What are the hazards of nickel to the human body

Nickel is an element of the human body. A moderate amount of this element is very good for the body, but an excessive amount will cause harm to the body. This element also exists in our living environment. This element is often used in many electroplating productions. It is also very corrosive and will affect our body. So what effect will nickel have on our body? Let's take a look.

Nickel and its salts have low toxicity, but because of its biochemical activity, it can activate or inhibit a series of enzymes (arginase, carboxylase, acid phosphatase and decarboxylase) and exert its toxicity. Nickel can cause contact dermatitis. Nickel salts that enter the bloodstream directly are highly toxic, and colloidal nickel or nickel chloride is even more toxic. They can cause central circulation and respiratory disorders, and cause edema, hemorrhage and degeneration of the myocardium, brain, lungs and kidneys. Inhalation of nickel and nickel oxide dust can damage the lungs and have a strong irritating effect on the skin and mucous membranes, causing "nickel itch" or "nickel scabies." Oral administration of large amounts can cause vomiting (like copper poisoning), diarrhea, acute gastroenteritis and gingivitis. Long-term exposure can turn hair white. Long-term exposure to low concentrations of carbonyl nickel may cause systemic poisoning, leading to damage to the lungs, liver, brain, etc., and may lead to increased incidence and mortality of lung cancer, gastric cancer, and paranasal sinus cancer.

Contact with nickel products can cause dermatitis; inhalation of metallic nickel or nickel compound dust can easily lead to respiratory disorders and alveolar hypertrophy; nickel salts, especially carbonyl nickel, are inhaled into the body through the respiratory tract, first damaging the lungs, causing pulmonary edema, acute pneumonia, and inducing respiratory system cancer; water-soluble nickel sulfate has a carcinogenic effect on the nasopharynx; people who use nickel salts to treat anemia, headaches and insomnia may experience nausea, vomiting, dizziness and other reactions.

Long-term contact (such as nickel smelting, nickel plating, etc.), inhalation or injection of nickel compounds are carcinogenic. This is mainly because nickel can cause deteriorating cells to transform into cancer; nickel can distort the replication of RNA or DNA, causing mutations and finally causing cancer; in addition, nickel compounds can inhibit the activity of benzopyrene hydroxylase, so that benzopyrene in the atmosphere is not hydroxylated, and the increase of such substances in the body and tissues (especially in the lungs) makes it easy to develop cancer.

If safety measures are not taken well enough during the production of nickel, poisoning or burns may easily occur, or even explosions may occur, which will have a great impact on our bodies. Therefore, if you work in such an environment, you must pay attention to taking protective measures to reduce the harm to our bodies.