Carcinogenicity of Nickel

Major studies have been carried out at nickel smelters and refineries, although each study suffers from some deficiencies, as is common in such retrospective studies.  The findings in concert strongly indicate that nickel emitted from the calcining and sintering operations is a potent carcinogen that results in nasal and pulmonary cancers.  Some risk appears to be present in other refining operations, such as Orford furnace, copper and nickel sulfate, and crushing departments, and one study has suggested a risk associated with soluble nickel compounds in the electrolysis department, although this finding has not been confirmed.  Only one study demonstrated an exposure-response relationship, which, however, was not statistically significant.  Other studies showed a relationship between increased exposure time and augmented cancer risk.  In nickel-using industries, no excess cancer related to nickel exposures has been demonstrated beyond doubt; concurrent exposures to other potential carcinogens constitute a confounding variable that makes interpretation difficult.  However, the studies have not excluded that a cancer hazard may exist outside the nickel-producing facilities.  Furthermore, case-referent studies suggest that a nickel-related etiology may well exist in nickel-using industries.  As the exact identity of the carcinogenic form of nickel remains unknown, exposure to all nickel compounds should be kept as low as reasonably achievable.

(Nickel compounds are used as colorants in pottery and glassblowing.  Nickel is present in stainless steel, nickel silver, and other alloys used in welding.- Ed.)

The preceding abstract was reprinted with permission from Section 35, Occupational Health and Industrial Medicine, of Excerpta Medica.

Carcinogenicity of occupational nickel exposures: An evaluation of the epidemiological evidence. - Grandjean P., Andersen O. and Nielsen G.D. - Department of Environmental Medicine, Odense University, 5000 Odense C DNK. Am. J. Ind. Med 1988 13/2 (193-209).

Art Hazard News, Volume 11, No. 3, 1988

This article was originally printed for Art Hazard News, © copyright Center for Safety in the Arts 1988. It appears on CAR courtesy of the Health in the Arts Program, University of Illinois at Chicago, who have curated a collection of these articles from their archive which are still relevant to artists today.