Nickel Urine Testing
Heavy Metals · Heavy Metals overview
Urinary nickel quantifies absorbed dose of soluble and insoluble nickel compounds in refining, electroplating, alloy manufacture and stainless steel welding.
Biomarker characteristics
Urinary nickel reflects absorbed soluble nickel primarily; insoluble nickel particulates are cleared more slowly via mucociliary action and contribute less to urinary excretion. ACGIH does not publish a numeric BEI for nickel at present; UK programmes use HSE guidance and internal cohort baselines.
Timing and matrix
End-of-shift end-of-week urine for soluble nickel exposure; pre-shift next-morning for cumulative tracking. ICP-MS quantification at UKAS-accredited laboratory.
Workplace applications
Nickel refining and recovery, electroplating, nickel-cadmium battery operations, stainless steel welding, nickel-catalyst handling, and hydrogenation plant maintenance.
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