickel - urine; Occupational Exposure; Protective Devices; Toxicology; Europe; Finland; Human; Ambient air concentration; Work place; Electrolysis; Nickel; Soluble form; Occupational exposure; Occupational medicine; Biological monitoring
• ISSN: 0003-4878; 1475-3162
• DOI: 10.1016/S0003-4878(96)00033-6

An occupational hygiene survey was made in 38 nickel plating shops in Finland and exposure to nickel was studied by means of biological measurements and, in three shops, by using air measurements. The average after-shift urinary nickel concentration of 163 workers was 0.16 μmol l.−1 (range 0.001–4.99 μmol l.−1). After the 1–5 week vacation the urinary nickel concentration was higher than the upper reference limit of non-exposed Finns indicating that a part of water-soluble nickel salts is accumulated in the body. Urinary nickel concentrations in the shops considered clean in the industrial hygiene walk-through were not different from those observed in the shops considered dirty. The correlation between the concentrations of nickel in the air and in the urine was low, and the amount of nickel excreted in the urine exceeded the calculated inhaled amounts, indicating exposure by other routes such as ingestion.