Harm to human body:
Nickel in the general environment will not be harmful to organisms, but lower concentrations of nickel may have a chronic effect on larval growth and development. Nickel metal is less toxic and will not produce acute poisoning if swallowed a large amount of nickel, but regular contact with nickel products will cause dermatitis, eczema, etc.
The excessive intake of nickel salts, especially nickel carboxylate, enters the body from the respiratory tract, firstly damages the lungs, causing pulmonary edema, acute pneumonia, and induces cancer of the respiratory system.
Sources of pollutants:
Nickel is one of the essential micronutrients for certain organisms and plants, and it is also a toxic element that causes cancer. Nickel is hard, friction-resistant and malleable, and it is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Nickel is often used in the manufacture of stainless steel and other corrosion-resistant alloys, and is widely used in special-purpose parts, instrument manufacturing, machine manufacturing, alkaline storage batteries, catalysts, and corrosion-resistant plating.
With the development of the stainless steel industry, improper treatment of nickel-containing industrial wastewater and waste residues, dust and tailings from mining, will bring nickel pollution. Trace amounts of nickel can stimulate plant growth, and excessive nickel can retard crop growth and cause plant death. When the accumulation of nickel in plants exceeds the standard and enters the food chain, it will affect the health of animals and humans.
Migration and conversion:
The content of nickel in nature is not high, and the natural source mainly enters the environment through the processes of volcanic rock weathering and volcanic eruption. Nickel pollution can be produced in the production process of the human electrical industry, chemical industry, mechanical industry, construction industry and food industry, and mining tailings, zeolite, and exfoliated soil can also cause pollution.
If nickel-containing wastewater, waste gas, and waste residues brought about by the industrial and agricultural development, like the stainless steel industry, are discharged without effective treatment, nickel can enter the soil, water, and volatilize into the atmosphere, and migrate. Nickel in the soil is not easy to leach with water, is not easy to biodegrade, and has obvious biological enrichment effect.
The main way for people to be exposed to nickel is to inhale nickel-containing air. Drinking water may also contain trace amounts of nickel. Other ways of exposure include smoking and using nickel-containing utensils.
![What impact does nickel pollution in the stainless steel industry have on the environment?]()