Lung nickel workers

About 727,000 workers were potentially exposed to nickel metal, nickel alloys, or nickel compounds during the period 1980 to 1983 (USPHS 1993). Worker exposure differs from that of the general population in that the major route of exposure for nickel workers is inhalation and for the general population it is dermal contact (Sevin 1980). Nickel workers with lung cancer had elevated concentrations of 1.97 mg/kg DW in their lungs when compared to the general population (0.03 to 0.15 mg/kg DW USPHS 1977). Plasma concentrations of nickel quickly reflect current exposure history to nickel (USEPA 1980). Mean nickel concentrations in plasma of humans occupationally exposed to nickel have declined by about 50% since 1976, suggesting decreased exposure due to improved safety (Boysen et al. 1980). 

Although nickel is not easily absorbed in the digestive system, it can cause toxic reactions and is a confirmed carcinogen in high concentration in the body. Nickel workers can receive severe skin rashes and lung cancer from exposure to nickel dust and vapors. 

Doll R, Mathews JD, Morgan LG, et al Cancers of the lung and nasal sinuses in nickel workers A reassessment of the period of risk. Br find Med 34 102-105, 1977... 

Controversy as to whether nickel carbonyl causes cancer arose from observation of increased incidence of cancer of the paranasal sinuses and lungs of workers in nickel refineries. Suspicion of carcinogenicity focused primarily on nickel carbonyl vapor, although there were concurrent exposures to respirable particles of nickel, nickel subsulfide, and nickel oxide. Subsequent studies have shown an increased risk of lung and sinus cancer in nickel refineries where nickel carbonyl was not used in the process. Furthermore, the incidence of respiratory cancer decreased greatly by 1930 despite continued exposure of workers to the same levels of nickel carbonyl through 1957. 

Andersen I, Svenes KB. 1989. Determination of nickel in lung specimens of thirty-nine autopsied nickel workers. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 61 289-295. 

Nickel Nose, lung Nickel smelters, mboers, roasters, electrolysis workers... 

Excesses of various cancers other than lung and nasal cancers, such as laryngeal, renal, gastric, or prostatic cancer, have occasionally been reported in nickel workers, but none of these results has been found consistently [1,11]. 

In an evaluation of epidemiological studies to date, it was concluded that most of the respiratory cancer seen among the nickel refinery workers could be attributed to exposure to a mixture of oxidic and sulfidic nickel at very high concentrations. Exposure to large concentrations of oxidic nickel in the absence of sulfidic nickel was also associated with increased lung and nasal cancer risks. There was also evidence that soluble nickel exposure increased the risk of these cancers and that it may enhance risks associated with exposure to less soluble forms of nickel. There was no evi-... 

Shi ZC Study on lung function and blood gas analysis of nickel carbonyl workers. Sci Total Environ 148(2/3) 299-301, 1994... 

Other lung effects including chronic bronchitis and reduced lung function have been observed in workers breathing nickel. Current levels of nickel in workplace air are much lower than in the past, and few workers have symptoms from nickel exposure. 

In a population of sinter plant workers, the risk of death from cancer of the lung or nose has not been shown to decrease even 30-40 years after the workers left the sinter plant (Muir et al. 1994). Although the workers left the sintering operation, many were still exposed to nickel compounds, in operations that have not been associated with cancer. The investigators note that persisting nickel deposits could act as carcinogenic agents. 

Following inhalation exposure, about 20-35% of nickel deposited in the lungs of humans is absorbed into the bloodstream. Absorption from the respiratory tract is dependent on the solubility of the nickel compound, with higher urinary nickel observed in workers exposed to soluble nickel compounds (nickel chloride, nicke sulfate) than in those exposed to less-soluble nickel compounds (nickel oxide, nickel subsulfrde). Following oral exposure, about 27% of the nickel given to humans in drinking water was... 

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