Nasal nickel

Carcinogens Cancer-producing agents Skin Respiratory Bladder/urinary tract Liver Nasal Bone marrow Coal tar pitch dust crude anthracene dust mineral oil mist arsenic. Asbestos polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons nickel ore arsenic bis-(chloromethyl) ether mustard gas. p-naphthylamine benzidine 4-am i nodi pheny lam ine. Vinyl chloride monomer. Mustard gas nickel ore. Benzene. 

Increased frequency of lung and nasal cancers reported among English nickel refinery 1, 5, 6... 

Local effects noted in guinea pigs, rats, mice, and hamsters caused by inhalation of metallic nickel powder (15 mg/m3), nickel subsulfide (0.97 mg/m3), or nickel oxide (53 mg/m3) include nasal sinus inflammations, ulcers, lung irritation, nickel accumulations in lungs, emphysema, and... 

Nickel aerosols, occupational exposure Lung cancer, nasal sinusitis, chronic rhinitis 10... 

Toxicology. Metallic nickel and certain nickel compounds cause sensitization dermatitis. Nickel refining has been associated with an increased risk of nasal and lung cancer. 

Pneumoconiosis has been reported among workers exposed to nickel dust, but exposure to known fibrogenic substances could not be excluded. Nasal irritation, damage to the nasal mucosa, perforation of the nasal septum, and loss of smell have only occasionally been reported in workers exposed to nickel aerosols and other contaminants. ... 

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-... 

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... 

Following inhalation exposure of humans to nickel particles, primarily as nickel oxides and nickel refinery dust, the respiratory system is the primary target. Effects noted included chronic bronchitis, emphysema, reduced vital capacity, and cancers of the lungs and nasal sinus. These effects occurred at... 

Biological monitoring data are available primarily from occupational settings. Determination of nickel in the urine, feces, serum, hair, and nasal mucosa has been used to demonstrate human exposure to nickel compounds (Angerer and Lehnert 1990 Bencko et al. 1986 Bemacki et al. 1978 Elias et al. 1989 Ghezzi et al. 1989 Hassler et al. 1983 Toijussen and Andersen 1979). Serum and urine levels of nickel have been the most often studied. 

Higher concentrations of nickel in the urine and the plasma and lower concentrations of nickel in the nasal mucosa were observed in workers exposed to soluble nickel compounds when compared to workers exposed to less-soluble compounds (Bemacki et al. 1978 Toijussen and Andersen 1979). Less-soluble nickel compounds tended to remain in the nasal mucosa (half-life of 3.5 years) therefore, urinary and plasma levels were relatively low (Toijussen and Andersen 1979). 

A preliminary study using imaging cytometry of nasal smears obtained from nickel workers indicates that this method may be useful to detect precancerous and cancerous lesions (Reith et al. 1994). With this method in which the cells were obtained by brushing the inside of the nose, the investigators were able to distinguish between nickel-exposed workers with non-dysplastic normal and suspicious mucosa smears and those with dysplastic lesions. 

Reith AK, Reichbom-Kjennerud S, Aubele M, et al. 1994. Biological monitoring of chemical exposure in nickel workers by imagining cytometry (ICM) of nasal smears. Anal Cell Path 6 9-21. 

Toijussen W. 1985. Occupational nasal cancer caused by nickel and nickel compounds. Rhinology 23 101-105. 

Torjussen W, Andersen I. 1979. Nickel concentrations in nasal mucosa, plasma and urine in active and retired nickel workers. Aim Clin Lab Sci 9 289-298. 

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