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The Element Nickel

I have a project due about the element nickel and I need some pictures and a little bit of information also. The information that you'll be giving me should contain some info. about the poisonous effects and symptoms nickel has.

Monique
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
2003

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For the little bit of information you seek about nickel, any encyclopedia, even an on-line one will tell you enough. You'll find lots of pictures by typing "nickel" or "nickel" into an image search engine like google.

It's the school, not you, but somehow we just knew that the heart of your assignment would lay in your last 6 words. As for the poisonous effects and symptoms, you could search for 'MSDS nickel' or 'nickel itch' or 'nickel poisoning'; but your school will probably be happier if you search for "nickel disaster" or "nickel catastrophe" :-)

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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First of two simultaneous responses

A very good source on all things involving nickel is the Nickel Development Institute at http://www.nidi.org/. The most important use of nickel is in preparing stainless steel, which is essential to the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Information on effects upon human health and the environment is also given.

A Material Safety Data Sheet with much information on health effects, symptoms, chemical properties, safe handling procedures, applicable laws, etc., is at https://fscimage.fishersci.com/msds/16240.htm A report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2000 states: "Metallic nickel and certain nickel alloys are reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens based on evidence of malignant tumor formation at multiple tissue sites in multiple species of experimental animals." http://roc.niehs.nih.gov/rocpublic/10pRoC/Ni/Ni.htm I believe this conclusion is currently being enacted into law by the U.S. government.

However, the State of California has known nickel to be a carcinogen since Oct. 1, 1989.

Ken Vlach [deceased]
- Goleta, California
Finishing.com honored Ken for his countless carefully researched responses. He passed away May 14, 2015.
Rest in peace, Ken. Thank you for your hard work which the finishing world, and we at finishing.com, continue to benefit from.
2003

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Second of two simultaneous responses

Try the NiDI site - they are the experts on nickel. I think it is www.nidi.com

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2003

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2003

Hi Monique !

It sure seems, doesn't it, that some teachers have a bias, maybe because some are rabid environmentalists and see DANGER in DIRT, let alone nickel, and they want YOU to find out all about the poisonous aspects of this alloy. Probably copper is much more dangerous than nickel but the plumbers union in California back in the 70's used to infer it was far safer than PVC ... and copper piping to hatchling tanks will KILL hatchlings but PVC doesn't... nor would I imagine would nickel ... but from an economic viewpoint, stainless would not be used.

The replies you got will indicate where to go and what a superbly useful material it is ... after all, your cutlery, your knives & forks use nickel, don't they? You ain't dead yet, are you? And your parents and great, great, great grand parents all used stainless cutlery.

If you have the time & inclination, please go the archives and hit # 7099 ... hypothetical dead fish ... which originated from another misguided teacher ... and there sure seems to be a lot of them around.

Freeman Newton [deceased]
(It is our sad duty to advise that Freeman passed away
April 21, 2012. R.I.P. old friend).

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Another site I'd suggest elementary or middle school kids is webelements.com, a delightful site run by Mark Winter. It's great for individual element information.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2003