Mammals nickel

Nickel retention in the body of mammals is low. The half-time residence of soluble forms of nickel is several days, with little evidence for tissue accumulation except in the lung (USEPA 1980, 1986). Radionickel-63 (63Ni) injected into rats and rabbits cleared rapidly most (75%) of the injected dose was excreted within 24 to 72 h (USEPA 1980). Nickel clears at different rates from various tissues. In mammals, clearance was fastest from serum, followed by kidney, muscle, stomach, and uterus relatively slow clearance was evident in skin, brain, and especially lung (Kasprzak 1987). The half-time persistence in human lung for insoluble forms of nickel is 330 days (Sevin 1980). 

In mammals, the toxicity of nickel is a function of the chemical form of nickel, dose, and route of exposure. Exposure to nickel by inhalation, injection, or cutaneous contact is more significant than oral exposure. Toxic effects of nickel to humans and laboratory mammals are documented for respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hematological, musculoskeletal, hepatic, renal, dermal, ocular, immunological, developmental, neurological, and reproductive systems (NAS 1975 Nielsen 1977 USEPA 1980, 1986 WHO 1991 USPHS 1993). 

Outridge and Scheuhammer (1993), in their excellent review of nickel hazards, draw six major conclusions regarding nickel toxicity in mammals ... 

Lethal nickel doses in mammals are usually derived from studies with laboratory animals injected with nickel and its compounds, not from realistic exposure regimens. 

Threshold effects on lung function or morphology in several species of laboratory mammals occur at airbome nickel concentrations of 0.1 to 0.2 mg/m3, depending on nickel compound and duration of exposure. 

Several trends were evident among sensitive species of mammals tested against nickel through administration routes other than injection (Table 6.9). 

Table 6.9 (continued) Nickel Effects on Selected Mammals... 

Nickel accumulations in tissues and organs of mammals vary significantly with species, route of administration, sex, and general health. No significant accumulations of nickel were observed in liver or kidney of Holstein calves fed diets containing 1000 mg Ni/kg ration for 21 weeks (Stevens... 

To protect humans and other mammals, proposed air-quality criteria range from 0.01 to less than 1.0 mg/m3 for metallic nickel and slightly soluble nickel compounds, 0.015-0.5 mg/m3 for water soluble nickel compounds, and 0.005 to 0.7 mg/m3 for nickel carbonyl (Table 6.10). Inhalation of nickel subsulfide concentrations (0.11 to 1.8 mg Ni/m3) near the current threshold limit value of 1 mg Ni/m3 can produce detrimental changes in the respiratory tract of rats after only a few days of exposure (Benson et al. 1995). Additional animal studies are recommended to identify minimally effective inhalation exposure levels for the various nickel compounds (USPHS 1993). Continued monitoring of nickel refining, nickel-cadmium battery manufacture, and nickel powder metallurgy installations is recommended because ambient air levels of bioavailable nickel at these... 

Nickel is an essential micronutrient for maintaining health in certain species of plants and animals. Its deficiency effects from dietary deprivation have been induced experimentally in many species of birds and mammals. To prevent nickel deficiency in rats and chickens, diets should contain at least 50 pg Ni/kg ration, while cows and goats require more than 100 pg Ni/kg rations, perhaps reflecting the increased use by rumen bacteria. Nickel deficiency is not a public health concern for humans because daily oral intake is sufficient to prevent deficiency effects. 

Outridge, P.M. and A.M. Scheuhammer. 1993. Bioaccumulation and toxicology of nickel implications for wild mammals and birds. Environ. Rev. 1 172-197. 

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