Nickel: general information
Updated 31 January 2025
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nickel-properties-incident-management-and-toxicology/nickel-general-information
Overview
Nickel is a metal that is widely distributed in the earth’s crust (soil and rocks), air and water. Nickel can combine with other elements including sulphur, chlorine and oxygen to form water soluble and insoluble nickel compounds. Nickel compounds are mostly crystals or powders at room temperature.
Nickel is used to produce stainless steel and other alloys. Nickel alloys are used in coins, jewellery, household appliances and electrical equipment. Nickel compounds are also used in the production of nickel-cadmium batteries.
Uses of nickel
Nickel is mainly used to produce stainless steel and other alloys used to produce a number of consumer products including electrical equipment, jewellery and household appliances. Nickel alloys are also used to make coins. Nickel compounds are used in electroplating, pigments, ceramics and are used to produce nickel-cadmium batteries.
How nickel gets into the environment
Human activities including combustion of coal and oil, municipal incineration, steel and other nickel alloy production and electroplating all release nickel into the environment. Volcanoes and forest fires also release nickel into the environment.
Exposure to nickel
People may be exposed to nickel by ingesting food that is contaminated with nickel or by cigarette smoking. People may also be exposed to low levels of nickel by inhaling air contaminated with nickel or by ingesting nickel contaminated water.
Skin contact with products that contain nickel (for example, jewellery, stainless steel, and coins) can lead to trace amounts released from such products. Nickel contact dermatitis was often seen in individuals who wore nickel containing jewellery in the past, but stringent controls are now in place to ensure that this no longer a significant route of exposure.
Workers employed in industries that produce, process, or use nickel may be exposed to higher levels of nickel than the general population.
How exposure to nickel can affect your health
The presence of nickel in the environment does not always lead to exposure. In order for it to cause any adverse health effects you must come into contact with it. You may be exposed by breathing, eating, or drinking the substance or by skin contact. Following exposure to any chemical, the adverse health effects you may encounter depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed (dose), the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.
Inhalation of nickel or nickel compounds for a short period of time may cause sore throat and hoarseness. Ingestion of nickel compounds may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.
Skin exposure to nickel or its compounds can lead to skin irritation and allergic contact dermatitis (an immunological reaction leading to skin sensitisation expressed as a reddening/rash on the skin). Nickel contact dermatitis was often seen in individuals who wore nickel containing jewellery in the past, but stringent controls are now in place to ensure that this is no longer a significant route of exposure.
Long term inhalation exposure to nickel or nickel compounds may cause asthma, runny nose, and inflammation of the sinuses.
Nickel and cancer
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified nickel compounds as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). Breathing air containing nickel compounds for long periods of time may cause cancer of the lung or nasal passages for example, in workers involved in nickel refining. IARC classified elemental nickel as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B)
Pregnancy and the unborn child
Exposure to nickel carbonyl or soluble nickel salts in sufficient amounts during pregnancy may cause harm to the unborn child. This is based on evidence of these effects from studies in animals, which showed an increased number of babies born with birth defects when the mother was exposed to nickel carbonyl. However, exposure to nickel carbonyl or soluble nickel salts is only likely to occur in the workplace.
Children
Children will be affected by nickel in the same way as adults.
What to do if you are exposed to nickel
It is very unlikely that the general population will be exposed to a level of nickel high enough to cause adverse health effects following inhalation or ingestion. However, if contact dermatitis (red skin rash) occurs following skin exposure to items containing nickel, contact should be ceased immediately.
The information contained in this document from the UKHSA Radiation, Climate, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards Directorate is correct at the time of its publication.
Email chemcompendium@ukhsa.gov.uk if you have any questions about this guidance or enquiries@ukhsa.gov.uk if you have any other questions.
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